Losing weight while breastfeeding?

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Replies

  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
    LKArgh wrote: »
    Womona wrote: »
    You’re eating for three right now! Congratulations on the twins! Boys are so fun. Once they are walking you’ll lose a ton of weight chasing them down! The activity level of boys is mind boggling.

    She is eating for 3, which is why she is gaining fast. To maintain supply, she just needs to eat for 1.

    https://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-calories-fluids/

    This link supports an additional 300-500 calories for a nursing mother. That assumes supporting one nursling. It would be 500+ for someone nursing twins.

    I add 300 calories to my daily calorie allowance for breastfeeding, and my child is 2 and eats solid food. I'm not gaining any weight.
  • dydn11402
    dydn11402 Posts: 98 Member
    ive had the same experience except that i dont even get all that ravenous (at least no more than usual). I have even counted calories so i know i wasnt overeating. i just cannot seem to lose while breastfeeding. (if i put in a lot of effort, i am able to maintain.) i feel like it may be connected to not ovulating but im not positive. (i think that once i start ovulating, even if im still nursing, i am more able to lose.) anyone else notice this?
    i can also relate to wanting a large family so its not like i have too much time to lose the weight in between babies....
    my only advice is to hang in there...try your best not to gain at least and when the right time comes, you will be able to take it off.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    dydn11402 wrote: »
    ive had the same experience except that i dont even get all that ravenous (at least no more than usual). I have even counted calories so i know i wasnt overeating. i just cannot seem to lose while breastfeeding. (if i put in a lot of effort, i am able to maintain.) i feel like it may be connected to not ovulating but im not positive. (i think that once i start ovulating, even if im still nursing, i am more able to lose.) anyone else notice this?
    i can also relate to wanting a large family so its not like i have too much time to lose the weight in between babies....
    my only advice is to hang in there...try your best not to gain at least and when the right time comes, you will be able to take it off.

    CICO still applies when breastfeeding. With additional CO for nursing. No magic, no violence of basic laws of physics.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    dydn11402 wrote: »
    ive had the same experience except that i dont even get all that ravenous (at least no more than usual). I have even counted calories so i know i wasnt overeating. i just cannot seem to lose while breastfeeding. (if i put in a lot of effort, i am able to maintain.) i feel like it may be connected to not ovulating but im not positive. (i think that once i start ovulating, even if im still nursing, i am more able to lose.) anyone else notice this?
    i can also relate to wanting a large family so its not like i have too much time to lose the weight in between babies....
    my only advice is to hang in there...try your best not to gain at least and when the right time comes, you will be able to take it off.

    The ovulating idea is interesting. I never missed any periods during our 13 months of breastfeeding, so, obviously, I was ovulating the entire time.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,072 Member
    Could part of the issue be all the extra water your body needs to retain to produce milk? By weight, milk is mostly water. And even after nursing or expelling, even if you have no milk left, I would think your body would have extra water on hold waiting to be used in milk production, assuming your fluid intake was adequate for a nursing mother.
  • mrsabror90
    mrsabror90 Posts: 11 Member
    dydn11402 wrote: »
    ive had the same experience except that i dont even get all that ravenous (at least no more than usual). I have even counted calories so i know i wasnt overeating. i just cannot seem to lose while breastfeeding. (if i put in a lot of effort, i am able to maintain.) i feel like it may be connected to not ovulating but im not positive. (i think that once i start ovulating, even if im still nursing, i am more able to lose.) anyone else notice this?
    i can also relate to wanting a large family so its not like i have too much time to lose the weight in between babies....
    my only advice is to hang in there...try your best not to gain at least and when the right time comes, you will be able to take it off.

    Interesting, I did read something similar from several other people, that they found it very difficult to lose weight until their period returned. Something with the hormones maybe? I still haven't had mine at 11 1/2 months post-partum.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,072 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    Could part of the issue be all the extra water your body needs to retain to produce milk? By weight, milk is mostly water. And even after nursing or expelling, even if you have no milk left, I would think your body would have extra water on hold waiting to be used in milk production, assuming your fluid intake was adequate for a nursing mother.

    expressing.

    Sorry, brain fart.
  • healingnurtrer
    healingnurtrer Posts: 217 Member
    Some people say they lost weight easily while breastfeeding which makes sense because you can eat 500 more calories than normal and still maintain weight. On the other hand you have a combination of stress, sleep deprivation, and hormones affecting your appetite which for me is a perfect storm for overeating. With my first child I gained 50 pounds my first year breastfeeding!! I got back to pre-pregnancy weight but I didn't start losing till I weaned. I'm currently breastfeeding again (baby is 5 months old) and this time I've gained 8 pounds (since the first initial weight loss following birth). I'm feeling ready to try to lose weight though and started logging 2 weeks ago. I've NEVER lost weight while breastfeeding (only gained) so this is new for me. I read on la leche that your milk supply should be safe as long as you don't lose more than a pound a week and eat a least 1800 calories. (But like you said you're not as concerned about milk supply due to their age.) Anyway- I've had many friends report similar experiences so yes, you're not alone. :) What has helped me so far with wanting to overeat (in the past 2 weeks that I've done this) is waiting to eat breakfast and lunch till I feel hungry (instead of eating quickly at convenient times when no one "needs" me.) And making sure I'm eating good foods- I'm eating fruit at the beginning of every meal, eating protein and vegetables. Eating desserts when I want to after a meal... pretty standard but it's helping me so far stick close to my calorie goal. Congrats on having your babies!
  • MushroomLadyJR
    MushroomLadyJR Posts: 89 Member
    I'm nearly 5 months post partum and exclusively breastfeeding. I've lost 38 pounds since I arrived home after the birth.

    I wear a Fitbit, average about 6000 steps a day with the occasional dedicated workout and eat about 2200 calories.

    I don't sleep well due to night feeds and I have to say that is the thing that makes this hard. Otherwise it's 3 meals and 2 snacks roughly, and I try to keep on top of protein.

    I have about 20 more pounds to lose to get into a healthy bmi. I expect breastfeeding, calorie counting and some exercise will get me there.

    I wish you luck op, and congrats on your twins :)

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