New mums who choose to breastfeed will find it easier to keep the weight off in later life, according to the latest research.

The study showed that in the short-term, mums who breastfed their newborn babies were likely to lose around 2lbs for every six months of feeding.

It was also revealed that women who breastfed their babies were less likely to be obese 30 years later. 

Scientists from Oxford University surveyed more than 740,000 women with an average age of 57, and found that for every six months of breastfeeding, a woman’s BMI would fall by one per cent.

Dr Kirsty Bobrow who led the project said: 'This study adds to a growing body of evidence that the benefits [of breastfeeding] extend to the mother as well – even 30 years after she’s given birth.’

Another leader of the study into breastfeeding, Profesor Dame Valerie Beral, said: ‘Our research suggests that just six months of breastfeeding by UK women could reduce their risk of obesity in later life.’