Ok, so there probably aren't that many benefits, but seems like it! I just went in to get my 2nd Depo Provera shot. (Yes, I know the positives and negatives but it works for me). Anyway, the nurse looked at my weight loss and was amazed. I am at pre-pregnancy weight now at 4 months. This is at family planning which is also the WIC office. We decided that if more people knew this benefit of nursing, there would be a lot fewer formula feeders out there.

I'm just very happy for myself and also for the gift I have given my daughter. We live in a very low breastfeeding rate community and I have made it my personal goal to convert women. I just am happy that the weight loss is going along with it.

You know what the top benefit is for me? Sleep. Since I always co-sleep, it never takes my girls long enough to figure out how to wiggle over to the closest nipple & latch on, usually without either of us waking up. And when I do wake up, I just barely rouse, and drop right back to sleep. I love it. If there were no other benefits, I'd nurse just for that one!

although, my younger daughter never co-slept well, my older daughter did wonderfully at it. My younger daughter slept in the cradle in our room for a long time, but she slept through the night alot sooner. She moved to her own room when she outgrew the cradle.

I don't lose well when I am nursing, but I can lose. I just need to do it. Now is a good time, because Mariella is 17 months, and eating table food well, she just also really really loves her momma

sabra, how right you are! co-sleeping and nursing is about the laziest way possible to feed a baby! people always ask me how many times she wakes at night. honestly, i have no clue! she doesn't even need a diaper change during the night, so it is just roll over and nurse. i usually have a nice big puddle of milk in bed with me from when she unlatches, but i prefer laundry to waking up and making a bottle!

Congrats on your weight-loss!

Stupid question #2 from a first-timer: When you first started co-sleeping weren't you afraid of rolling onto the baby? Thanks for answering

Yes, I was afraid that either Shaun or I would roll over onto her. We put her on a sleep positioner that had two wedges on the sides. After a week or two with that, we realized that it isn't an issue. I put her in between the two of us. She snuggles into daddy until she wakes up to eat, then I take her. You are always aware that the baby is there and you get used to just having covers up to your waist. If we were to drink at night, be over tired or sick, or be on a sleeping pill for some reason, I would put her in her crib.

If you are not comfortable with sleeping this way, there is also using a co-sleeper or sidecarring a crib next to your bed so they aren't with you, just close and on the same level. You should only do what is comfortable. Mommy and Daddy need a good night's sleep too and you can't do that if you are worried about the baby!

I am only going to breast feed because of the weight loss benefits! Otherwise, I find very little appeal in it.

Since my son was born (11 month old) I have lost my pre-pregnancy weight and plus some. I never did it for this purpose. I didn't find out about it till I started doing more research. I don't think I can take him off of it b/c he hates the taste of formula and I hate the smell of it also.
And I have been loving life since I started feeding him in bed. Like you said I have no idea how many times he eats during the night.
My son weighes 25 lbs. now

I wasn't scared to co-sleep because my mother co-slept with me, and several other moms in my family co-slept as well. So I already had ample demonstration of its safety (the group leading the US crusade against co-sleeping is the Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association--the folks who want to sell you a crib!). Not to mention, it is historically the norm in our society.

Mamas are built to be aware of their baby in bed with them. I can't explain it. You just are. (Obviously, if you are in any way impaired, like by alcohol or prescription drugs, cosleeping isn't safe anymore.) The best way I have heard it explained is...You know your husband is in bed with you, right? We never worry about rolling over onto our spouse. By the same token, you'll know that baby is in bed with you. There is also good evidence that sleeping with mommy helps newborns to regulate their breathing, which is especially beneficial with preemies.

Of course, it's definitely a matter of knowing yourself. Some people are afraid they sleep too deeply to wake up (not something I have found to be a problem personally--I am a very deep sleeper, but the baby is my one area of awareness). Others find that they sleep too lightly, and the baby's presence in bed is disruptive. It's my opinion that at least having the baby in the same room you are in is best, in fact that's part of the latest AAP breastfeeding guidelines (keeping the baby nearby).

