The Benefits of Breastfeeding by Maria Khaled RD, LD

Why is breastfeeding important? Breastfeeding has an array of benefits and one of them is thankfully weight loss- yay! Yes, that is right! Breast feeding can help you lose weight, on top of many other benefits.

Thinking back to my breastfeeding days, I remember not only the challenges that may arise when first starting out on the journey, but the overall importance of the benefits that both you and baby receive on the breastfeeding path.

For exclusively breast-feeding mothers, know that you will burn an additional 500 calories daily. This is wonderful right. So yes, it’s also important to note that while breastfeeding, you should be consuming high quality foods such as lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains and it is okay to take in a little more calories. How many you ask?

One can afford to take in an additional 350- 500 calories more if you are exclusively breastfeeding. Focusing on the nutrient dense food choices is important and will help you lose the weight more efficiently. Avoiding processed and refined foods such as chips, cookies, cakes, pastries, white flour, etc. will help with the weight loss process. 

What I feel is so important to know about breastfeeding is the actual difficulty of the getting started process which I feel was not explained very well to me at the time. I remember thinking of how difficult early on it was to get the process right and this is where a good lactation consultant can be a vital part of the breastfeeding journey.

The latching on technique explained very well is key in my opinion, along with the notion of keep trying and don’t give up! It may be painful at first, but once you get it right, things will become easier and smoother along your divine path.

The more patience you have, along with the ability to get all of your questions answered by the lactation consultant, the better equipped you will be on your breastfeeding journey and the more fulfilled you may feel!

According to Healthline, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life. (Healthline.com)

Really, breastfeeding at least for one year is the goal for mother and baby. Ideally, the recommendation is to breastfeed up to two years, with the addition of complimentary foods, is encouraged.

Thankfully, I was blessed and also proud to be able to do this for up to two years old for my children and I do feel a sense of accomplishment for this feat. 

Although a commitment, I was fortunate to be able to do it and I am happy to have had this time of bonding and nourishing with my children. I strongly encourage it for all of the positive benefits that both may benefit from.

Although a personal choice for every individual and all situations may differ; knowing there are many important undeniable health benefits to breastfeeding proved very important to me on my own journey.

According to Healthline, some other benefits that breastfeeding provides are:

Reduced infections

Better immunity against viruses and bacteria

Reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

A healthier weight- Children who are breastfed may have a lower risk of childhood obesity. (Healthline.com)

Overall, breastfeeding takes dedication, commitment, and really depends on an individual’s situation and preferences. The benefits are extremely noteworthy and any opportunity to do it is well worth the health investment for you and baby!

Contact Nutrition Wellness today at 9901-321-5033 to get started and transform into the greatest version of yourself!