Whether it's a question of physiology, diet, energy expenditure or state of mind, pregnancy kilos are easier to lose for breastfeeding mothers. At least, that's what we've heard from those who have chosen to breastfeed. But beyond the myth, can breastfeeding, or even breast pumping, really help you lose weight more quickly after giving birth? And if so, how?
CONTENTS :
- The true and false of breastfeeding nutrition
- So, does breastfeeding help you lose weight?
- 5 tips for gentle post-partum weight loss
The true and false of breastfeeding nutrition
"You should eat more, eat less, or eat better, drink more water or avoid certain foods". In baby trials, pregnant or breastfeeding, there's no shortage of advice and injunctions about what you should or shouldn't eat, and what you should or shouldn't do. So much so, in fact, that it can be tricky to sort out what's true from what's false, what's belief from what's advice, what's myth from what's reality.
- A nursing mother needs to eat more than before
True and false. What is true is thatbreastfeeding stimulates the appetite. In fact, to produce breast milk, your body burns several hundred calories every day. However, it's not necessary to eat more, but rather to eat better.
In reality, the diet of a breastfeeding woman is much the same as that of a pregnant woman, minus the restrictions on cheese, fish and cold meats: varied, balanced and as natural as possible (i.e., no processed products). Your milk production depends on the quality of your diet and good hydration.
- Breastfeeding requires a restrictive diet
It's not true. Milk taste, intolerances... Although we know that a mother's diet has a direct influence on the taste and composition of her breast milk, a strict diet is not necessary during breastfeeding or pumping.
Your milk can change taste from one feeding to the next, and that's fine- it's the start of an incredible taste adventure that lasts a lifetime. As for food intolerances, it's never a question of breast milk, but rather of the proteins (from eggs, wheat, seafood, meat, etc.) that pass through it. Approximately 0.4 to 0.5% of infants are affected by a reaction, which is not prevented by avoidance feeding during breastfeeding.
- Breastfeeding or breast pumping can lead to deficiencies
It's not true. If you maintain a healthy, varied diet, breastfeeding will not result in any vitamin or trace element deficiencies, not even calcium.
- Breast milk may be too light or too fatty
It's not true. Breast milk changes from one feed to the next, and even during a feed. Its composition can also change according to the volume of milk produced and the mother's diet, but it is always sufficient to meet the baby's nutritional needs for up to 6 months.
- Certain foods slow down milk production
It's true. They are said to be anti-galactogenic. They include sage, parsley, peppermint and artichoke.
- Breastfeeding reduces baby's risk of obesity
It's true. Doctors generally observe a lower risk of obesity in babies and children who are breastfed, or who have been breastfed. The Belgian SPF (federal public service) suggests that this protection may be linked to the protective agents in breast milk, the fact that it contains less protein, and tofeeding on demand.
- Breast-feeding infants need to drink additional water
It's not true. Up to the age of 6 months, breast milk is sufficient to cover all your baby's nutritional needs, including proper hydration. In warmer summers, you can simply breastfeed more often. However, from the age of 6 months, once food diversification has begun, babies can drink a little mineral water from a bottle or learning cup.
- Breastfed babies suffer more often from colic
It's not true. At present, science has not yet succeeded in explaining infant colic. There are many possible explanations: feeding during breast-feeding, an overly strong ejection reflex, changing breast too quickly during a feed, immaturity of the digestive system, crying to relieve stress or growing pains. On the other hand, young parents are the first to notice that all babies are affected, including bottle-fed babies.
That's why, at Élhée, we've opted for an innovation focused on the well-being of infants and babies, with the anti-colic feeding bottle. Made from soft silicone and fitted with a physiological teat, it considerably reduces the risk of colic.
So, does breastfeeding help you lose weight?
One thing is certain: to produce breast milk, the body draws on the reserves accumulated during pregnancy. Breast-feeding mothers who maintain a healthy diet in reasonable quantities (without going on a diet), therefore, regain their figure a little more quickly after the birth of their child. This is all the more true if you practice exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months.
It's important to remember, however, that every woman is different, and that other factors, such as metabolism, play a part in whether or not weight is lost during breastfeeding. Pregnancy kilos don't just creep on to upset new mothers. The weight-gain mechanism is directly (but not exclusively) linked to breastfeeding, and to the fact that the body anticipates energy expenditure by building up reserves. As at almost every stage of pregnancy, hormones also play their part in this evolution. So it's important to be kind to the body that has just given birth.
It should also be noted that restrictive diets are not recommended, as they can lead to fatigue, deficiency and reduced lactation. To lose your pregnancy kilos more quickly, it's best to resume gentle exercise from the second or third month post-partum, after consulting your doctor or midwife.
What about breast pumps?
The principle is the same with the breast pump, since the extra calories consumed are due to the energy required by the female body to produce milk, not to the way baby consumes it. The breast pump also makes slimming easier.
5 tips for gentle post-partum weight loss
- Eat healthily and in reasonable quantities (as you did before your pregnancy).
- Drink plenty of mineral water.
- Get moving, walk, climb the stairs, swim... In short, resume gentle physical activity (compatible, if necessary, with perineal re-education exercises).
- Breastfeed your baby, first and foremost for his own good (you can also pump).
- Be patient and kind with your body.
