There are various benefits to breastfeeding for both the mother and child.  They claim that breastfeeding for children prevents obesity because frankly the formulas have quite a bit of sugar among other things.  They also claim that if you use breast milk on your skin, it has antibacterial benefits that allow it to actually get rid of acne to some degree.  But when you are breastfeeding, actually you burn about 200-500 calories per day, which is a big deal if you are actually exercising too and following a better diet plan in general.  It can definitely burn off some extra calories, and even that amount can help you to lose weight over the long run in and of itself. 

There have been some celebrities that have credited it with being able to lose the baby fat afterward, which really isn’t all that surprising.  In addition, it actually increases hormones in your body that relax the body and reduce stress levels in general.  So that definitely helps with depression for one thing, that could cause you to eat more junk food and otherwise and gain weight.  So there are various weight loss and other benefits associated with the right kind of breastfeeding.