It takes energy to produce milk and energy equals calories, therefore breastfeeding can be an excellent way of losing weight. And in most cases breastfeeding is in fact helping you to lose the mama weight. For some women the fat will practically disappear from their bodies while breastfeeding although they eat a lot of food - even if they are choosing food that is rich in calories. Some women will be thinner than ever before when they have been breastfeeding for a while. However this is not something that goes without saying. And you should definitely not take for granted the fact that you will lose weight if you are breastfeeding your baby. Breastfeeding do increases your dietary need with about 500 calories. But some women will just not lose the weight although they are breastfeeding many times each day and night. Usually this depends on the fact that they continue to stuff their faces with excessive and unhealthy food, fooling themselves that they need the extra calories in order to produce milk for their newborn. If you have gained a lot of extra weight during pregnancy you have to start cutting down on the sugar and fat. You have to start choosing healthy options. But even if you only eat "real food" you have to be aware so that you don't over eat. Breastfeeding makes you hungry, it sure does, but try to limit yourself and be in control as regards your daily intake of calories.
A midwife once told me that most women that are breastfeeding will start losing the extra weight at least after four months of breastfeeding. But some women will have a hard time losing the weight although they are eating healthy and are keeping track of the calories. In those cases it can be the body simply resisting to the fact that they are trying to lose weight. Some extra fat on your body is good for the milk production and your body simply just wants to hang on to it. Some women will in fact not lose the weight until the breastfeeding days are over. But don't forget that breastfeeding is good for you and your baby!