Keeping your baby close to hand, whether in your bed or merely nearby it, will do much good for facilitating breastfeeding. The truth about crying is that it is a late indicator of hunger--actions like rooting and grunting come much sooner--and it is exponentially more difficult to nurse an upset newborn. If you have the baby in another room, even with a monitor you're not likely to be awoken by the earliest signs of hunger, and you'll make feeding a lot harder. Not to mention...who wants to have to get up and walk to another room every two hours or so during the night?

We're going to use a bassinett next to the bed (it has see through panels on the side, so I can check on the baby w/o getting up.) I wouldn't be comfortable with the baby in bed with us for several reasons. Whatever sleeping arrangement you come up with, just make sure you research the safety precautions necessary to protect your baby.

I tried the cosleeping and it didn't work for us. I was getting less sleep with the baby in the bed with me than I was with him or her in the bassinette beside the bed. Both of my children started sleeping through the night on their own in the bassinette. Lilly was about 8 weeks old and William was about 3 months old. I did cosleep with William several times but only with him on my belly/chest and that was becuase he had to be held/rocked to help calm his tummy.

Thanks for answering. I am a poor sleeper and have experienced bouts of insomnia for years. I know I would worry if I had the baby in bed with me, so I know I wouldn't get any sleep. I like the idea of the bassinet next to the bed though. I'm going to breastfeed if I can, because I believe it is good for the baby's immunity.

We had one of those wedge (SIDS prevention) things and put our baby in our bed at first. Sometimes we'd put her into the bassinette though. Then we'd wake up and think OH MY GOD WHERE IS SHE??? And my husband would wake up sometimes, half awake really, tearing the covers off the bed screaming, WHERE IS SHE??? thinking she'd slipped down under the comforter and gotten smothered. It was horrible, we got no rest. So we decided, NO sleeping in our bed, so that if we woke up, we'd know she was safely in her own little bed right next to us.

Now, a few times, when it was just me & her in the bed, she would doze off with me, with a pillow on the other side to keep her from rolling off. Guess I was just hopeful - she was way too young to roll over.

That's great that you can lose so much weight from breastfeeding. That was not my experience. I thought something was wrong with me, but I've talked to a few other new moms with the same problem - have to keep up the calories to keep the milk supply up. But, it's more important than shedding pounds - the baby needs the milk then, the weight can come off later.

I've been working hard on not only getting enough calories (which is easy for me!) but getting the right calories. I eat a healthy balanced diet. I also exercise regularly which I think was the main reason I lost weight so efficiently. I just know that breastfeeding helped, it wasn't the only reason. I know a lot of people's body hang on to a few pounds to ensure that the baby gets enough to eat. I had those extra pounds before getting pregnant so I think my body knows it won't starve!

I have a friend that decided not to nurse so that she could go on a restrictive diet and start diet pills after the baby. Truly sad that we feel this pressure to lose weight in such a hurry. Not trying to start a debate on feeding choices, but what a silly reason to not give your baby what is best. I am thankful that it helped me lose the weight. I have heard that it starts burning fewer calories after the child starts solid foods, so I'm sure I'll be hitting a plateau here soon.

Just out of curiosity...

What do you nursing moms (past or present) do for exercise?

I walk daily with Kate in the sling or Bjorn. I also either go to the gym for weights and cardio or do the NYC ballet DVDs twice a week. I really should step it up to three times a week, but it is hard enough to get in two workouts.

Do you fit in a workout whenever you can? Or do you schedule them in?

I am self-employed but I take my daughter to daycare in the afternoons. I usually leave work an hour early on workout days so she is still at the sitters. I have to schedule in the days I choose to do it, otherwise other things come up and I don't get any exercise in.

Do you follow an eating plan?

I had done South Beach in the past and I find it a very healthy plan. I am doing a modified version of Phase 2. I don't really limit my carbohydrates, but choose whole grains instead of refined. I try to fill up on lean meats and veggies and use fruits, fat, and high calorie foods sparingly. I also drink at least two glasses of milk a day and eat a yogurt. I think dairy is too restricted on South Beach.

Way to go Meredith!

There are so many great benefits of breastfeeding and this is just one of them.