Breastfeeding And Weight Loss True Or False

Over the years there has been a lot of discussion about if there is a significant weight loss noticed by new mothers when they are breastfeeding as opposed to those mothers who are not. It seems the breastfeeding weight loss stalemate is just that—-no matter how many studies the researchers do, there is no significant data that backs up major differences in weight loss between the two groups of mothers.

Most of the postpartum mothers are faced with at least a 20lb weight loss and a lot of them are under the impression that breastfeeding is the factor that really speeds up the weight loss. The majority of women will gain 25-35lbs during pregnancy and get rid of about 14lbs of it during childbirth, so the remaining amount is an annoyance to them; one that they want to be rid of pronto. Well, the word on the street is that breastfeeding is the key; but the research does not back that up. Every study ever done has proven that there is just as much weight lost among mothers who do NOT breastfeed, as with those that do.

Much research has been done on the subject, and there have been numerous studies that followed the subject mothers, both breastfeeding and not; to see how the weight loss compared between the two groups over a long period of time. Not surprisingly, the results of the research was evenly divided down the middle; just as many in the breastfeeding group had a weight loss that compared evenly with the weight loss in the non breastfeeding group, and conversely; just as many in each group, gained weight, or (as in the breastfeeding group) no weight was lost until after breastfeeding stopped.

One of the biggest questions for new mothers who were worried about breastfeeding and weight loss was how long would it take before they were back to the figure they had before they were pregnant, and would they be able to count on weighing as much as they did before. The researchers gave the usually expected answers that if the women followed a good exercise regimen and watched what they ate, then they could see results in about 8-12mos after giving birth. Some would take a little longer, and some would come in right around the 8mo time frame.

One thing that the researchers in all the studies performed kept emphasizing was that the female body is set up in such a way as to be able to perform the miracle of childbirth on its own time line, and just as importantly, it is designed to shed the gained pounds on its own time line to maintain its health and well being. There are numerous assaults to the body during pregnancy from surges of hormones, to the physical stress that takes place, to the traumatizing effects of childbirth itself; and for new mothers to want to speed up the postpartum recovery period and the breastfeeding weight loss that takes place, would only do damage to the body in the long run.

The final say in the breastfeeding weight loss debate is that for the majority of postpartum women, it doesn’t really matter if you breastfeed or not; the weight loss experience is about evenly divided in results. The women who did breastfeed lost just as much or just as little weight as those who did not. The results varied accordingly within each group, and researchers also found that calcium supplements didn’t have any bearing on weight loss either.

So, the word is, take all you hear and read about breastfeeding enhancing weight loss with a grain of salt because only half of it is true. The results of multiple studies on the subject come up with absolutely nothing conclusive except that the facts are split right down the middle. There is nothing to back up the commonly held theory that breastfeeding works in the opinion of the woman on the street and for some, yes it does; and for just as many others, no it doesn’t. You decide what is best for you.

Tags: exercise, fitness, health, weight loss, Weightloss

Category: Weightloss