Breastfeeding your child during her first year offers plenty of health benefits, according to MedlinePlus. Providing your child with breast milk results in fewer stomach and intestinal complications, as well as a reduced risk of skin diseases, allergies and ear infections. This method limits the time and money you'll spend on meal preparation while enhancing your bond with your baby. Breastfeeding also may make it easier for you to lose weight.
Significance
Breastfeeding may have a positive effect on your weight loss efforts after childbirth, according to WomensHealth.gov. Women who don't breastfeed often lose less weight and have more trouble keeping it off than their breastfeeding counterparts. Your body uses part of the weight you gained during pregnancy as fuel for breastfeeding.
Function
As tempting as it is to restrict your caloric intake to lose pregnancy weight, you need to provide your body with nutrients so it can produce milk. Drink plenty of water and other healthy fluids, such as low-fat milk. You also should rest as much as possible, recommends MedlinePlus. Weight loss will occur naturally. Producing milk requires between 200 and 500 calories a day, which is the equivalent of bicycling uphill for an hour, according to La Leche League International.
Considerations
In addition to encouraging weight loss, breastfeeding helps reduce your risk of obesity-related conditions. Women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy and breastfeed have lower blood sugars postpartum than women who don't breastfeed their children. Women with type 1 diabetes often require less insulin while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers typically have high HDL, or good, cholesterol levels, according to La Leche League International.
Benefits
Obese women are more likely to suffer from such health conditions as type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. In addition to helping you slim down, breastfeeding your baby reduces your risk of developing such health conditions. Breastfeeding stimulates the release of the hormone oxytocin, which promotes bonding between you and your baby while improving your mood. Oxytocin also encourages your uterus to contract, helping it return to its smaller prepregnancy condition.
Expert Insight
While you may find breastfeeding challenging, it's worthwhile, according to MedlinePlus. Pain from engorged breasts and sore nipples, as well as concern over whether your baby is getting enough to eat, may lead you to consider switching to bottle feeding. A lactation consultant can help immensely -- she can teach you how to ensure your baby is latched on correctly. Proper latching on eliminates many problems associated with nursing, such as sore nipples and low milk supply.
Cold compresses can ease the pain of engorged breasts. Track your baby's weight gain and growth to determine whether your child is nursing enough. Breastfeeding for any length benefits mother and child. Breastfeeding your baby even a few weeks will help you lose weight while providing the abdominal-flattening benefit of oxytocin.
