Does Breastfeeding Help You Lose Weight?

Many new mothers, ask the question: does breastfeeding help you lose weight? This is one of the first questions they are asked when they decide to try the breastfeeding technique. The answer depends upon a few factors. Not all moms who breastfeed are going through pregnancy.

Some mothers may choose to stop breastfeeding because of weight issues. In these cases, it is very important to check with your doctor to make sure there aren't any complications with your pregnancy, such as an ectopic pregnancy. In some extreme cases, the baby may be suffering from birth defects. If this is the case, then obviously you will not wish to take any undue risks with your baby's health. Your doctor will be able to advise you on any precautions you need to take.

In the majority of cases, once the baby is born and the mother begins to take care of him or her, there is no need to quit breastfeeding. The reason why this is so is that babies take in essential antibodies after birth. These antibodies help maintain a stable weight for the infant. Therefore, it is important to continue taking care of the baby for the initial time after birth, as this will help the infant to gain the necessary weight loss.

There are many moms out there who do quit their babies on account of gaining too much weight. First of all, it is important to remember that babies take longer to digest formula than breast milk. This helps to explain why many babies gain weight after they are weaned. While it may seem appealing to breastfeed longer, this can have negative consequences. It can actually be bad for the health of the infant.

Another reason why many moms choose to end their breastfeeding is due to side effects. For some women, breastfeeding can cause sore nipples. Other women experience problems with colic, which is the term given to difficulty sleeping caused by gas and colic. This can be very distressing for both the mother and the child.

Some mothers opt for bottle feeding in order to solve the aforementioned issues. This does work for some women but it is not the best option for many moms. Bottled milk may contain chemicals and other harmful ingredients which are not good for the baby. Furthermore, the infant might choke on some of the formula if he or she attempted to swallow the air in the bottle during the nursing session.

Finally, another reason why some mothers stop their breastfeeding is because they become bored with the taste. Breastfed babies often appear less hungry because they are receiving nutrients from their mother's milk. As such many new mothers find themselves less interested in breastfeeding as their baby gets older and moves on to formulas. Unfortunately, this does not have any positive effect on the health of the baby.

The benefits of breastfeeding are plentiful. Not only does it keep mom healthy emotionally and physically, it also has physical and emotional benefits as well. Many moms report that their babies gain weight perfectly fine when they are breastfed. These babies tend to weigh less than babies who are formula fed. Therefore, if you want your baby to gain weight like other babies do, then breastfeeding definitely makes a lot of sense.

So, does breastfeeding help you lose weight? First off, many experts do say that breastfed babies do gain weight just fine. However, the benefits are mostly mental and emotional. Babies learn a lot from their mothers. Therefore, if the mother is happy, the baby is also likely to be happy.

In addition to the fact that breastfeeding helps a baby gain weight just fine, studies have also shown that breastfeeding does decrease a mother's need for preservatives and other artificial ingredients found in so many commercial formulas. This proves to be very helpful for a lot of new moms. It also proves to be beneficial for the health of the mother as well. If more women choose to breastfeed their infants, then fewer chemicals will end up in her body.

Now that you know the answer to the question, "Does breastfeeding help you lose weight?" The next step is for you to find a comfortable and relaxing place to breastfeed your baby. Try holding him or her in your arms or sitting him or her in your lap. Whatever you do, keep the baby as close as possible to you. You will find that breastfeeding will help you lose weight and your baby will too.