Breast Cancer Health Center

Big Babies May Boost Mom's Breast Cancer Risk

Understanding Risks for Oversized Babies continued...

Having a big baby is not healthy for the mom or the infant. "Babies who are born too big may be at greater risk for obesity and diabetes," she says. "Now we have to think about how this affects the long-term health of the mother."

Risks for having large babies include:

• Diabetes during pregnancy
• Excessive weight gain during pregnancy
• Obesity

"Some of these are modifiable," Roman says. For example, "if you are obese, losing weight prior to getting pregnant may help make sure your baby is not born too large, as can avoiding excessive weight gain during pregnancy."

Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy.

Maintaining a normal weight also helps lower a woman's overall risk for breast cancer, as does getting regular exercise. Some studies suggest that breastfeeding, too, may decrease breast cancer risk.