Effects of Breastfeeding on Weight Loss and Recovery of Pregestational Weight in Adolescent and Adult Mothers

BackgroundExclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in adolescent mothers has been associated with greater postpartum maternal weight loss.ObjectiveTo assess the associations between EBF and weight loss in adolescent and adult mothers and between EBF and weight and length gain of their children.MethodsA cohort of 68 adolescent mothers (15 to 19 years), 64 adult mothers (20 to 29 years), and their infants were studied. Anthropometric measurements were performed at 15, 90, 180, and 365 days postpartum in the mothers and children. EBF was defined as consumption of human milk without supplementation of any type (water, juice, nonhuman milk, or food) for 4 months.ResultsSixty-five percent of mothers sustained EBF for 4 months. There were no significant differences in the weight or length of the infants of adolescent and adult mothers at 365 days postpartum. Among infants of adult mothers, there was a significant difference between the weight gain of those were exclusively breastfed and those who were not exclusively breas...