New Moms...breastfeeding & trying to lose weight

rachymoo

How are we all doing today. I've done pretty well, I had a 'blip' yesterday though - went to my Dad's for dinner and he decided he would go to the chip shop for us - oops! Weirdly enough though I was still within my calorie allowance (just!) - gotta love this breastfeeding lark, lol!

Hi ladies...does anyone know how to change or if we are able to change the settings indicating your breastfeeding? I know that we burn calories just by breastfeeding only.
Thanks

I just add it to my food diary - if you search for 'breastfeeding' as a food, there should be one that comes up that says 'Breastfeeding - Exclusive' and if you add that it basically puts -500 calories on, so you get an extra 500 calories per day.

silversong24

I do the same, meaning I add a -500 calorie nursing tag to my food diary every day. You can cruise by my diary and check it out if you like, that's why I have it on public


I have been "blipping" sporadically the last few days too lol, but I blame my birth control pills, and have been winning the battle against temptation more often than not so I am okay with the few things I slipped on hehe. My doctor switched me over to the pill with the four little brown ones at the end that force your body into TOM and my body was like WTH?!? Lots of cramps and cravings and not much else.

ennaejay

Ladies, I haven't read thru all the comments, but I have two thoughts to share:

Join La Leche League for support on breastfeeding, mothering, & fitness -- there are a ton of moms on that site who love to help and share. LLLI.org

Also, for those of us who have kids and not a whole lot of time, do quick circuit training workouts. I noticed a MAJOR difference after doing the 30-day-Shred regularly. Jillian's personality is a bit annoying to some, but her workouts are effective and get sick results.

Love your DP, kids, and take care of yourself

jacknellis

HI ALL, IM ALSO BREAST FEEDING (MY SON IS NOW 10 MONTHS OLD), I STARTED MFP BACK IN APRIL, STARTED CUTTIN DOWN ON THE JUNK FOOD AND EATING SENSIBLY AND JOINED CURVES, REALLY ENJOY MY DAILY WALKS WITH THE LITTLE ONE TOO, HAVE NOW MANAGED TO LOSE 19LB AND FEEL GREAT FOR IT X

bloodbank

I have a 22 month old who still nurses like a newborn

At this point I don't worry about extra breastfeeding calories although I definitely kept them in mind until she was about 18 months... I eat a well-rounded whole foods diet plus a good multivitamin, so I feel well-nourished despite somebody else getting first crack at all my vitamins and whatnot.

For those of you still in the "omg I am staaaaarving!!" phase, for me it started to mellow out by 9-10 months, and my appetite was pretty much back to normal by 12-13 months. It goes away eventually, I promise!

mommyto8kings

My youngest is 23 months and still nursing... we are down to bedtime and early morning this last month or so. They only thing I can add that the other ladies havent said is to use your baby as you excercise. Its great fun and bonding time no matter how old they are. I can no longer lift my oldest 2 but the 6 litle ones I can do arm and leg excercises with. "superman" "leg flips" even piggy back rides or shoulder rides(with the 2 littlest) leg lifts with them holding onto my legs sitting on my feet etc Dance Parties are great cardio too and sine you guy is still little you caould hold him u dance!

princess_elle

My daughter is 3 months old today and I am just starting to try to lose weight for the 1st time in my life. How many extra calories should I be eating since I am exclusively breastfeeding her? Also does anyone have any tips on how to lose weight and not feel like you are going crazy with the whole thing? Thanks a lot for any help And anyone who is encouraging is more than welcome to add me as a friend.

hey im with you all my son is 4 months now and i breast feed also do you get extra calories if you breast feed? and i have pcos anyone else have it? well i wanna join ya girls! lol

You certainly do need more calories if you are breastfeeding. If you exclusively breastfeed you can burn anywhere from 300-500 calories a day. Since it isn't advised for a normal person to go under 1,200 calories, make sure you are eating at least 1,500=1,800 calories a day to lose weight! You can add this to your food diary by searching the food database for "breastfeeding" and selecting "breatfeeding - exclusive". good luck!


So how is everyone else doing? This week I have lost 2.5lbs! Must be a lot of water weight, though because week before that I had a binge that lasted a few days...but I am glad to be back on track now! 1.5lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight!

