Gave birth almost three weeks ago and only lost 10lbs!?

OrionMama

So, I had my 7lb 14oz baby 3 weeks ago, and have only lost 10 lbs?! I am breastfeeding exclusively, and sticking to 1500 calories a day. I have no idea how I'm not losing.

I gained 45lbs with this baby and had a homebirth. With my first child I gained 65 and lost 30 in the first 2 days before leaving the hospital!

Am I doing something wrong? Should I only be eating 1200 calories? TIA for any advice

sneaks

I'm not a mother, but I'm guessing you need to eat more to breastfeed - you're feeding another human so you need to take that into account.

I think 10 pounds is quite a lot really, assuming baby was some of that and then you've lost water etc. It will come off, but tbh I think you've got better things to be worrying about right now, like trying to get 5 mins sleep!

__freckles__

Holy crap woman! Losing weight should be the LAST thing on your mind right now. Take care of your baby and go get some rest. And for God's sake EAT more!!! You are breastfeeding. Health of your baby is priority, not your vanity.

Shuuma

First, congratulations on your new baby! Second, breastfeeding alone burns around 250 calories alone (probably much more!). I would suggest you aren't eating enough to sustain yourself and nursing. I think eating more and drinking a lot of water and teas will be helpful. Water helps with milk production and to flush out water weight.

Enjoy this time with your baby and worry about the weight later. Just make sure you're eating enough!

_lyndseybrooke_

So, I had my 7lb 14oz baby 3 weeks ago, and have only lost 10 lbs?! I am breastfeeding exclusively, and sticking to 1500 calories a day. I have no idea how I'm not losing.

I gained 45lbs with this baby and had a homebirth. With my first child I gained 65 and lost 30 in the first 2 days before leaving the hospital!

Am I doing something wrong? Should I only be eating 1200 calories? TIA for any advice

I heard somewhere that breastfeeding burns about 500 calories per day. And all you're doing is sitting there! So, 1500 calories is probably not enough for you. Your caloric needs are probably closer to 2000.

It is a little surprising that you only lost 10 lbs after having a nearly 8 lb baby. The extra fluid, placenta, etc. is usually more than 2 lbs. I'm guessing your weight was higher than you thought right before the baby.

Like the others said, losing weight shouldn't be your priority right now. Give yourself a break - it's only been three weeks. And dear God NO, don't drop down to 1200 calories. Providing your child with adequate nutrition should be your number one concern.

impyimpyaj

You need to eat more. Breastfeeding exclusively burns around 500 calories per day. Not to mention the fact that your body is still healing from childbirth. It needs fuel to heal properly.

You are not doing anything wrong. It's only been 3 weeks. Give yourself time and patience. Every pregnancy is different, so it stands to reason that your body wouldn't react to this one the same as the last.

Drink plenty of water to keep your milk supply steady and to help shed any water weight. Eat healthy foods, including good protein and fats. Take your vitamins, since if you are deficient in anything your body will give it to the baby before giving it to you, and you could end up malnourished if you're restricting your diet. And don't focus too much on the scale right now. I'm not saying not to try to lose weight -- I'm saying that your body is going through a LOT of hormonal changes right now, and it may not react in the way you expect it to, so don't get so discouraged about the number on the scale. You're losing, and that's movement in the right direction. Pat yourself on the back for that, and just enjoy that sweet babe.

SoDamnHungry

Eat more! And worry about your weight less. You just had a baby, so cut your poor body some slack.

impyimpyaj

Here is some excellent information for you:

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/

mschicagocubs

Most women lose ~10 lbs pretty quickly after being pregnant because a lot of it is fluids and you are back to moving in your "regular" body.

I would make sure you are eating an adequate amount for your baby. 1200 is not enough.

You will still lose pounds eating more.

If you care more about your weight than feeding you baby, buy formula.

calibriintx

:noway: Please be a troll. PLEASE be a troll!

Okay, seriously. Calm down and focus on your baby and your mental health. I mention mental health b/c it's flat out CRAZY to consider eating 1200 calories while exclusively breastfeeding a newborn. Maybe provide your height, weight, age and activity level for some tailored advice.

Corsetopia

Congrats on your little one!! Yay!

But, back to business - it literally took me at least a month to see any budge in the scale after the initial 10 lb weight loss from the hospital (my baby is almost 3 months old). It seemed like I had a lot of water weight going on and it came off when it decided to come off and all of the sudden 20 pounds dropped off quickly after that first month and a half.

And for the people saying to stop being so vain and whatnot. Newsflash: of course it's not the last thing on our minds. We just endured 9 months of packing on the pounds and we're not supposed to be concerned about when or how to jump back on the workout wagon and lose the weight? Maybe I'm neurotic, but I think it's somewhat healthy to worry about that kind of stuff.

Edit: I didn't breastfeed, so I can't help you on that one, just be sure to be eating enough and drinking enough water, the weight will eventually come off after a couple months.

Holly_Roman_Empire

I can't believe I'm reading this. :huh::noway:

IPAkiller

So, I had my 7lb 14oz baby 3 weeks ago, and have only lost 10 lbs?! I am breastfeeding exclusively, and sticking to 1500 calories a day. I have no idea how I'm not losing.

I gained 45lbs with this baby and had a homebirth. With my first child I gained 65 and lost 30 in the first 2 days before leaving the hospital!

Am I doing something wrong? Should I only be eating 1200 calories? TIA for any advice

I heard somewhere that breastfeeding burns about 500 calories per day. And all you're doing is sitting there! So, 1500 calories is probably not enough for you. Your caloric needs are probably closer to 2000.

