I share the information that is in The Breastfeeding Answer Book from 
LLLI, p. 443-4 (2003, third edition).  Women do lose some bone during 
lactation but regain it during the later stages of lactation and 
after weaning.  There is a lower incidence of hip fracture among 
women who breastfed compared to those who didn't breastfeed (Cumming 
and Klineberg 1993).

As for calcium supplements, it says, "It is generally agreed that for 
the mother on a varied diet, there are no benefits to consuming extra 
calcium while breastfeeding (Institute of Medicine 1998; Prentice 
1998).  Research examining the effects of calcium supplementation on 
calcium absorption and bone mineral density during and after 
lactation indicates that it has little to no effect (Kalkwarf 1999; 
Allen 1998; Kolthoff 1998).  One of the studies that examined calcium 
absorption during breastfeeding also found that a breastfeeding 
mother's intestinal calcium absorption increases after resuming 
menstruation and after weaning . . . (Kalkwarf 1996)."

Margaret
mom of 3, BS, LLLL
Longmont, CO

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