I didn’t think this was news, but according to a new study, published in the International Breastfeeding Journal, mothers who breast-feed can get their pre-pregnancy figure back more quickly than mothers who don’t nurse exclusively. The best part about it is that breast-feeding mothers can consume more calories and STILL loose more weight than those women who don’t!

Maureen Williams, ND reports the following at MedFinds:

Women who chose to breast-feed exclusively lost more weight and lost it more quickly than those who chose a mixed feeding regime (breast-feeding plus formula). Although the breast-feeding mothers ate more calories than the mixed feeding mothers, they lost an average of 9.7 pounds (4.41kg), while mixed feeding mothers lost an average of 6.14 pounds (2.79 kg). The breast-feeding mothers’ percent body fat also decreased during the early postpartum period, but the mixed feeding mothers’ did not.

According to this and prevous studies, the greatest difference in weight loss was seen at three months after delivery.

“The study clearly shows the importance of encouraging and supporting mothers to breast-feed exclusively,” says the study’s senior author, Dr. Alex Anderson, of the Department of Foods and Nutrition at the University of Georgia. Exclusive breast-feeding not only reduces the risk of new moms being overweight, it might even protect them against heart disease and other chronic conditions.

In addition to helping new moms regain their figures, breast-feeding has well-documented benefits for newborns:

• Lowers risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)

• Reduces the likelihood of developing allergies

• Provides immune cells that help babies fight infections, including chest and ear infections

• Supports healthy neurological development

(Int Breastfeed J 2008;3:18)