breastfeeding mom gaining weight

canadiansuburbangirl

I see moms who are breastfeeding and losing the baby weight, not me!!! I have been gaining.
My fourth child is 3.5 months old and I am at my heaviest. I would like to lose at least 40 lbs. I am not sure where to start. I thought I would start with a food diary and see where it goes.

Looking for others who have children and understand the challenges that go with being a mom and taking care of yourself.

I want to be healthy for my children and get back my energy.

hobbsgirl

I just had my 3rd child and the weight is NOT falling off like it did with the other 2. I am breast feeding and hungry all the time, so I eat...and eat and eat. I am looking for encouragement to be a better, healthier me.

thinthought

Hi Ladies,
My third has just turned 1 and i am still 20lbs over my pre-preg weight. I NEVER LOSE WHEN NURSING! i have lots of friends who it melts the fat off for, but not me. I have noticed that when I stop nursing the weight starts to drop but that is also usually when i get serious about my eating and fitness. I have a friend here who is nursing and her baby is 11 weeks. She has lost ALL of her baby weight!
For us "lucky" ones, who don't lose or gain, it takes real discipline about food-- or at least in my experience. I started logging all of my food and not adding additional calories for nursing and that has seemed to help. I have been able to lose 6lbs in the last three weeks.
I have also started SPINNING and love it!
Would love to encourage you guys!

rachmaree

I am the friend thinthought mentioned My bub is 12 weeks today, and on a good day on the scales I am at pre-pregnancy weight, on a bad day it will show about 2lb higher. For me, the first 10kgs dropped off at 2 weeks without me doing much at all, and I thought it would be easy to lose the last 5kg. For the past 4 weeks I have been very, very careful about what I eat, trying to be more aware of how much I was consuming, and started exercising more seriously. I was very active before and throughout most of my pregnancy, but that means now on a day when I don't happen to leave the house I really have to watch my calories, and I don't add calories for nursing, which sucks.

I agree with thinthought- it really takes discipline about food. I think it's difficult to find a balance where you are losing weight but maintaining milk supply.

Good luck, you can definitely lose the weight!

charlottagiles

Hi, I sent you a friend request, I am a mum, too. I didn't loose weight when breastfeeding either. I guess, it makes hungry, too. The key might be in snacking on nutritious, fresh food eg nuts instead of bread, oats and banana instead of cake etc Looking back, I didnt drink much fluid myself during breastfeeding, my body retained a lot of water, I think, just suggestions anyway

misskris78

Every woman, and every pregnancy is different. My first pregnancy was awful, and it took me 2 years to lose the weight. I walked out of the hospital at pp weight with the second.

When Breastfeeding, I found that at 5-5" at 150 lbs (US Size 6) a diet of between 1800 and 2000 calories per day was sufficient to maintain weight and milk supply. I'm fairly active, pretty muscular and regularly work out. I eat my exercise calories. Due to food allergies, I wasn't able to continue to breastfeed my youngest for very long. I was on an elimination diet that consisted of rice and water, and lost a dangerous amount of weight in a very short time period. It wasn't working for either one of us.

A nutritionist should be able to come up with a diet that will work for you. Your nutritional needs are different when BF, so the default macros here may not be quite right for a woman with specific nutritional needs.

ababes77

I am having the same problem. I just had my second baby 8 weeks ago. I am breastfeeding and supplementing. I am just so hungry I never feel full. Is that normal?

nancybuss

Congrats new momma's! Cute babies!!!

Figure out your TDEE and BMR then add 500 calories for breastfeeding. If you're hungry all the time then look at what type of foods those calories are. A cookie is not going to keep you as full as a bunch of veggies equaling the same calories.

Since you're starting to track give that about a week to see where you are usually falling and take it from there.

I have two kids and its hard to get the workout time in. I have to do it before they get up on weekdays. I know that's hard with a newborn. Nap time may work.

chubbybword123

First of all, congratulations on your baby and the fact that you're able to breastfeed. Don't expect the weight to melt off so quickly - at least not as quickly as people say they lose while breastfeeding in Hollywood.

Do it like you said, keep a food diary, keep yourself accountable, calculate your TDEE and eat that, cos you sure need the energy and nutrition to take care of your lil one.

I mean, it did take you 9 months or so to gain 40 pounds so they wouldn't go away so quickly, right?

chubbybword123

Figure out your TDEE and BMR then add 500 calories for breastfeeding. If you're hungry all the time then look at what type of foods those calories are. A cookie is not going to keep you as full as a bunch of veggies equaling the same calories.

Totally ^

nine711

Hey there! I am having the same issues as you are! I'm on baby number two he will be 4 months old on January 9th. I seem to of gained weight too while I'm EBF absolutly horrible!! With my first I formula fed and was able to do crazy diets and work outs so I lost all my weight within 6 months. So today is day one of trying to eat extra healthly I'm also going to try to do a mini three day juice cleanse this weekend so we will see what happens!!

We can do this together:)