Losing That Baby Weight

Losing the weight gained while pregnant can be a daunting task.  With my first child, I breastfed for 6 months but it took me forever to lose the weight.  With my second child, I breastfed for 5 weeks and lost the weight in about 3.

We hear story after story about how nursing helps you lose weight.  What's the real deal?  Well, it's unclear. 

There are some studies that show, yes, breastfeeding does indeed help you lose weight.  Making milk, burns calories and the baby eats several hundred calories more a day.  But some studies suggest that amount of weight you lose depends on several factors. such as whether you were overweight before you got pregnant, what you gained while you were pregnant, and how long you nurse etc.

Other studies have found that mothers who nurse don't necessarily lose weight faster that those who feed their children formula.  In fact, one double blind, randomized study, showed that women who didn't breastfeed lost more body fat at six months than those who did.  The results led researchers to conclude that nursing moms might overeat because of the appetite stimulant prolactin, or that non-lactating moms could exercise more.

There are some other factors to think about.  Many pregnant moms feel free to eat whatever they want because, after all, they're "eating for two."  It may be that they gain excessive weight during pregnancy.

Bottom line, check with your doctor to monitor your weight gain while pregnant.  And after the baby is born, don't beat yourself up.  I once heard Katie Couric say, "it takes 9 months to put on. Give yourself 9 months to take it off!."  And don't rely on your feeding method as your post pregnancy diet.  Nothing takes the place of healthy eating and exercise.