It is a little surprising that you only lost 10 lbs after having a nearly 8 lb baby. The extra fluid, placenta, etc. is usually more than 2 lbs. I'm guessing your weight was higher than you thought right before the baby.

Like the others said, losing weight shouldn't be your priority right now. Give yourself a break - it's only been three weeks. And dear God NO, don't drop down to 1200 calories. Providing your child with adequate nutrition should be your number one concern.

nikkylyn

First off good for you for breastfeeding.

I don't even count calories while I am breastfeeding. I drink lots of water, eat good sources of protein, lots of fruits and veggies. I make sure I am eating something every couple hours. I used to grab an apple and some crackers or cheese or a something...anything and put it on my table when I breastfed so I would be getting the nutrients my baby needed.

Its only been 3 weeks your body is likely still swollen and you cant expect to lose weight this quickly.

Noone expects a new mom to be down to her pre baby weight weeks after giving birth and neither should you. Your expectations are too high. Just enjoy that sweet baby because you dont get these precious moments back. Worry about your weight later. Eat healthy but stop getting on that scale for at least another month.

Mischievous_Rascal

You need to eat more. Breastfeeding exclusively burns around 500 calories per day. Not to mention the fact that your body is still healing from childbirth. It needs fuel to heal properly.

You are not doing anything wrong. It's only been 3 weeks. Give yourself time and patience. Every pregnancy is different, so it stands to reason that your body wouldn't react to this one the same as the last.

Drink plenty of water to keep your milk supply steady and to help shed any water weight. Eat healthy foods, including good protein and fats. Take your vitamins, since if you are deficient in anything your body will give it to the baby before giving it to you, and you could end up malnourished if you're restricting your diet. And don't focus too much on the scale right now. I'm not saying not to try to lose weight -- I'm saying that your body is going through a LOT of hormonal changes right now, and it may not react in the way you expect it to, so don't get so discouraged about the number on the scale. You're losing, and that's movement in the right direction. Pat yourself on the back for that, and just enjoy that sweet babe.

Smart answer. And congrats on the new little addition to your family!

PS: It took me five years to lose 60 pounds. Don't be so hard on yourself.

OrionMama

I actually have an oversupply of breastmilk and have been donating to the local milk bank. I would certainly not be trying to lose weight if nursing was even an issue. The fact is I am unable to wear maternity clothing that I wore the week I gave birth. I have a three year old son that deserves to leave the house, and I can't care for him properly if I can't get dressed or function. This is not me being vain. We also don't have the money for me to go out and buy new clothing. I was simply asking for advice because I have not even lost the weight of the baby+placenta+other fluids, not really asking to be berated for perceived vanity.

__freckles__

I actually have an oversupply of breastmilk and have been donating to the local milk bank. I would certainly not be trying to lose weight if nursing was even an issue. The fact is I am unable to wear maternity clothing that I wore the week I gave birth. I have a three year old son that deserves to leave the house, and I can't care for him properly if I can't get dressed or function. This is not me being vain. We also don't have the money for me to go out and buy new clothing. I was simply asking for advice because I have not even lost the weight of the baby+placenta+other fluids, not really asking to be berated for perceived vanity.

You still got your answer. You need to eat more. Not sure how you don't fit into maternity clothes even after losing 10 lbs?

impyimpyaj

I actually have an oversupply of breastmilk and have been donating to the local milk bank. I would certainly not be trying to lose weight if nursing was even an issue. The fact is I am unable to wear maternity clothing that I wore the week I gave birth. I have a three year old son that deserves to leave the house, and I can't care for him properly if I can't get dressed or function. This is not me being vain. We also don't have the money for me to go out and buy new clothing. I was simply asking for advice because I have not even lost the weight of the baby+placenta+other fluids, not really asking to be berated for perceived vanity.

Question about your oversupply: are you pumping? If so, and you're not needing to pump to store milk for emergencies or going back to work, I would stop pumping. Hand express just enough to relieve the pressure if you're feeling uncomfortable, and otherwise don't pump. Let the baby dictate your supply. The more milk you pump/express, the more milk you will continue to make.

Another thing you can do to help with your oversupply is change your nursing pattern. Make sure the baby drains the breast well before moving him to the other side. Or, have each session be on one side only, without switching (hand express if the other breast gets uncomfortably full). Doing this will ensure that he gets the good fatty hindmilk instead of filling up on the watery foremilk. Foremilk is great, but it can cause digestive problems for him if he's not getting that hindmilk.

Lmans77

Are you swollen? why can't you wear your maternity clothes that you wore presumably right before giving birth? Are they too tight in the boobs, that would be understandable, anything else would be cause for concern. Frankly, I'd talk to your doctor or midwife.

I would think you need to eat at least 2000 calories a day while breastfeeding, if not more.

impyimpyaj

Are you swollen? why can't you wear your maternity clothes that you wore presumably right before giving birth? Are they too tight in the boobs, that would be understandable, anything else would be cause for concern. Frankly, I'd talk to your doctor or midwife.

This too.

__freckles__

And for the people saying to stop being so vain and whatnot. Newsflash: of course it's not the last thing on our minds. We just endured 9 months of packing on the pounds and we're not supposed to be concerned about when or how to jump back on the workout wagon and lose the weight? Maybe I'm neurotic, but I think it's somewhat healthy to worry about that kind of stuff.

I didn't even start to think about losing weight until my 6 week postpartum checkup with my doctor when he gave me the go ahead to start working out. At 3 weeks postpartum I didn't give a rat's what I looked like - all I cared about was making sure my baby was healthy and getting some sleep.

OP - sounds like you need to enlist the help of friends/family, maybe to take care of your 3 year old for a few hours. Take him/her to the park, etc.