During pregnancy, an adequately nourished woman gains more weight than the total weight of the baby and the support system (mainly the placenta).
Part of this extra weight is due to fat stores laid down during pregnancy in preparation for breastfeeding.
A breastfeeding mother consumes around 500-800 extra calories per day to produce breastmilk.
Part of this extra energy comes from extra foods that a breastfeeding mother should eat.
Some of the extra energy, however, comes from the fat stores laid down in pregnancy.
Thus, a breastfeeding mother can eat more and still lose weight.
This way, breastfeeding helps you return to your pre-pregnancy weight and shape sooner.
No crash diets:
You should notdiet during breastfeeding. Crash diets are always a bad idea, but especially so during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The quality and quantity of your breastmilk will not suffer appreciably unless you are severely malnourished.
If your diet is deficient, your own body will be robbed of essential substances to make sure your breastmilk contains them.
Eat and drink well, but don't overdo it:
You should eat some extra food to provide for some of the extra energy required for lactation. But don't overdo it! Let hunger, not habit, be your guide.
You should drink plenty of liquids to avoid being dehydrated. But don't overdo it! Let thirst, not a schedule, be your guide. Make sure you have a drink ready while you're nursing your baby. Often, you will suddenly feel thirsty when let-down occurs.
If you are concerned that your baby reacts to something you eat, see the fussy baby page.
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Breastfeeding and Weight Loss Wednesday, 21 January 2009 Breastfeeding -Breastfeeding and Weight Loss During pregnancy, an adequately nourished woman gains more weight than the total...
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