What are the benefits
of breastfeeding for the mother
Once you master the art of breastfeeding,
feeding the baby will be very convenient for you. You will not need
to worry about washing and sterilizing bottles, preparing feeds, boiling
water, etc.
It will help you regain your figure
faster than if you were not breastfeeding
It also reduces the risks of breast
and ovarian cancer
It acts as a natural contraceptive (but
you should not rely on it) and helps you space your babies by delaying
conception
Will my breasts
sag with breastfeeding
The mother's breasts usually do increase
in size by as much as 2-5 inches during pregnancy and remain enlarged for
a few months after delivery until the mother continues to nurse her baby.
Since there are no muscles in the breast, only ligaments, your breasts
will sag from the increased weight unless well supported by a good-fitting
bra. These ligaments, once stretched, never return to their original
size. Therefore, breasts sag not because of breastfeeding but because
of poor support. A bra with good all-round support worn at all times
during pregnancy and nursing (even at night) will ensure that your breasts
do not sag.
I am worried about
losing my figure after childbirth
There is good news for you. Breastfeeding
helps you regain your original figure faster. Your uterus would have also
expanded in size during pregnancy. Soon after delivery, however,
it begins to contract to get back to its original size. You will
regain your original figure faster because of the following reasons:
The oxytocin hormone released during
breastfeeding encourages faster contraction of the uterus
The oxytocin hormone leads to earlier
stoppage of vaginal bleeding after delivery;
All the fat in your body accumulated
during pregnancy will be consumed in the preparation of breast milk
Many breastfeeding mothers (who have
gained a normal weight of 12 kgs) have happy stories to recount that they
came back to their pre-pregnancy weight within 6 months of delivery without
doing even a bit of exercise. (But remember exercise may not be necessary
to lose weight but it is essential to reduce the flabbiness caused from
pregnancy).
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