Nancie asked:
I’ve been hearing a lot about how breastfeeding is good for your baby but I can’t seem to find out what it does to your own body.
I’ve been super thirsty all the time. Is it because my mammal glands are using up all the fluids I drink in?
I’ve also heard that when you start having sex again after birth, breastfeeding makes you vaginally dry. Is that true?
What else does breastfeeding do to you? Good & bad.
people say it helps you lose the baby fat faster. and i never heard the vagina one.. i dont really know anything else. sorry
it helps u loose weight
I don’t know all the physiological reasons, but I know when I was breastfeeding I ate and drank a lot more. I’m sure it had to do with the calories being burned off and the extra fluids your body needs to produce milk. And yes, I had issues with dryness while breastfeeding. It stopped as soon as I stopped breastfeeding though.
Breastfeeding helped my uterus contract in faster, so in the beginning I had some cramping while nursing my newborn…. but on the flip side my stomach flattened out faster. I also didn’t get my period until I stopped nursing. I think that was about it!
For you breastfeeding is good, it helps you lose the weight quicker.. It helps the Uterus contract beck to it normal size too. Being thirst is normal. Just keep drinking lots of water….
For the sex Im not sure. My hubbie was in Iraq and still is so Im not sure about that
Pros. You can lose the extra baby weight faster if you don’t eat a whole more than you need. As breastfeeding burns calories.
Breastfeeding dramatically reduces your chances of getting breast cancer later. It’s been proven.
It goes a looong way in helping with the bond with your child, It also gives you such a feeling of providing, it’s beautiful.
It is so convenient and cheap!
Cons. It has been known to cause some vaginal dryness, and lowers your sex drive.
It can be a little more difficult when it comes to other people feeding the baby, you’ll have to pump.
The baby digests breastmilk faster, since it is made perfect for their bodies; Which means you’ll feed more often than with formula.
It can be uncomfortable sometimes. Nipples get sore, engorgement, etc.
Breastfeeding may protect you from infections and high blood pressure later in life, helps you lose weight, can lower your stress levels and reduce postpartum bleeding. It may reduce your risk of some types of cancer and protect you against osteoporosis later in life.
Breastfeeding will decrease the levels of progesterone and estrogen in your body – which will mean lower vaginal secretions, and thinner tissues in your genitals. For some of us the lower estrogen levels also meant lower libido. It may cause your periods to be late or missing. Breastfeeding will increase prolactin and oxytocin, which also means your leptin levels will be decreased – which increases your hunger (higher leptin levels less hunger).
I was HUNGRY all the time, thirsty all the time, lower libido, I lost weight too. The vaginal dryness was combated successfully with lube – so much more fun – and more time given to foreplay. I snacked frequently and ate a lot more fruits and vegetables when nursing, overall while my intake was greater my diet is better when nursing.
As for other things that are good for your body – you decrease your risk for type II diabetes for 15 years for every year you nurse, you decrease the risk for hip fractures in old age, decrease the risks for cervix, breast, uterine cancers, you decrease the levels of cholesterol in your blood that were greatly increased by pregnancy (yup, pregnancy makes your cholesterol score go bad) – becuase the cholesterol becomes the cream in your milk. In the long run you are improving your lifespan and quality of life for yourself if you nurse your child.
Your vagina will be drier for a while. Not a big deal, just experiment with fun lubes. I am not only thirsty, but hungry when I breastfeed. I personally don’t lose weight faster, but my SIL was at her skinniest when she was breastfeeding. It’s a wonder she weaned so soon. Breastfeeding gives you more sleep, since you don’t have to get up and make bottles (or get up at all, if you cosleep). It makes your breasts full and round while you’re breastfeeding, so you get to keep that fullness from pregnancy before you get that post-pregnancy sagging. Breastfeeding can be effective birth control if you follow the rules of LAM. If you slip in a bottle or schedule feedings, then get some condoms instead. Breastfeeding is better for the environment too, which is good for all of our bodies.
Never heard that it makes your vag dry. But it has not seemed to bother mine!
lol! Joking aside. It will make you super thirsty because you need water to make milk. I notice when I drink more water it makes my milk drop faster and harder, making it easier to pump!
I can not tell you for sure, but research shows somewhere that nursing dramatically reduces breast cancer rates. To me it makes sense because that is what the function of the breast is. (no it’s not for motor boating, sorry fellas)
Breastfeeding does and will make you hungrier BECAUSE it sucks up about 500 calories of your food per day! So eat a balanced diet and dont go off on sugar (which you might be craving so much, I know I do) and watch the weight melt off!
I know it makes me want to eat healthy, helps rid baby weight, it reduces cancer, and it makes me and baby feel good!
What more could you want!
OH, BAD?
HMMM
Well, you might have sore boobies for the first few weeks. No pain no gain!
BAD?
Money on breast pads. I use hemp pads so I can reuse them, not so bad.
Have fun with your baby!
Good luck!
I agree with what everyone else here said about the pros and cons of breast feeding. i just wanted to add that it makes you hungry because you burn about 300 calories a day while breast feeding. It is important to eat just as many calories you were eating while you were pregnant. Also keep taking your prenatal vitamins. Your body needs the calories, nutrients as well as plenty of fluids (as previously mentioned) to make milk. I’m not an expert but I’m assuming that you will end up malnourished if you don’t eat extra food and take vitamins. Because all of the good stuff in your body will go to making milk.