Breastfeeding no weightloss

superreal40

I am 18 months postpartum and lost all weight. I started working out lifting and cardio 6 weeks after c section. At about 1 year postpartum I started to gain. Like my clothes got tighter and I have felt very fatigued. I have been breaking out bad. I even started intermittent fasting.
I wake at 530am and workout (Sydney cummings) and along with that I walk on incline one day and run really fast mile the next so I’m alternating.
I’m eating real foods not junk, and making sure I’m meeting her needs as well as portion control.

Anyone here deal with weight gain while breastfeeding? Currently trying to wean as well and trying to stay under 1800 calories or less

superreal40

Also, I am NOT pregnant .

gradchica27

Many people find breastfeeding helps them lose weight. I did not find that with any of my 4 kids I lost weight breastfeeding after the first 3ish months.

My hypothesis, based solely on my own experience, is that around 1 year when baby is eating mostly solids, starting to or well able to drink from a cup, you naturally taper off nursing. At 3 months it might have been every few hours. At 12 Mo, 3-5x a day and declining as you and baby are out more, more active. If calories aren’t adjusted down a bit you will slowly gain weight bc you’re keeping intake the same as when you were using more calories to make milk.

Have you been tracking calories all along? Since you are 18 mo pp, how often are you nursing? I weaned by 12-18 mo, and by around 18 mo I was nursing twice a day, so I was not producing much milk (so not burning many extra calories).

superreal40

I am only getting in about 1400 calories a day.

Yesterday I didn’t eat till 1 pm and had a protein shake and an apple dinner I had a salad with boats head turkey.

Snack sea salt popcorn and pineapple.

I’m restricting so hard and this morning put shorts on and they are tight. I feel like my hormones are all over the place. I have tried to cut coffee, low carb. This sucks

janejellyroll

superreal40 wrote: »

I am only getting in about 1400 calories a day.

Yesterday I didn’t eat till 1 pm and had a protein shake and an apple dinner I had a salad with boats head turkey.

Snack sea salt popcorn and pineapple.

I’m restricting so hard and this morning put shorts on and they are tight. I feel like my hormones are all over the place. I have tried to cut coffee, low carb. This sucks

It sounds like you're focusing on a lot of things that are causing you extra stress and won't result in weight loss -- waking up very early, restricting types of food, cutting coffee, restricting carbohydrates. What you need for weight loss is a calorie deficit. Additional restrictions are only worth it if they make it easier for you to maintain a deficit. If that's you in your profile picture, you don't have a lot of weight to lose. You should be aiming for a moderate deficit, not restricting "so hard."

sardelsa

Everyone is different and breastfeeding or reducing it can cause hunger levels to change, also now perhaps at 1 year your post-partum hormones returned to normal or are trying to level out, plus it sounds like you are under fueling and pushing yourself really hard and your body isn't having it.

Maybe take a step back, up the calories, don't over exercise or over restrict food, focus on your hormone health and if you want to wean focus on doing that. Then once you stop you can start to slowly reduce calories again and up your exercise. Track your measurements, take progress photos, hydrate, get enough food and rest (if you can).

hlr1987

It really does sound like actually you need a break and to put yourself under less stress, it's sounding like your pushing too hard and not getting enough recovery at a difficult time. Why not eat at maintenence and have a recovery week or two (less exercise) and then see how you're feeling/ weighing?

KimiAR

Some people will gain while breastfeeding. You may have to stop entirely and make sure you’re eating at that 1800 unless you don’t want to keep your supply. I feel loads different when baby weans:more energy better sleep less sugar cravings etc. For some people it’s like their body fights back when they try to reduce while nursing (probably trying to protect the supply). I would stay btw 1700 -1800 until baby is weaned entirely and then drop your intake again. How much sleep are you getting if you’re getting up at 530? Make sure you’re getting over 7 hours.
That’s my two cents for what it’s worth (I have five babies... that were all nursed but I’m only one person)

Anthem76

KimiAR wrote: »

Some people will gain while breastfeeding. You may have to stop entirely and make sure you’re eating at that 1800 unless you don’t want to keep your supply. I feel loads different when baby weans:more energy better sleep less sugar cravings etc. For some people it’s like their body fights back when they try to reduce while nursing (probably trying to protect the supply). I would stay btw 1700 -1800 until baby is weaned entirely and then drop your intake again. How much sleep are you getting if you’re getting up at 530? Make sure you’re getting over 7 hours.
That’s my two cents for what it’s worth (I have five babies... that were all nursed but I’m only one person)

My experience is similar to yours. I've had 4 babies (plus one adopted). I never gained much excess weight during pregnancy and typically came out of the delivery room in my normal jeans. BUT then with each kid, I would gain twenty pounds or so during nursing. Nursing made me ravenous and tired. I craved sugar ALL the time. I remember feeling frustrated when nursing as I wanted "my body back", but I also enjoyed the closeness of BF. I would work out and diet, but nothing helped until I quit nursing, then I would lose weight much more easily. On the upside, longer periods of nursing are associated with reduced risk of breast cancer.

KimiAR

Anthem76 wrote: »

I craved sugar ALL the time.

Oh my gosh. This yes. And the sleeplessness making me want to eat sugar too. It’s a total recipe for disaster.