Does breastfeeding help weightloss?

Answer 1

Yes. Not only do breastfeeding moms lose more weight, more quickly than their bottlefeeding counterparts, the weight loss is targeted specifically at those fat reserves that were put on during pregnancy! Those hips, thighs, upper arms, etc. were gained specifically for lactation, and lactation can help reduce them again with very little effort other than feeding your baby and not overfeeding yourself in the postpartum period.

This phenomenon of effortless weight loss usually goes on for 3-6 months postpartum. At this point, many breastfeeding moms have lost all but 5 or 10 lbs. of their pregnancy weight gain. For those who continue nursing through the first year, however, there is often another window of opportunity for weight-loss sometime between 12 and 18 months. It may take a little more effort with exercise and portion control for many women at that point, but it's not uncommon for moms who are "extended nursing" to find that suddenly, those last 5 or 10 lbs. have vanished.

Breastfeeding is one of the easiest and most effortless weight loss programs out there! How else can you lose weight while eating 300 extra calories per day, with minimal exercise, and know that the weight you're losing is coming directly from fat cells? Normal weight loss starts with water, then moves to muscle, and *then* finally to fat, but breastfeeding immediately mobilizes those fat cells for burning. :)

Personally, my usual weight loss pattern was to be down to about 5 lbs. above pre-pregnancy weight by about 6-8 weeks postpartum, and to hang out at that weight until around 10-12 months postpartum, when those last few lbs. (and usually another 5 more or so) would shed off, leaving me *under* my pre-pregnancy weight until I became pregnant again.

This was the case whether I gained 20 lbs. or 40 lbs. with the pregnancy, although 40 is the most I ever gained (twice).

HTH!

Answer 2

Yes!
I was within 5 lbs of my pre-pregancy weight by 6 weeks postpartum all three times from breastfeeding alone.

Answer 3

Yes...I lost 15 lbs in 3 weeks with my 4th baby. With my 2nd child I gained 60 lbs and breastfed him for 11 months. When he turned 1 I lost the 60 lbs plus 10 lbs on top of that.

Answer 4

It can. You burn calories making breast milk but you still need to watch how many calories you're eating if you want to see an effect. You also need to exercise if you want to be truly healthy and loose weight faster.