Now that I am so close, I have a question for any ladies who have come close to their pre-pregnancy weight. I finally fit into my regular clothes, but when I look in the mirror I do not look as thin as I used to. I feel like maybe my weight is distributed differently now. Does anyone else have this problem? It is mostly in the gut that I notice, so maybe it is the loose skin from having a baby?

Mama2ZandK

I just found this website yesterday and have been checking it out!! I have a beautiful baby girl who will be 8 months on Friday and a 3 yr old son. I am still breast feeding the baby and need to get rid of this belly that I have never had in my life!! I even had a lady ask me today if my baby was going to have a baby brother or sister.....I think it is time to get my butt into gear!!!! How does this website work for you? What is most helpful?

Please add me as a friend, I need the motivation!!!!

silversong24

So how is everyone else doing? This week I have lost 2.5lbs! Must be a lot of water weight, though because week before that I had a binge that lasted a few days...but I am glad to be back on track now! 1.5lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight!

Yay for you for getting so far!! I am actually kind of worried by how fast I am losing this last 2 weeks all of a sudden. I was told by someone that losing too fast overwhelms your bodies ability to deal with the toxins that were stored in the fat, therefore it winds up in your milk. Not sure if this is true, but if the scale is to be believed I lost 2.4 pounds last week, and another 2 just since Monday..... Not doing a thing different either as far as I can tell.

lbehm

I have a 4 month old...started actively trying to lose weight when she was a month old and have lost 20 lbs since then, 35 total since I gave birth (I don't count the first 15 since that sort of fell off). I am watching what I eat and doing c25k....it's been great!

The only caution I have is for those of you nursing but have kids on food, I don't think you caN count 300-500 calories a day anymore since it isnt exclusive but I am not 100%

princess_elle

I have also worried about the same thing! Somtimes the weight seems to be coming off a little fast. Sebsites I have visited say that the ketones released can enter your milk and alter the taste so that the baby will not want to nurse. I don't know about you, but my LO still nurses like no tomorrow! Also, they say that toxins can be released into your milk but I am reading mixed opinions. I guess I would say if you are eating enough for you and your baby and you are still losing that weight, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. Maybe talk to your doctor if you continue losing really fast.

silversong24

Thanks! He is definitely still nursing fine, and it's only been the last week and a half, so I guess I won't stress it too much unless it continues at this rate. Maybe my body is just giving some wiggle room for this weekend hehe. Going for a much needed weekend break with the family. Guessing there aren't going to be a ton of healthy choices at a Celtic festival lol.

debnu1

I meant to ask a question....did any Moms find it almost impossible to lose weight while they were nursing, but when they stopped it came off easier?? It seems like for some moms, breastfeeding helps them lose right away, and for others (like me) we feel hungry all the time and our weight just stays the same.....any insight?

I have a 4 month old, and two older kids I ebf, I have lost weight each time I stop breast feeding and actually gain a bit during. I am always hungry too. My body just likes to hold onto that fat to help with milk production and then lets it go once I quit--I lost 10 lbs rather quickly after weaning my second kid. I am just trying to eat healthier and not all junk food so I don't give my baby an addiction before he even tastes it. :bigsmile:

reneepugh

I breast fed all three of my kids till they were over a year. I didn't lose weight until I was done breastfeeding. Some women lose weight during breast feeding, but I was one of the few that just didn't lose weight till after I was done. Before joining MFP, I just stopped bf my daughter and have consistently lost a couple pounds a week since then. However, most women can lose weight during bf, but I was just so hungry all the time it was miserable to try and watch what I ate. I'm sure you will be able to do it though. Good luck!

pickenslmc

I meant to ask a question....did any Moms find it almost impossible to lose weight while they were nursing, but when they stopped it came off easier?? It seems like for some moms, breastfeeding helps them lose right away, and for others (like me) we feel hungry all the time and our weight just stays the same.....any insight?

