Weight Loss for Breastfeeding Mothers

Breastfeeding is perhaps the only way you can burn calories by simply sitting still. It seems a no-brainer that you will achieve quicker and more lasting weight loss after pregnancy if you choose to nurse. However, the end result depends on your own metabolism.

Calories

Nursing will almost certainly increase your appetite. Try to let your hunger guide your eating. As a rule of thumb, eat an additional 300 to 500 calories per day to maintain an adequate milk supply.

Dieting

If you are anxious about losing your "baby weight," be reassured that dieting during nursing is perfectly acceptable, as long as you are careful to maintain adequate nutrition. The quality of your diet as a nursing mother is more important than the strict number of calories eaten, though your supply will be affected if you restrict your intake too severely.

Drink plenty of fluids, supplement with a multivitamin, eat healthy fats (especially those containing DHA), and get enough calcium and B vitamins in your diet.

Time Frame

Babies increase their milk intake with age until solid foods are introduced between 4 and 6 months. At that point, they drink fewer calories until, ultimately, they are weaned from the breast.

If you supplement with formula, you need fewer calories than you would if you were nursing exclusively. Breast milk is produced in response to your baby's demand. Therefore, if you supplement, you will burn fewer calories and may produce less milk over time.

Weaning

When you wean your baby, be forewarned that you may regain some of the weight lost through breastfeeding, especially if you don't adjust your eating habits to compensate for the decrease in calories burned.

On the other hand, some mothers report that their bodies "hang on" to the remaining weight from pregnancy until weaning is complete, at which point they are finally able to shed those remaining few pounds.

For some, the gradual weaning process means an extended battle with ups and downs in weight.

Considerations

The health benefits to your baby of breastfeeding are indisputable. When it comes to your own health, the impact is less clear, but for many, the result is quicker and sometimes more lasting weight loss.