Association of Full Breastfeeding Duration with Postpartum Weight Retention in a Cohort of Predominantly Breastfeeding Women

Muna J Tahir; Jacob L Haapala; Laurie P Foster; Katy M Duncan; April M Teague; Elyse O Kharbanda; Patricia M McGovern; Kara M Whitaker; Kathleen M Rasmussen; David A Fields; Lisa J Harnack; David R Jacobs Jr; Ellen W Demerath

doi:10.3390/nu11040938

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Association of Full Breastfeeding Duration with Postpartum Weight Retention in a Cohort of Predominantly Breastfeeding Women

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Association of Full Breastfeeding Duration with Postpartum Weight Retention in a Cohort of Predominantly Breastfeeding Women

Muna J Tahir, Jacob L Haapala, Laurie P Foster, Katy M Duncan, April M Teague, Elyse O Kharbanda, Patricia M McGovern, Kara M Whitaker, Kathleen M Rasmussen, David A Fields, …

Nutrients, Vol.11(4), p.938

04/25/2019

DOI: 10.3390/nu11040938

PMCID: PMC6520964

PMID: 31027268

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Abstract

Full breastfeeding (FBF) is promoted as effective for losing pregnancy weight during the postpartum period. This study evaluated whether longer FBF is associated with lower maternal postpartum weight retention (PPWR) as compared to a shorter FBF duration. The MILK (Mothers and Infants Linked for Healthy Growth) study is an ongoing prospective cohort of 370 mother-infant dyads, all of whom fully breastfed their infants for at least 1 month. Breastfeeding status was subsequently self-reported by mothers at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Maternal PPWR was calculated as maternal weight measured at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum minus maternal prepregnancy weight. Using linear mixed effects models, by 6 months postpartum, adjusted means ± standard errors for weight retention among mothers who fully breastfed for 1-3 (3.40 ± 1.16 kg), 3-6 (1.41 ± 0.69 kg), and ≥6 months (0.97 ± 0.32 kg) were estimated. Compared to mothers who reported FBF for 1-3 months, those who reported FBF for 3-6 months and ≥6 months both had lower PPWR over the period from 1 to 6 months postpartum ( = 0.04 and < 0.01, respectively). However, PPWR from 3 to 6 months was not significantly different among those who reported FBF for 3-6 versus ≥6 months ( > 0.05). Interventions to promote FBF past 3 months may increase the likelihood of postpartum return to prepregnancy weight.

Breast Feeding

Adult

Body Weight

Cohort Studies

Female

Humans

Postpartum Period

Time Factors

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Association of Full Breastfeeding Duration with Postpartum Weight Retention in a Cohort of Predominantly Breastfeeding Women
Creators: Muna J Tahir - University of Minnesota
Jacob L Haapala - University of Minnesota
Laurie P Foster - University of Minnesota
Katy M Duncan - University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
April M Teague - University of Oklahoma
Elyse O Kharbanda - HealthPartners
Patricia M McGovern - University of Minnesota
Kara M Whitaker - University of Iowa
Kathleen M Rasmussen - Cornell University
David A Fields - University of Oklahoma
Lisa J Harnack - University of Minnesota
David R Jacobs Jr - University of Minnesota
Ellen W Demerath - University of Minnesota
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Nutrients, Vol.11(4), p.938
DOI: 10.3390/nu11040938
PMID: 31027268
PMCID: PMC6520964
NLM abbreviation: Nutrients
ISSN: 2072-6643
eISSN: 2072-6643
Grant note: T32HL007779 / NHLBI NIH HHS T32 HL007779 / NHLBI NIH HHS R01HD080444 / Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Language: English
Date published: 04/25/2019
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Health, Sport, and Human Physiology
Record Identifier: 9984245666902771

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