Anyone else just have a baby?

My baby is 10 weeks old and I’ve started to actively loose the weight. I’m 5 feet 4 inches and normally 127 pounds. Currently 141 pounds.I have my MFP goal at 0.5 pounds a week. I mix nursing with formula so I’m not getting the calories 100% nursing moms get. For me, nursing makes loosing harder.

I’ve used MFP after my first child and it really worked. It just takes a long time. In the last 6 weeks I’ve lost 5 pounds.

My 2nd and last baby is 3.5 weeks old. I am not released to start exercising yet and if I am honest it will probably be a while before I take the time away from the kids to workout regularly so I am really just focusing on getting in the habit (again) of tracking calories. I am nursing too so I am very concerned about making sure my supply stays intact.

I am 5'3" currently 175 lbs and size 14/16. My goal is under 150 lbs and size 8 or smaller. I got down to 155 and a size 10 in 2013 before I got pregnant with my 1st baby from counting calories and exercise. I am not in a hurry so I don't have a goal date, I just want to make some progress month after month.

Hi, I am fairly new to fitness pal. I had a baby approximately nine months ago and unfortunately also sustained an injury. I have actually gained 10 lbs post baby bump and it can be quite daunting. In constant pain but trying my hand at walking to begin the journey. Have always been about 150 lbs. Aiming for 130. I have a lot of weight to lose and would appreciate the support.

Best wishes to all of you.

My eldest granddaughter is 5 months pp. Recently I mended a pair of her tiny pre pregnancy trousers for her to wear again, she is already wearing them. She has nursed each feed till now. Baby was solid and just shy of 19lb at his last weigh in, he started big. I'm amazed.

I've been reading into the art of feeding and the mother's body knows what the baby needs in each and every feed, even adding extra fluid to quench thurst. Back in my day we were told to add solids way before this even under a month or add formula but still add solids at two/three months. Please rely on your bodies to know what baby needs.

schmarahscott wrote: »

Hey there mommies- I feel your pain (or should I feel your motivation?) I am 5’7’’ and normal weight is 145, but I am currently 169. After my first baby, I did not lose much weight and am now 5 weeks postpartum with my second babe. Not up for much exercise yet other than light walks, but definitely ready to start tracking calories. I’m shooting for around 2k/day to help maintain milk supply. Does that sound like a calorie goal in which I could still lose weight? Thanks for the wisdom!
Sarah

@schmarahscott I'm reposting this here for you:

Here's what I recommend: Set your account to maintenance for 3 or 4 weeks. Set the correct activity level. If you're a SAHM, it's likely that you're at least lightly active. Log your exercise and eat back those calories. Follow that calorie goal and log all of your food with MFP. A food scale helps with that. Find a weight trending app that shows your rate of loss and deficit per day (like Libra) and start weighing yourself and tracking your weight loss trend. Do that consistently for 3 or 4 weeks, and you'll know what kind of deficit breastfeeding is creating.

I don't recommend losing more than a pound a week, or starting off by eating in a deficit when you don't know what breastfeeding is doing deficit-wise on its own. I'm nursing my soon to be one year old and losing about a pound a week with 2070 a day. I'm 5'1" and 137 pounds. My maintenance calories are likely higher than that since my baby is older but I won't really know until he weans. I've tracked with Libra the last year and my deficit has averaged out to 556 calories a day, but on a day to day basis that can vary a lot depending on a variety of factors. Is your baby sick? Teething? Are you needing to pump extra to leave with your baby? Baby starting solids? Does your baby just like to nurse all day and night? All of that stuff influences how many calories you burn by expressing milk, and nobody is going to be able to figure that out for you. That's why I recommend collecting your own data over time and adjust as you go.

So if you're breastfeeding, don't try to set your account to lose one pound a week and guess at how many calories breastfeeding burns. Start out by eating at maintenance for your current weight and adjust after 3 or 4 weeks so that you aren't losing more than a pound a week.

schmarahscott wrote: »

Thanks for the advice- I’m impressed that you have your caloric goal set at such a specific number. I’ve downloaded Libra and will start weighing myself tomorrow morning. Did the libra app do all of those calorie calculations for you in order to find your ideal deficit? Or was that more through MFP?

I've been tracking everything for the last year and adjusting as I went along. At the end of the week I can see what my daily deficit is and adjust as needed. Sometimes I adjust manually in the app and sometimes I go with the recommendation MFP gives depending on how close the numbers are. I'm currently sticking with my old calorie recommendation for a higher weight and that's working well.

Libra will show you what your daily deficit is once it collects enough data. I use both together with the help of my Fitbit to make sure it all adds up correctly. I could in theory use just my Fitbit at this point since it's been really accurate for me (and I do for my calorie adjustment with steps) but I'm a data nerd so I like to use them all together to see how accurate they all are.

schmarahscott wrote: »

Gotcha- I should dust off my old Fitbit, but i bet the numbers will be depressing at this stage of constant nursing (sitting on the couch). Thanks again!

Oh don't I know it. Mine have increased pretty significantly as time goes on, we all have to start somewhere!

Well I’m feeling pretty low- getting ready to leave the house today and none of my pants fit- even the “worst case scenario” fat pants from the back of my closet don’t button. Guess this will be month 6 of stretchy pants every day? At least I still have nice pregnancy hair... if only it covered my *kitten*!

Hey there! My second baby was born in January. I too am looking to loose this weight. I wish us all the best of luck! We can do it

Is anyone else feeling SO SO SO hungry while breastfeeding? I feel like there is no amount of food that will satiate me! Help! Trying not to bust my calorie goals!

Hi, great thread, I’m looking for some motivation and a gentle approach. 16 days post natal with 2nd baby. Pre pregnancy 5’8 and 150 pounds, now 196. Aiming for tracking only until 6 weeks post parturition then 1lb/week, eating 500 calories for feeding. Please add me, x

Hi!! First of all, congrats on your newborn! Second, I could have written this post myself word for word - I am in the exact same boat. I delivered my daughter on 6/5/18 and working on losing 40lbs. I lost 30lbs in the first 2 weeks after delivery bc I had tons of fluid, swelling, etc and it all left my body fast (otherwise I had gotten up to 212lbs from my original pre-preg weight of 135).

I’m 43 years old and worry about the part that a slowed metabolism has to play in this equation.

But...that said, WE’VE GOT THIS, mama!

I have only been doing light activity until I get cleared from my doctor on the 9th. I’ve been reducing carbs big time and staying hydrated.

I tried to do a mild workout the other day, and my body was simply not ready. I’m focusing on my food right now and the minute I get cleared, I’m hitting the pool for laps.