Mum to a 1-year-old - looking for breastfeeding mums (UK)

Veryveryhungrycaterpillar

Hello there!

As the title suggests, my little boy has just turned one and I am becoming increasingly aware that I am heavier than I have ever been. This is not something that I want to become indefinite.

I am 'still' breastfeeding - on occasions day and night - so I do still need to eat quite a lot to avoid feeling drained. I am finding striking the balance between eating enough to keep my body and little one's milk supply healthy and overeating and I feel like I am never going to get it right.

I try to go out for long walks with the buggy. I try - but usually fail - to get some kind of exercise in the evenings when I can. But, as I am sure any other mum can appreciate - it is so hard to coordinate the right slot in the day where my husband is available to look after little one.

I would really love to hear from anybody else in the same situation and to befriend them so we can keep each other motivated. I slip into lazy eating habits so easily. If I have a day when I haven't eaten enough and feel drained I just end going back to square 1.

At the moment all I really want to do is get back to a healthy BMI - which means losing just over a stone. It doesn't sound much but at the moment it might as well be eight stone. I just can't seem to get my head around it.

I have lost weight before (more than two stone with Slimming World) but this seems like an all new ball game. I just don't want this weight and shape to be me, 'Mum', for the rest of my days.

Hoping to hear from others soon. - Sorry, that turned into a ramble! It's good to talk!
Amy

rikorb

Hi Amy,

I know how you feel, I'm in a similar position. I too am still breastfeeding my 16mth old and have been trying to lose weight, and sometimes I'll go a couple of days doing really well but then i start to feel so hungry and I just have to eat and eat. I've actually considered stopping breastfeeding but I really dont want to do that just yet.

Feel free to add me

Kristy - from Australia

dhakiyya

Hi I'm breastfeeding my 20 month old, just evenings and occasinally mornings. This is my first post here because I just use this to track calories.

My advice is to stay well hydrated, the main thing that will affect your milk supply is not getting enough water. Also don't cut your calories too low. This site recommended me to have 1200 ish calories a day, I calculated my total daily energy expenditure as 1700 cals (thereabouts) and the site has a tool to do this which also gave a similar figure. I'm aiming for 1400 cals a day and a lot more fat than the site recommended. I went in to the thing on this site where you can readjust your goals, and I increased the calories and adjusted the ratios of carbohydrate, fat and protein to include a lot more fat. This site was recommending just 5% fat which really isn't enough. Reduce the grams of carbs in proportion to the increase in grams of fat to keep the calories the same. Provided the goal for how many calories you eat is below your total daily energy expenditure you will still lose weight, just more slowly. Since doing this I've not had problems with milk supply. Too little fat is a bad idea because breastmilk is full of healthy fat for your baby, and you need to ensure you're getting plenty of healthy fat too, as your baby will get it before you do. You need a sufficient amount of food from all three food groups, even more so when you're breastfeeding.

dhakiyya

btw use the increase allowance for fat to get healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, fish oil, nuts, avocados etc for omega 3s and 6s for you and your baby