Women Who Breastfeed Are More Likely to Shed Their Baby Weight 6 Months After Giving Birth, Study Shows

By Caroline Wilbert
WebMD Health News

Dec. 8, 2008 — Breastfeeding may help new mothers shed the baby weight.

A new study examines the relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum weight retention. The study, which looked at data for more than 25,000 women participating in the Danish National Birth Cohort, measured how long women breastfed and also how intensely. Each woman received a breastfeeding score. Results showed that women with higher breastfeeding scores were more likely to lose their pregnancy weight six months after giving birth.

Researchers concluded that women who gain a reasonable amount during pregnancy and breastfeed exclusively are likely to lose all pregnancy weight six months after giving birth. They also estimate that women who breastfeed retain 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) less than women who don’t breastfeed at six months after giving birth.

Participants, all recruited by their doctors during their first prenatal visit, were interviewed four times — twice during pregnancy, as well as six months after giving birth and 18 months after giving birth. They answered questions about their weight and how they were feeding their babies.

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