A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined weight gained during pregnancy and the elimination or retention of that weight postpartum. The authors concluded that exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months as recommended can help most women return to their pre-pregnancy weight by six months postpartum. The study also addressed one of the concerns from a previous review of similar studies in that it took into account the pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI) of the women studied. Basically it concluded that women who were heavier before pregnancy were the most likely to continue to struggle with weight …read more

A celebrity quote I read the other day got me wondering about breastfeeding and weight gain or loss. Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz, who currently stars in the comedy Definitely, Maybe, told The Sun:
‘I feel sexier after having a baby. I think you feel a lot more confident and much more appreciative of your body and what it’s capable of doing. I’ve got a lot more respect for it.’ She added, ‘When I stopped breastfeeding I gained some. It took me more than a year to get back to where I was.’
Source.
I hear both sides from breastfeeding mothers: (1) some …read more