Breastfeeding moms...

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shakespearessister
shakespearessister Posts: 42
in Health and Weight Loss
I lost 55 pounds in the 9 months following my fourth child's birth. I'm at a healthy weight for my height, and I feel pretty good (and I'm told I look good). However, I would really like to lose about 6 more pounds, as I do have a little extra hangin' on around the middle. The entire time I was losing, I was eating about 1200 calories, plus adding 3-400 for breastfeeding, depending on how much the baby was nursing. I stopped losing in December, and I read some things about BMR and all that and upped it to 1340, based on the calculators, still adding 240 for breastfeeding. I haven't lost weight in 6 months and I'm getting discouraged. I haven't been as faithful about logging, because after months of not losing, it's a little discouraging. I'm just maintaining. Then, a friend suggested that maybe my body is hanging on to the last couple pounds BECAUSE I'm nursing. The baby is 15 months old now, but he's still nursing about 4 times per day, though he's finally night weaned. Anyone experienced hanging on to the last few pounds until you wean?

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  • el2122
    el2122 Posts: 17 Member
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    Following... my wee fella is 8 months and finding it difficult to lose the last 10 pounds. He's still feeding throughout the night and about 5ish times a day.
  • shakespearessister
    shakespearessister Posts: 42
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    Heh. Well. This has been enlightening :-P
  • lenamae23
    lenamae23 Posts: 60 Member
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    It is very common to hold onto a little extra while nursing. I would try upping your calories to 1500 and if that doesn't help then just wait till baby is completely weaned.
  • el2122
    el2122 Posts: 17 Member
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    Heh. Well. This has been enlightening :-P

    Indeed.

    I plan to feed him until he self weans. My first fed until he was 2.5 years and only stopped because i was pregnant with this lad. Pfft. I can't wait that long!

    I was very thin, without even trying with my first, but he was a more demanding baby. Pfft.
  • shakespearessister
    shakespearessister Posts: 42
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    Yes, my first nursed until she was almost three, and I was tandem nursing her brother while pregnant with my third. I forcibly weaned her because while I'm all for tandem nursing, I was NOT nursing three kids! So I've been nursing almost without break for the last 6 years. When I've weaned, I've been pregnant, so obviously wasn't losing weight. I guess I feel pretty good where I am. Maybe I will try upping my calories a bit more. If I maintain and don't lose, I guess I'll have to be satisfied with that. I'm not weaning just to lose weight!
  • el2122
    el2122 Posts: 17 Member
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    I know, it's tough isn't it! Well done you for feeding for so long, and good luck! :)

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