breastfeeding to help lose weight

arw060310

It will work if you are eating at a modest calorie deficit while taking extra breast feeding calories into account.

For the people it worked for, they were eating fewer calories than they were expending.

For the people it didn't work for, they were eating more calories than they were expending.

It's not the breast feeding that helps you lose weight but the amount of food you eat and the amount of activity you undertake.

This is NOT necessarily true at all for some people. I busted my butt trying to lose weight while I breastfed my son for a year. I exercised, I counted calories, at less, ate more, and nothing worked. I didn't gain. I didn't lose. I went to a trainer, a nutritionist, and had blood work done. Hormones do NOT play nice to some people.

My son has been weaned for 2 weeks now and I'm starting to lose weight finally.

quiltlovinlisa

I could not lose weight while breastfeeding until kiddo was at least 10 months and really getting into solids. Everyone is different.

brower47

It will work if you are eating at a modest calorie deficit while taking extra breast feeding calories into account.

For the people it worked for, they were eating fewer calories than they were expending.

For the people it didn't work for, they were eating more calories than they were expending.

It's not the breast feeding that helps you lose weight but the amount of food you eat and the amount of activity you undertake.

This is NOT necessarily true at all for some people. I busted my butt trying to lose weight while I breastfed my son for a year. I exercised, I counted calories, at less, ate more, and nothing worked. I didn't gain. I didn't lose. I went to a trainer, a nutritionist, and had blood work done. Hormones do NOT play nice to some people.

My son has been weaned for 2 weeks now and I'm starting to lose weight finally.

Then it applies in the absence of hormonal abnormality. You were a rare, outlying case then.

mama2redhead

I have read not to restrict calories until baby is 12 weeks. I lost all but 10 pounds of my 50 lb gain within 6 weeks. Breast feeding made me hungry though, it wasn't until my daughter was older that I could stick to a diet. I have also read not to go under 1500 calories to preserve your supply.

I hope it works well for you. Breast feeding my daughter was a very special experience for me!

marigold114

for me, it didn't help me at all. i know that it's about calorie deficit, but i think for some of us, the hormones are at play. I was definitely eating at a deficit, working out, and logging here religiously. i lost so slowly until i started to wean and then the weight started to drop off. the hormones or something really make it stick with some women EVEN if you are operating at a calorie deficit. so don't get discouraged if you're doing everything "right" and can't lose.

mag131

I found it nearly impossible to lose weight while breastfeeding. If I tried to cut calories or exercise on top of my active job my supply would suffer.

chandanista

It will work if you are eating at a modest calorie deficit while taking extra breast feeding calories into account.

For the people it worked for, they were eating fewer calories than they were expending.

For the people it didn't work for, they were eating more calories than they were expending.

It's not the breast feeding that helps you lose weight but the amount of food you eat and the amount of activity you undertake.

This is NOT necessarily true at all for some people. I busted my butt trying to lose weight while I breastfed my son for a year. I exercised, I counted calories, at less, ate more, and nothing worked. I didn't gain. I didn't lose. I went to a trainer, a nutritionist, and had blood work done. Hormones do NOT play nice to some people.

My son has been weaned for 2 weeks now and I'm starting to lose weight finally.

I was quite strict on my calories last summer, and lost a tiny bit but it came back quickly when I had a leg injury and didn't work out. When I cut more calories to compensate for lack of exercise, it affected my milk, and DS started waking up at night for more...which lack of sleep only stressed me out more. He weaned in late January/early February, it's been a steady and predictable loss ever since.

I wouldn't have changed my mind even if I'd known the weight wouldn't budge. Breastfeeding was the best choice for both of us in many other ways.

danalin26

I have breast fed all of my 4 kids. My youngest just weaned herself last week

The first two kids (boys) I dropped weight like crazy and ate whatever I wanted. I gained about 15lbs within the first month of them weaning though. My second two were girls (not sure of it makes a difference or not) and its darn near impossible for me to lose weight while I breastfed them. I've been working my tail off since my last daughter was 3months old and have only lost 25lbs. This was 9 months ago. I don't know if its the hormone difference of having girls or what but it was a definite difference for me.

Care76

I am breastfeeding and it is not helping me to lose weight. I know a lot of women it did help them to lose I am just not one of them. I have milk supply issues due to poor latch (and if I don't eat enough) so I can't have too much of a deficit. I am not taking out my exercise or breastfeeding calories and a mod here helped me figure out how much I should be eating.

My son is 11 months old and still nurses at least 4-5 times a day. I have only been back counting my calories for 20 days and have not lost anything. I actually gained weight, but I think that was retaining water due to a new workout.

Even though my son and I had a hard time with breastfeeding (tongue and lip tie, bad painful latch) I love it. I don't know, there is just such a closeness there when he is nursing. And I know he is getting the best nutrition. :-)

lcfairbairn74

I will not have a baby to breastfeed after I give birth (since i will be a surrogate for someone else), but i plan on pumping as much as i can and donating the milk... I will let ya'll know how the weight loss thing works out

I have nothing to offer to the breastfeeding debate, as I have no children. I just wanted to say what a wonderful woman you are for being a surrogate! :flowerforyou:

technobunny

When I went in for delivery I was 172, I breastfed my daughter and by the time she was 6 months old I was down to 137, I continued to exclusively BF and by the time she was 1, I was down to 122. She was on solids after that so the breastfeeding went from 4-5 times a day to twice a day so I'm not making as much milk now. The last 10lbs I lost was tracking calories and Insanity.

We still nurse to go to sleep, so I'm still producing milk but more like 10 ounces a day as opposed to the 30+.

So yes, it helped me lose weight. I read for every ounce you produce you burn 20 calories, and I was producing over 30 ounces a day!

But reading everyone's responses, it seems it is different for every one and every pregnancy as well.

gigglesinthesun

It worked for me when I had my first child, but I wasn't calorie counting with it. I was eating when I was hungry and stopped when I had enough. I was a lot more active then before and I lost 35 pounds (in addition to the pregnancy weight) whilst breastfeeding fully.

Having said that I was hungrier and less active and more tired with my second, so I only lost my pregnancy weight, but breastfeeding certainly helped me with that.

There is no one way. I didn't eat extra for breastfeeding, but I also didn't calorie restrict. I let my hunger guide me and it worked for me, but it's not a blanket solution and hunger feelings vary dramatically from person to person. I was always of the opinion that calorie restricting should wait until the baby is 1 or older in order to ensure the baby gets all nutrients it needs. When I craved certain foods I assumed it was because my body is missing something that the baby needed, so I ate it, whereas now since I am restricting my calories I get cravings that have very little to do with what my body needs and more what it would like - currently it wants frozen coke for breakfast :-)