Weight loss should not be promoted as a benefit of breastfeeding, because some studies suggest that lactation may actually impede weight loss.14 Often, instructing lactating women to focus on nutritional foods and exercise, and to eat to satisfy their hunger, will result in the desired slow pattern of weight loss. Women who are overweight or obese before, during, or after pregnancy should be counseled and, if appropriate, referred to weight-loss programs led by specialists. Recent research suggests that excess weight gain that persists after pregnancy is an indicator of obesity in midlife.