BREASTFEEDING AND WEIGHT LOSS

Can breastfeeding help you lose weight ?

Even though breastfeeding consumes extra 400 -500 calories to help #breastmilk production you would think it would help you lose weight.That’s equivalent to 60 min of intense physical activity.

However weight lose is not that clear cut .

Many women notice no effect on weight lost or even gain weight while breastfeeding

Why ?

Fat stored during pregnancy will not automatically disappear once the baby is born .Your body will cling to it and utilise it during breastfeeding

Also many factors contribute to weight loss : weight gain during pregnancy, biological differences, activity level and diet

Increased hunger during breastfeeding may make it hard to lose weight . Some women eat more and move less . This makes up for the extra calorie burn during breastfeeding

Another factor is new mums have irregular and interrupted sleeping patterns . Sleep deprivation causes increase hunger and appetite. Hands up I can testify to that !!

Best advice is to listen to your body and feed it nourishing food and if you can get outside with your baby for a walk

Most importantly be kind to yourself as it took 9 months to gain this weight as you grew this little one