I have been No Mail for some months recently - missed the list a lot!
But I have had other 'stuff' in my life and work that made me cut
back on a load of other 'stuff' including Lactnet.

I have also been working in Bosnia, part of a team evaluating an an
education project for UNICEF. I will do something for this list about
some of the bf aspects of this.

Now - I have looked in the archive and not found what I want. So I am
asking - is there any good evidence that the oft-repeated
'breastfeeding helps you lose weight' is widely applicable?

I looked in Riordan and Auerbach and there are some studies showing
weight loss in bf mothers is greater than in formula feeding  mothers.

Experience, observation and a distant memory of other studies tell me
something different, however.

I ask, because at a meeting yesterday where the writing of a local
leaflet promoting bf was discussed, I argued against including as one
of the benefits 'you will return to your pre-pregnancy figure more
rapidly.'

I did not like the idea of the leaflet adding to the pressure on
women to be a certain shape and size - but I also argued that we did
not have enough research-based info to make the statement.  I seem to
remember a discussion here which reflected this, though I can't find
it in the archives.

I got the item dropped from the leaflet, and subbed with a point
about pre-menopausal breast cancer, but I would like to know if I am
right about the research!

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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