I have held onto weight both times I was nursing. My first weaned at just over a year and I dropped about 10 pounds in the following 2 months. My second nursed until 22 months, and I gained about 15 pounds while he was nursing. The body sometimes will hold onto fat while breast feeding, so for some it can be very difficult to lose weight while nursing.

jahnkekong

Glad I found this group. I have a 10 month old and I feel safe to start dieting now, before I was worried about losing my milk. Time to get back on the wagon!

chrissiegaddis

It's such a good feeling to know that you're not alone! Thanks everyone for all the advice, encouragement and stories!!

MyhillMadness

Hey folks,

This is my first ever post!

My daughter is 3 weeks old tomorrow, and I'm breastfeeding (literally, now as I type one handed). I was 194lbs when I became pregnant, and I went up to 246lbs. I've dropped a lot of water weight since the birth and I'm now 218lbs. I'm looking to get to my goal weight of 175lbs.

This is my first baby!

If anyone has any advice for me at this stage or would like to add me as a friend, I'd love the encouragement!!!!

debnu1

Congrats on your first post! I frequently post while nursing, so I understand how it is, although It is really difficult to type one handed sometimes.

As far as losing weight and nursing. Don't go for too much too fast. I am looking to lose 1/2 lb or less a week. You don't want to affect your milk supply and really I just want to be eating healthier. The weight will come off as you take care of your body with the right foods. I lose little to none while nursing, so I am really trying to not get my hopes up too.

You are doing great!

rocket_scientist

This is my kind of thread.
I'm bf my nearly one year old and also my 2 1/2 year old. you would think I would have no problems losing weight but I actually managed to gain 20kgs since my youngest was born! Not so great, anyway I'm finding the weight is coming off quite fast now that I'm watching what I eat. I still eat heaps and don't over do it on the exercise.
I've been reading on here about the 30day shred and I think I will take up that challenge soon, everyone seems to be getting great results from it.
My eldest is turning 5 in September and I would love to get back to my pre-her weight in the next year. Still got 45kgs to go though for that.

newmommynewfitme

So glad I found this thread! My baby boy is 7 weeks old, delivered via c-section and I exclusively pump due to latching issues as well as low supply. I pump 9 to 10 times a day, 30 minutes each pump and it does get pretty exhausting but it's for the good of my little boy! I want to lose at least 100 pounds, still holding 10 of pregnancy weight included in that number as well as weight ( including water) from being on steroids 8 years. I am currently being weaned of my steroids for lupus and then I should really be able to start losing. I am a bit disappointed that I need to wait 5 more weeks to really start losing to establish my supply and as my supply dipped when I tried starting early I know it is best to wait. Do you ladies ever have days you are just starving ? Happened to me Saturday and it is highly usual as I am not a breakfast person and sometimes get too busy forgetting lunch. Also I have my settings set to lose 2lbs per week, is that too much while breastfeeding to lose?

debnu1

If you are already starving, 2 lbs a week may be over the top for you. Remember you are already burning extra calories just by making milk for your little one. I have left my calories at maintenance, counting on my deficit to come from nursing and exercise. You need to find what works for you. I have found that cutting my calories by too much, makes me way too hungry--so I eat every bit I can, the goal is to just find the right foods...

lovecola06

Hi mommies!

I am really grateful to have found this thread. It is always nice to find other moms who are breastfeeding while trying to be healthy/fit. I truly believe that you should not have to choose one over the other. I am currently breastfeeding my second boy who is 8 months old. My first weaned himself at 14 months. The first time around, I felt like the weight dropped right off without much effort. This time around, I have worked hard for every single pound. I gained about the same 40 plus pounds with both pregnancies. I was overweight before both pregnancies & had just gotten close to a healthy weight when I got pregnant with my second. I am now a couple pounds shy of a "healthy" bmi & working hard on my goal to be in the best shape possible.

Lots of people posted about when is too soon to start working out or what to do. I'm lazy, so I did not start working out or change my eating habits until my son was about 2 months old. But that was only due to procrastination, I know some people start working out as early as 3-4 weeks after giving birth. I started slow with walking to see how it felt then graduated to Slim in 6 Weeks dvd program then Insanity program dvd. I use the elliptical & running sometimes to mix things up though.

Lots of people also posted about the starving/how much to eat thing. I pretty much eat at maintenance level according to MFP. When I started out (30lbs heavier), I was able to use the setting of 1-2lbs lost per week. I think it's a much better idea to subtract calories for breastfeeding from your food diary though (300-500 calories, depending on how often you nurse/pump).

