Moms - breastfeeding make it harder to lose weight!?!

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babyalex124
babyalex124 Posts: 10
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello mothers!

I'm a new mom (4 mos old infant) and am trying to shed 20 lbs of baby weight. I exercise 3x/week - P90X, run 45 min a day, lift, do Kinect on XBox, and eat within my range of calories... but the weight loss is SLOW. I'm trying not to do anything too drastic b/c I want to be able to stick with my healthy lifestyle in the future rather than burn myself out. I have always read that b/c nursing burns calories you lose weight faster, but I'm thinking that it causes your body to hold onto your maternal fat longer. Whatever is best for my baby is fine, but I just want to know if anyone else out there has had the same problem. I have heard from friends that once you get your first period after having your baby you really start to shed pounds...so I'm hoping for that little miracle once the time comes. I'm just ready to have my old body back!!!

Thanks for any advice or words of encouragement!
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Replies

  • carlfry
    carlfry Posts: 62
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    Are you making sure to eat extra calories for breastfeeding? I have read and read and read around 300 extra calories per day. Make sure you're getting your bare minimum of 1200 per day as well. So, you'll want to be around 1500 calories per day.

    I don't breastfeed (my Son is 3 now and I think it'd be pretty hard to get my milk back now :P) but I thought I was eating enough at 1300 calories. I switched my goals so I was taking in more (around 15-1600 calories now) and I have already lost half a pound. I'm thinking I wasn't eating enough. I must have been burning way more than I thought ;)
  • kdudz
    kdudz Posts: 39 Member
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    Congrats on the new baby.

    I breastfed for about 3.5 months. I transitioned my little one to formula shortly before going back to work.

    I wasn't exactly watching what I was eating but I wasn't going overboard either and I felt like I had hit a plateau. Once I stopped breastfeeding I shed some weight and then I turned to MFP and really got my butt into gear with watching what I ate. Started exercising.

    I know plenty of women lose lots of weight while breastfeeding. I have heard that sometimes the breastfeeding makes you hold onto fat/water. I know I was bloated all.the.time while breastfeeding.
  • petchonka82
    petchonka82 Posts: 156
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    When I had my kids the OB said that breastfeeding actually helps you loose weight. Try increasing your water intake.
  • Kdoran73
    Kdoran73 Posts: 12 Member
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    It's going to take time. Remember it took 9 months to put on the weight. All in due time it will come off, just keep eating right and working out.
  • hmiller2011
    hmiller2011 Posts: 28
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    I'm a new mom to a 3 month old. I work out 6 days a week for at least an hour, sometimes more. I drink almost 10 glasses of water a day.Ive only been on this site for a week & have already lost 8 pounds! Congrads on the new baby :)
  • krlaws2
    krlaws2 Posts: 47
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    I lost weight very quickly when breastfeeding my babies, but I know everyone's body is different. You definitely need to make sure you are eating some extra calories and drinking lots of water to keep your milk supply steady.

    Just be patient with yourself - our bodies do change after having a baby and congrats on your baby!
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
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    I definitely found it easier to lose weight when breastfeeding, i put on up to 4 stone with all 4 of my pregnancies but all the weight was gone by 6 weeks post partum...gotta love breastfeeding!
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
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    I'm currently breastfeeding a 7.5 month old. You need to increase your daily calories by 200-300 calories a day. Yes, a day! According to MFP, I should be eating around 1200. I manually changed it to 1500 and I'm still losing around 1-2 lbs a week.

    Not everyone experiences the magical weight loss benefits of breastfeeding. I did after my first pregnacy, but not with the last 3. I've had to really work at it.

    Good luck!
  • learnbygoing
    learnbygoing Posts: 103 Member
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    I have two kidlets, I breastfed the first for 11 months and the second for 6 months.

    A few things to consider:

    Make sure you're not only eating enough calories, but enough of the RIGHT calories. Eating junk will still make you gain weight, even when breastfeeding. Also, for your body to make breastmilk, it sucks all the good nutrients out of your system to produce all the goodness for your baby :D So you need to eat even MORE fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and good carbs.

