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Does Excessive Breastfeeding Cause Weight Loss?
Question: My wife has reduced too much weight after delivery. We have a 1.2 year old daughter now.
Her weight 56 kgs before she conceived and it went up to 68 kgs when she delivered. It was a c section delivery. After delivery she gradually started loosing weight and now she is 45 kgs.
I did her general health check up last December and all the reports were normal. Also, she is healthy otherwise.
Our daughter was on exclusive breast feeding till she was 6 months and she is still on feeding.
I believe that her weight loss might be associated with extensive breast feeding and little worried on that now.
Please advise on any precautions to be taken and supplements if any can be taken.
Her BMI is now below 20 and not yet reached the underweight BMI of 18.5. If she loose another 3 to 4 kgs then she will be underweight.
Please advise.
Her weight 56 kgs before she conceived and it went up to 68 kgs when she delivered. It was a c section delivery. After delivery she gradually started loosing weight and now she is 45 kgs.
I did her general health check up last December and all the reports were normal. Also, she is healthy otherwise.
Our daughter was on exclusive breast feeding till she was 6 months and she is still on feeding.
I believe that her weight loss might be associated with extensive breast feeding and little worried on that now.
Please advise on any precautions to be taken and supplements if any can be taken.
Her BMI is now below 20 and not yet reached the underweight BMI of 18.5. If she loose another 3 to 4 kgs then she will be underweight.
Please advise.
Brief Answer:
weight loss
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your question on HCM
I do understand your concern
With such a presentation in my clinic, I would first rule out any endocrine disorders like hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism by doing a clinical examination and for confirmation you need full thyroid panel like [T3,T4 & TSH] and if confirmed treatment will be as per reports. Do check if you have done this investigation or not?
Regarding breastfeeding I may say that it is good for her as well as child and it has no relation with weight loss so nothing to be worried about it.
Regarding supplements she can take any multivitamin, calcium, and iron regularly after delivery as pills as well as from natural sources.
Hope that helps
weight loss
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your question on HCM
I do understand your concern
With such a presentation in my clinic, I would first rule out any endocrine disorders like hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism by doing a clinical examination and for confirmation you need full thyroid panel like [T3,T4 & TSH] and if confirmed treatment will be as per reports. Do check if you have done this investigation or not?
Regarding breastfeeding I may say that it is good for her as well as child and it has no relation with weight loss so nothing to be worried about it.
Regarding supplements she can take any multivitamin, calcium, and iron regularly after delivery as pills as well as from natural sources.
Hope that helps
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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