I also get nervous when I lose too much weight b/c of the toxins released thing... I'm not sure how much you'd have to lose & how quickly before it is actually an issue. The nutritionist that I use said that a healthy loss during breastfeeding is no more than 1-2 lbs per week. I always up my calories by 150-200 if my milk supply starts to go down. I've been able to lose around 1 lb/ week doing that while maintaining my milk supply. It's a constant adjustment, especially when you factor in the exercise calories that you burn... You'll know if you're losing weight too quickly b/c your supply will definitely decrease = your body will let you know.

I snack almost all day long. I don't go more than 2 hours without eating something (high protein/fiber keeps you full longer).. Apples, fiber one bar, greek yogurt, crackers, etc. That keeps me feeling pretty full most of the time - I eat strong minty gum when the snacks don't work. If you are feeling really hungry ALL the time, you probably aren't eating enough..

btw, I am considering starting the 30DS b/c I have been hearing great things about it on MFP. Is anyone else doing that with success?

If anyone wants a new friend, I'd love the extra motivation of a fellow breastfeeding mommy friend... please add me :flowerforyou:

VeggieCarrie

So excited to be back on MFP and to have found this thread! Can I just go ahead and 'friend' all of you for support? I am getting back into the swing of things and really committing to start losing this weight! I've got 13 more pregnancy pounds, but then still have lots more to lose after that! I am breastfeeding as well, and am concerned about finding that happy balance of calories and losing and exercise, etc. I wish there was a magic answer, but I'm sure it's going to be a lot of trial and error, but I love that there are lots of other mommies going through it as well and I hope to get some good advice and support!

p90xmommyindenver

Can I join even if I'm not breastfeeding? I tried for 6 weeks and then we just couldn't get anymore milk to come in Anyways, my son is now 11 weeks old! I can hardly believe it! I gained 40 lbs up from 180 lbs while I was pregnant mostly due to being diagnosed with pre-e and being on bedrest for 2 months. 11 weeks later and I've lost that 40 lbs and am looking to lose another 60 lbs as I'm quite the shorty at only 5'1". I mainly do p90x since it burns the most calories for me. Looking forward to making some new friends and losing more weight!

silversong24

Glad to be friends with anyone who asks! Being a woman can be so hard some days. I know that most of us have several roles to fulfill (i.e. mom, wife, cleaner of the house, worker, student, whatever you happen to do), and the more support we have the better!! Who better than other women who are in the same or similar situations!?

silversong24

Can I join even if I'm not breastfeeding? I tried for 6 weeks and then we just couldn't get anymore milk to come in Anyways, my son is now 11 weeks old! I can hardly believe it! I gained 40 lbs up from 180 lbs while I was pregnant mostly due to being diagnosed with pre-e and being on bedrest for 2 months. 11 weeks later and I've lost that 40 lbs and am looking to lose another 60 lbs as I'm quite the shorty at only 5'1". I mainly do p90x since it burns the most calories for me. Looking forward to making some new friends and losing more weight!

I don't see why not!

silversong24

Hey, I have a question ladies. It may be TMI, but do your nipples start hurting again at random intervals, or is it possibly due to the way he nurses? He and I have a compromise when it comes to latching. I realize that it still isn't as far into his mouth as it should be, but it works well enough that he gets his milk, and I usually don't hurt anymore. In the beginning it was really difficult to get him to take even most of the nipple in, and BOY did that hurt!! I just don't remember having this issue with my other two....

jahnkekong

a bad latch can cause blocked milk ducts, which would hurt. IDK for sure though, maybe check with the LLL boards.

angelajiniel

My little guy is 6 weeks today! And I've jus been cleared to exercise again, so excited. Had a vaginal delivery, but tore quite a bit. Doing great now though. We are exclusivetly breastfeeding and I hope to be able to continue once I go back to work. I want to get as healthy as I can before then because I doubt I'll have time to work out much once I do! I gained about 35 and have 8 to lose to get back to where I started, but I'd really love to lose 15-20 more than that. And get my muscle tone back!