Breastfeeding & weightloss
Puregoldxoxo
Posts: 5 Member
I'm 4 months pp and since having the baby lost 33 pounds. I'm still 10 pounds higher than pre-pregnancy weight. I have been stuck at a plateau for a month now (frustrating). I'm scared to cut back too many calories in fear it will sabotage my milk supply. Was consuming 1700 calories cut back to 1500. I try to do cardio and resistance every other day but scale won't budge. Suggestions/ advice please??
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Replies
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How are you measuring your intake?0
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A couple of things. If you're exclusively breastfeeding, don't set your calories to a deficit. It's not necessary and could potentially hurt your milk supply and you by underfeeding yourself. Breastfeeding will create the deficit for you if you eat the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. With 10 pounds to lose, you should be aiming for a half pound of loss a week, so that may in fact end up being your maintenance calories + 250 extra calories a day but these are all estimates so it's up to you to collect data over time and log correctly. If you exercise, you need to eat those back. Rapid weight loss is not appropriate while breastfeeding. Don't be in a hurry to lose what took you 9 months to gain. Your lean muscle mass and baby will thank you.
Secondly, for MFP to work correctly, you have to log accurately and consistently over a long period of time. Weight loss isn't going to be linear. Sometimes we have months where we don't lose weight for a variety of reasons. It's very common to experience this while post-partum because we have lots of hormones at play. If you haven't read the sticky threads here in the forums, I suggest doing that. As far as logging accurately, are you using a food scale? How are you measuring intake? All of that matters to ensure you're logging correctly. Some people can lose weight intuitively while breastfeeding. I'm not one of them so I use a food scale for accuracy.7 -
Sometimes you just can't cut calories enough while nursing to actually lose weight and keep nursing. I know with my first, I could not EBF. My supply was not good enough. I also could not eat at a deficit at all or what milk I had would start to go..
With my second, who I could and did EBF, I could lose easily while nursing. Hormones are so weird.2 -
OP, this is what breastfeeding while consuming maintenance calories (or above maintenance calories at times) looks like for me. The negative kcal is created by breastfeeding because I don't do any intentional cardio. My MFP maintenance estimate is lower than my actual maintenance so I manually increased my calories to eat on average about 2100 calories a day at 5'1". The 2 pound loss for the week is from being sick with a stomach virus and the worst head and chest cold ever. My losses are normally a pound or less as you can see from my data collection over the last year. I'm super meticulous with my logging so I can eat as much as possible.
Another thing I forgot to mention was exercise. If the exercise is new or particularly intense, it's possible to retain water from that. I follow a progressive strength training program and I'm up two pounds today after working out yesterday from water retention. If you're logging accurately, water weight will drop off eventually.
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Sometimes you just can't cut calories enough while nursing to actually lose weight and keep nursing. I know with my first, I could not EBF. My supply was not good enough. I also could not eat at a deficit at all or what milk I had would start to go..
With my second, who I could and did EBF, I could lose easily while nursing. Hormones are so weird.
Those crazy hormones! I couldn't lose any weight while breastfeeding (also low supply), then the extra weight suddenly dropped after I stopped.0 -
skrakalaka wrote: »Sometimes you just can't cut calories enough while nursing to actually lose weight and keep nursing. I know with my first, I could not EBF. My supply was not good enough. I also could not eat at a deficit at all or what milk I had would start to go..
With my second, who I could and did EBF, I could lose easily while nursing. Hormones are so weird.
Those crazy hormones! I couldn't lose any weight while breastfeeding (also low supply), then the extra weight suddenly dropped after I stopped.
Does it stand to reason that a breastfeeding woman is naturally going to carry a few extra lbs as long as she is actively producing milk, and so the last few lbs the OP is talking about isn't necessarily fat that needs to be lost? Just a thought.1 -
I just wanted to add - patience. You are only 4 months out from delivering a little human into the world. Be kind to your body and allow it to continue healing. Continue eating enough to retain your milk supply for as long as that's appropriate for you and exercise when you can. It's just 10 lbs and it will come off eventually. It's possible the only thing you need to change is your expectations. Congrats on your new baby!4
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skrakalaka wrote: »Sometimes you just can't cut calories enough while nursing to actually lose weight and keep nursing. I know with my first, I could not EBF. My supply was not good enough. I also could not eat at a deficit at all or what milk I had would start to go..
With my second, who I could and did EBF, I could lose easily while nursing. Hormones are so weird.
Those crazy hormones! I couldn't lose any weight while breastfeeding (also low supply), then the extra weight suddenly dropped after I stopped.
Does it stand to reason that a breastfeeding woman is naturally going to carry a few extra lbs as long as she is actively producing milk, and so the last few lbs the OP is talking about isn't necessarily fat that needs to be lost? Just a thought.