    Also, WATER. WATERWATERWATERWATERWATER. Drink and drink and drink and drink, until you think you don't ever want to see another bottle of water again. It will help with your milk production, and keep to hydrated and strong even when you're not sleeping enough :D

    Good luck with your weight loss! And remember, it took you 9 months to gain the weight, it'll take at least 9-12 months to get it off. I'm not sure why that is, but I found it to be true with both my kids.
  • DancinSMartiPants
    DancinSMartiPants Posts: 363
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    I had the EXACT same experience. I nursed by older daughter until she was 15 months (she's 6 now), and although I was exercising and eating sensibly in addition to nursing her, I only lost about 20 lbs over the course of that 15 months. However, once she was weened I lost 60 pounds in 5 months. I always thought I was weird, though.

    Fast forward. 2nd child just turned two. I nursed him until this past January. Same thing. Since January I have lost about 60 pounds.
  • valerieschram
    valerieschram Posts: 97 Member
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    I did not find that weight just started to come off after I stopped nursing. I actually found myself gaining a few pounds because I was still eating the same as when I was nursing. Once I adjusted my eating, then I continued to lose about the same rate as before. I think that if you are nursing and trying to get down to a really low weight then you might have a hard time losing the last bit because your body needs some fat, so you can properly nourish your baby.
  • cgottel
    cgottel Posts: 22
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    I think so! But I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. I've heard some people eat their BF calories and some don't. I've heard that you lose weight when you BF, but have also heard that you hold on to the fat. My son is almost 3 months old and is exclusively BF... I have just started really watching what I eat and exercising. It's a slow process... I like instant results, but I'm committed to losing the weight just the same. I think different things work for different people and unfortunately, you have to do it all to see what works best for you. Best of luck to you on your journey to a healthier (skinnier) you!
  • jennieodwyer
    jennieodwyer Posts: 1,036 Member
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    I think it really depends on the person. My one friend said that nursing really helped her lose weight. Me, not so much. I have lost weight and I am back to my prepregnancy size (took just shy of 6 months) but it took alot of sweat and calorie counting to get there. I was not one of the mothers that just breastfed, walked with the stroller and lost 40 pounds (I wish I was!! :wink: ) Since I have lost 45 pounds some people have told me that the breastfeeding is helping me more than I know. I don't really agree with that since I am losing an average of 1 pound a week which is with diet and exercise. I lost weight at that same pace a few years ago when I was on weight watchers with less exercise so I don't think it has been that helpful. I do eat slightly more food (about 300 calories) than I would if I wasn't breastfeeding to keep up my milk supply so if anything it just keeps me lose weight at the same level while being able to eat alittle extra. I have heard though that some people just start dropping weight after they wean. I am really hoping for that :laugh:
  • babyalex124
    babyalex124 Posts: 10
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    Thanks, ladies!

    I eat about 1700 calories a day. Increasing my water intake will definitely help. I drink 6-8 glasses a day, but I know when my little one was first born, I was drinking 100+ oz of water daily. I shed 30lbs in two weeks, but that was all fluid. I was a SWOLLEN pregnant girl. Holy cow. But since I've lost all my fluid weight, I have only lost 2lbs. There is always room for improvement, but I thought since my body has NEVER been this heavy before that this weight would come off a little easier.

    Plus my little one has a sensitivity to eggs and dairy so I have to be extra careful about what I eat. I can't have anything with milk, eggs, butter, etc, etc. Soy and coconut yogurt have SO much sugar and calories that I just don't bother. Finding healthy and fulfilling snacks outside of fruit and PB is hard to come by.
  • krlaws2
    krlaws2 Posts: 47
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    I did not find that weight just started to come off after I stopped nursing. I actually found myself gaining a few pounds because I was still eating the same as when I was nursing.

