postpartum weight loss......or lack there of!

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mirandam1076
mirandam1076 Posts: 39
in Motivation and Support
It's been 2 months since I had my baby and I have only lost a few pounds. I gained 35 pounds(started at 170). I am pumping every 3-4 hours( he bights!),but I'm only getting 2-3 oz total each pump. I walk on the treadmill 4-5 days a week(45 min/2 miles) and a few Gilad workouts a week. Calories are kept under 1800 but it doesn't seem to be working. I thought I would lose a lot faster than this! I'd love to here your experiences with weight loss after baby. Thanks!

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  • Manda_H
    Manda_H Posts: 80
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    Hi, I am a mom of 7.... with my most recent addition turning 8 months old on christmas. I always find losing weight right after a baby is hard. I dont know how well you do with snacking but I find it is hard to get myself "stable" in terms of eating. I have such rollarcoasters! lol. I gained 80 with my baby and I still have awhile to go to get back to my post partum weight! anyways- I just wanted to encourage you to keep it up! your weight will budge! your body holds onto some things to produce milk but you will "burn" more calories etc through the pumping so it equals out... I didn't always breastfeed my babies but I do now and i tell ya what- every bit of milk you produce the easier the weight will come off!
  • wiggleroom
    wiggleroom Posts: 322 Member
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    As long as you're still nursing, your body is going to hold on to some weight. It needs it, so don't fret! Just keep working out and toning up. When I weaned each of my girls, I dropped seven or eight pounds within a month without changing my habits. Don't wean early, of course -- your baby's nutrition comes first! But you can definitely be toning and getting healthier while he's nursing, even if you don't see the scale move much.

    FYI - I was always, always overweight (from about age ten on!), and I didn't get in shape until after my youngest daughter was born. So don't fall into the trap of believing that there's no hope after you've had kids. I've proven the opposite. I was a size 14 to 16 all through high school and a 16 to 18 thereafter. Now, with two teenaged girls, I'm a size 4 and just 5 pounds or so over my ultimate dream goal weight! =)
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
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    I'm not 100% certain, but my first thought is you might actually need more calories. If you're breastfeeding you need an extra 500 a day right? Plus, whatever you burn when you exercise, so.... you might need a 200-300 more. There might be others that know more on this specific subject, but it's possible. Good luck, it WILL happen!!!
  • mml61104
    mml61104 Posts: 11
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    It's hard. I have 3. With my first, I never got there. Got within 6 pounds before I got pregnant again when she was 18 months old. But I didn't try that hard either. My second was faster, got to within 5 pounds when she was 9 months old and I found out I was pregnant again. The third has been SO hard. But, with eating healthy and exercise, I finally just hit pre-prego 2 weeks ago, and she is almost 14 months old. My second is the only one I breastfed, so it does come off quicker breastfeeding! Be patient, remember it took 9 months to put it on, it will take awhile to take it off. I haven't met a new mom yet who lost all the weight in under 6 months. Skinny and fat alike. The earliest I have come across is 6 months. Enjoy the new baby!
  • katieandlilly
    katieandlilly Posts: 31 Member
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    I had a baby two months ago, too! I'm also breastfeeding. You aren't eating enough calories to get adequate milk production, you need 500 more than a normal person would. I eat 2,500 a day when I exercise (aerobics classes). I'm still losing weight, and my milk supply isn't affected this way. The days I eat a good breakfast and mid morning snack I make the most milk. (I'm also pumping).
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    If you're going to breastfeed you really can't try to lose weight. You need be getting about 300 extra calories to support your breastfeeding, so you can't cut calories. You can exercise, but you need to eat more to replace what you've burned. If you don't, your supply could dry up or, if you're able to keep it up, your baby won't get the nutrition he or she needs. Now that you're not pregnant anymore your body is going to take care of you first, not your baby. So keep taking your prenatal vitamins with DHA and make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet.

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