Breast is best for weight loss? Breast-feeding guilt trips aren't limited to talk of babies' health.

Hmmm... This is an interesting article, but there was some important info left out.

Breastfeeding moms *can* safely lose about one pound per week in a healthy manner. Basically, a breastfeeding mom needs to "eat to hunger" and "drink to thirst" in most situations and she'll lose weight. Usually, just making sure snacks are healthy can be the main thing to focus on... a bowel of fruit is probably a healthier choice than the quick and easy candy bar. A brisk walk during the day, with baby in a carrier or stroller, can help mom get over any weight loss plateaus... and perhaps help her feel better, too!

There are lots of reliable weight loss programs out there specific to breastfeeding moms. These can help her safely lose weight without affecting her milk supply. Working with her doctor is also a good idea.

Here are a couple of good resources:

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-weightloss.html
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/diet.html

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Breast is best for weight loss?
Breast-feeding guilt trips aren't limited to talk of babies' health.
What about the new mom's figure?
Tracy Clark-Flory
Nov. 12, 2009

Today, the New York Times introduces us to a new reason to make mothers feel bad about not breast-feeding: all that fat around their bellies. "Breast is best" used to be just the ticket to send a new mom directly to Guilt Island, but now you don't even need to invoke the health of her formula-fed baby. Instead, just point out that she's still wearing those stretchy maternity pants to hide her post-baby pooch -- because, apparently, the hot new regimen for postpartum weight loss is expelling milk. That's right: Breast pumping instead of pumping iron.

The Times' Catherine Saint Louis begins the article with the tale of Jessica Jochim, a woman who "was the envy of her co-workers at Babies 'R' Us" because she returned after three months of maternity leave wearing size 4 jeans. "Yet, exercise was a pre-baby relic. She wasn’t dieting, either," says Saint Louis. "In fact, every two hours, she snacked as if on cue." Intrigued? Jealous? Feeling homicidal? Salivating in anticipation of her weight loss trick? She continues: "What was her secret? Breast-feeding her newborn James on demand, and using a breast pump to take milk home to him." Voilà! Babies: The new miracle weight loss pill. Or, as Saint Louis calls it, it's the "Get Out of Dieting Jail Free card."

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