    This was me after my 2nd baby and I just didn't stop eating and that's why I have found my way to MFP. :smile:
  • Arizona_JR
    Arizona_JR Posts: 275
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    My wife gave birth to our little guy 7 months ago, and has been breastfeeding ever since. She put on approx 30lbs during the pregnancy, but also worked out daily until her 3rd trimester. (she's 5'6", normally 120lbs.)

    She was able to shed the extra 30 lbs in the first 4-5 months while breastfeeding. She didn't go back to the gym for the first 2 months (at least). She does drink A LOT of water, and watches what she eats, kinda. ;-)

    We did learn in our breastfeeding class that it should help promote weight loss.

    I don't think it's a black and white answer. i think it's one of those "your mileage may vary" simply because we are all built a little differently - mesomorph, ectomorph, endomorph, mickeymorph. :-P
  • Annaekv
    Annaekv Posts: 6 Member
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    Hi all,
    So I am breastfeeding and my son is 15 months next week. I lost 20 pounds after having my son (blood, placenta, him, all of that inside stuff), however I have not shed a pound otherwise within this 15 months. I have been seeing a naturopath for 13 months. We have tried changing my diet, supplements to kick start my adrenals, a whole bunch of natural and good ways t help the body. NO WEIGHT LOSS. She says that it takes about 18 months for your body to completely heal. WHile it is very frustrating, I am trying my best to think about the blessings and to just "wait it out".
    My question to other moms that couldn't loose weight until after breastfeeding:

    1. Did you weight just fall off ?
    2. DId you change anything after breastfeeding?
    3. About how long did it take for you to see some weight loss after weaning?

    Also, I have heard by so many people "just be happy , you have a son".. or "learn to accept it and be happy you had a baby and now this is you".. amongst other comments. I would like to say that OF COURSE i am happy and in total LOVE with my son. I DO love myself. And.. I know I had a baby however I know how I can look and feel and prefer my body to be in shape. So please i dont want to hear any of that.. I just really want to know about the loosing weight after weaning :)

    Thanks so much all!!
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
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    I nursed all three of mine for at least a year. I had them back-to-back, so I never really got to my pre-first-pregnancy weight until after my 3rd child weaned (at 13 mos on his own).

    Since then, the weight has been coming off steadily with calorie counting and exercise.

    I was just so. stinking. hungry while nursing! I seriously could not consume less than 2000 calories without getting huge headaches and fatigue. Most days it was more like 2300-2500.

    Everyone is different, but that has been my story.
  • HakunaMatata519
    HakunaMatata519 Posts: 141 Member
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    A few of my friends swore it was difficult but I personally had a very good experience... however,I had a lot of weight to lose in the first place. When I got the OK to star exercising I was 200lbs. I breast fed for a solid year and dropped over 50lbs. The first 4 months I didn't really exercise at all because I couldn't find much time but just set MFP to 1600 calories. Once I started exercising it was only moderate and 3 times a week. Kept the calories the same.

    Now that my kids are 2 and 3, I've put on like 15 extra pounds and it's SO HARD to get off. I keep telling my husband I need to have another baby so I can breastfeed to lose this weight LOL
  • jaynepickle
    jaynepickle Posts: 47 Member
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    I'm still breastfeeding my third, but I always feel like my body retains an extra 10-15 lbs, regardless of what I'm doing diet/exercise wise while I'm still nursing. True, it comes off pretty quick at first, but then my body just refuses to let go of those last few pounds. With my first, it took me a little over a year to get back down to pre-pregnancy weight, and that was only after I had weaned my son. (I've nursed all three for a year, and same story, those last flippin pounds won't budge until I dry up!) Don't worry, it WILL come off, it may just take a little longer than those other moms who are blessed with the ability to slide right back into their pre-pregnancy pants 3 weeks after delivering.:-) And after weaning, I still have to work hard and watch my diet, but the weight starts moving again. I feel your frustration and you are not alone! Congratulations on your new little one!

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