Does breastfeeding help women lose pregnancy weight?

[Carol]

Many women desire to lose their pregnancy weight during the postpartum period, although they are often advised to do so gradually in order to maintain their health and their baby’s growth and health.

Breastfeeding is perhaps the best and most natural way to lose slowly pregnancy weight without restricting food calories and nutrients. Food calories provide the necessary fuel for maternal body to synthesize milk components, while nutrients (such as amino acids, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) are essential for the baby’s growth and development.

That’s why strict dieting and/or short-term starvation are contraindicated methods to lose weight during the postpartum period. Not only they can affect the required intake of nutrients and energy, but they can also release stored toxins (such as pesticides and PCBs) from body fat into the bloodstream during rapid weight loss. These toxins, in turn, can pass from the maternal bloodstream into the milk, thereby potentially damaging the baby’s tissues and organs.

Breast milk production requires lots of energy, approximately 200 to 500 calories per day. If mothers choose to breast feed, their bodies will burn these calories (and excess pregnancy fat) on their own, without any calorie restriction is required.
Mothers don’t need to follow any special diet while they are breastfeeding. What is more important is following a healthy, low-fat diet and practicing moderate exercise. Losing weight will come as a natural consequence of milk production, because maternal body uses the stored energy in fat to make milk.
Diet should be rich in whole grains and cereals, fruit and vegetables and should be high in proteins, vitamins and minerals (such as calcium and iron). Nutrients are not only essential for avoiding nutritional deficiencies in the baby, but they are also important for the mother to meet her physical requirements of caring for the newborn.

During breastfeeding, mothers should drink plenty of water (whenever they are thirsty) to maintain adequate tissue hydration. They should also avoid or limit drinking alcohol and eating some type of fish, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they contain the highest levels of mercury which is harmful to baby’s nervous system.

Through breastfeeding, mothers can gradually return to their pre-pregnancy weight over a period of 8 to 12 months, simply by following a healthy, low-fat diet. The ideal weight loss rate is 1-2 pounds per week. When weight loss is greater than 2 pounds per week, mothers who are breastfeeding should increase their calorie intake. On the other hand, if weight loss is less than 1 pound per week, mothers can adjust their food intake slightly downward and focus more on low-energy foods. In this case calorie restriction should be initiated not before six weeks postpartum, because limiting food intake in the first weeks after the baby is born may decrease milk supply.
In any case, it is important not to be in a hurry to lose pregnancy weight. Breastfeeding, healthy diet and moderate physical activity will help mothers get back gradually their pre-pregnancy body and keep them and their baby healthy.