Search Here

It is an old wisdom that breastfeeding helps new mothers gain back their figure postdelivery.

A latest study has revealed that apart from helping lose weight in the initial months, breastfeeding can also help women stay fit for decades.

Researchers found out that women who breastfed their babies for a few months, were more likely to stay slim even after 30 years.

There is a growing concern among doctors that a growing number of women are gaining weight during pregnancy, which turns into obesity that they can never get rid of. The more the number of children they bear, the more fat they accumulate on their bodies.

According to the researchers from Oxford University, for every six months that a women breastfeeds her baby, she loses around 2lb - depending on her initial weight and height.

Even though 2lb does not sound like a big figure, researchers say that it has other benefits including a reduced risk of cancer, heart problems and other illnesses related to obesity, reports Mail Online.

For the latest study, 740,000 women were observed and studied. The researchers found that for every six months of breast feeding, a women lost 1 per cent of her Body Mass Index (BMI). A woman who is 5ft 6ins tall and weighs 11st 1lb would have a BMI measurement of 25, which is classified as overweight.

But if her BMI was to fall by 1 per cent it would be about 24.75 - which is deemed 'healthy' - and she would weigh 10st 13lb, says the report.

"We already know breastfeeding is best for babies, and this study adds to a growing body of evidence that the benefits extend to the mother as well - even 30 years after she's given birth," lead author of the paper, Dr Kirsty Bobrow, from Oxford University said.

"Pregnant women should be made aware of these benefits to help them make an informed choice about infant feeding," she added.

A single day of breast feeding helps a woman burn around 500 calories and equals a typical gym session.

"Our research suggests that just six months of breastfeeding by UK women could reduce their risk of obesity in later life. A 1 per cent reduction in BMI may seem small, but spread across the population of the UK that could mean about 10,000 fewer premature deaths per decade from obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers," Professor Dame Valerie Beral, director of the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University and a co-author of the study said.

Figures from the Department of Health reveal that there has been a considerable increase in the number of number mothers who breastfeed their babies. While in the 90's only 6 in 10 women breastfed their babies, the number has risen to three quarters of the mothers practicing the same, perhaps following numerous 'breast is best' campaigns.

This study was published in the International Journal of Obesity.