While people joke that breastfeeding helps women lose weight after having a baby, this may be actually true. According to the NRDC, women burn calories during lactation. In fact, some of the weight gained during pregnancy is designed to serve as an energy source for lactation. Breastfeeding also releases a hormone in the mother (oxytocin) that causes her uterus to return to its normal size more quickly. It is believed that this process prevents more births worldwide than all other forms of contraception combined. Women who breastfeed are also less likely to develop breast, uterine, ovarian and endometrial cancer. Breastfeeding may also help a mother feel more strongly connected to her baby.
