1. Contrary to the general belief, weight loss is very rapid during breastfeeding. With a healthy diet plan and if extreme calorie intake is avoided, you shall lose weight faster due to the extra 500 calories lost per day because of breast feeding. Daily calorie need of an adult woman is around 1800 calories. As long as you do not take more than 2300 calories a day, you will enjoy seeing that you’re losing weight as if you are on a diet. One of the most common mistakes is that mothers eat a lot of fruit stews, heavy cream and sweet pastries. Drinking plenty of liquid is enough for a high quality milk.. Extreme calorie intake makes it harder for you to lose your pregnancy weight. During breastfeeding period, some may even go above their pregnancy weight.
2. Second benefit of breastfeeding is helping your uterus return to its normal size. The uterus is normally the size of our fist. But due to the hormones released, as your baby grows, the uterus begins to enlarge and reaches to a volume of 5-6 liters. A miracle is needed in order for this organ to shrink to its normal size. And this miracle is breastfeeding. During breastfeeding oxytocin is secreted. Oxytocin causes smooth muscles to contract and helps the uterus to shrink. Another role of oxytocin is to make the breast milk flow along the ducts and from the breasts. As your baby suckles the milk volume increases and as oxytocin increases the uterus returns to its normal size rapidly within a couple of months.
3. It is statistically stated that mothers who breastfed their baby in the first 6 months have lower risk of bone loss, osteoporosis, heart attack and some gynecological cancers and breast cancer.
Breastfeeding benefits for the mother
The all-time star miracle called breastfeeding has great benefits not only for your baby but for you, too. Attending Physician Anıl Yeşildal explains these unique benefits