It's so highly individualistic that it's anyone's guess. I don't think a statement like that can be applied to everyone. I lost all my baby weight after my 5th pregnancy and then some by tracking my calories. For my 4th pregnancy, I also lost all of my baby weight and then some by tracking calories. For my 2nd and 3rd, I either gained weight or held onto a lot of it because I refused to track my calories or acknowledge I ate more than I was burning. For my 1st pregnancy, I didn't take care of myself or eat well and lost a huge amount of weight very rapidly while breastfeeding (I don't recommend that). Breastfeeding hunger is a real thing and for some women it does prevent them from losing the remainder of the weight.0 -
I just wanted to add - patience. You are only 4 months out from delivering a little human into the world. Be kind to your body and allow it to continue healing. Continue eating enough to retain your milk supply for as long as that's appropriate for you and exercise when you can. It's just 10 lbs and it will come off eventually. It's possible the only thing you need to change is your expectations. Congrats on your new baby!
100% this.2 -
DomesticKat wrote: »A couple of things. If you're exclusively breastfeeding, don't set your calories to a deficit. It's not necessary and could potentially hurt your milk supply and you by underfeeding yourself. Breastfeeding will create the deficit for you if you eat the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. With 10 pounds to lose, you should be aiming for a half pound of loss a week, so that may in fact end up being your maintenance calories + 250 extra calories a day but these are all estimates so it's up to you to collect data over time and log correctly. If you exercise, you need to eat those back. Rapid weight loss is not appropriate while breastfeeding. Don't be in a hurry to lose what took you 9 months to gain. Your lean muscle mass and baby will thank you.
Secondly, for MFP to work correctly, you have to log accurately and consistently over a long period of time. Weight loss isn't going to be linear. Sometimes we have months where we don't lose weight for a variety of reasons. It's very common to experience this while post-partum because we have lots of hormones at play. If you haven't read the sticky threads here in the forums, I suggest doing that. As far as logging accurately, are you using a food scale? How are you measuring intake? All of that matters to ensure you're logging correctly. Some people can lose weight intuitively while breastfeeding. I'm not one of them so I use a food scale for accuracy.
Right now for measuring intake I use portion control containers and measuring cups. I haven't went out and bought a food scale yet. Although I am counting calories and cutting back I am also listening to my body because I don't want to damage my milk supply. If some days I feel like I am starving then I will consume more food. I have noticed that the better I eat the longer I stay full and those extreme hunger moments are becoming less and less.0 -
I just wanted to add - patience. You are only 4 months out from delivering a little human into the world. Be kind to your body and allow it to continue healing. Continue eating enough to retain your milk supply for as long as that's appropriate for you and exercise when you can. It's just 10 lbs and it will come off eventually. It's possible the only thing you need to change is your expectations. Congrats on your new baby!
Patience is important. I think sometimes I forget this
thank you! 1 -
skrakalaka wrote: »Sometimes you just can't cut calories enough while nursing to actually lose weight and keep nursing. I know with my first, I could not EBF. My supply was not good enough. I also could not eat at a deficit at all or what milk I had would start to go..
With my second, who I could and did EBF, I could lose easily while nursing. Hormones are so weird.
Those crazy hormones! I couldn't lose any weight while breastfeeding (also low supply), then the extra weight suddenly dropped after I stopped.
Does it stand to reason that a breastfeeding woman is naturally going to carry a few extra lbs as long as she is actively producing milk, and so the last few lbs the OP is talking about isn't necessarily fat that needs to be lost? Just a thought.
I waa wondering this myself. My other 2 children weren't breastfed and the weight came off quicker. But I also was restricting a lot considering I didn't have to worry about milk supply0 -
I lost all the baby weight plus 10 extra pounds while breastfeeding/pumping. I got down to 107 pounds after my first baby. My milk supply was never affected in fact I pumped crazy amounts. Although, compared to most of my other mom friends I was definitely in the minority.1
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Puregoldxoxo wrote: »Right now for measuring intake I use portion control containers and measuring cups. I haven't went out and bought a food scale yet. Although I am counting calories and cutting back I am also listening to my body because I don't want to damage my milk supply. If some days I feel like I am starving then I will consume more food. I have noticed that the better I eat the longer I stay full and those extreme hunger moments are becoming less and less.
You don't have to focus on weight loss while nursing if you don't want to. Nobody should feel obligated to lose weight while continuing to sustain another life. Eating intuitively and for energy is important, which is why I always recommend eating what makes you feel good and energized and not below your maintenance calories. There is a big hormonal shift that happens around the 4 month mark (relaxin is a big one) and your baby is going through a growth spurt as well, which is going to place a bigger demand on you.
That being said, if you do want to lose weight there are ways to do it safely and slowly. As nursing moms, our weight loss is still governed by CICO, we just have some extra considerations while doing it. You can try tracking your calories more closely by using a food scale since measuring cups and portion control containers have a larger margin of error to eat more than you think you are. I'm not good at estimating portion sizes, which is partly why I gained and struggled to lose 50-100 pounds repeatedly for the last 10 years and I'm just now getting all of it off.3 -
DomesticKat wrote: »Puregoldxoxo wrote: »Right now for measuring intake I use portion control containers and measuring cups. I haven't went out and bought a food scale yet. Although I am counting calories and cutting back I am also listening to my body because I don't want to damage my milk supply. If some days I feel like I am starving then I will consume more food. I have noticed that the better I eat the longer I stay full and those extreme hunger moments are becoming less and less.
You don't have to focus on weight loss while nursing if you don't want to. Nobody should feel obligated to lose weight while continuing to sustain another life. Eating intuitively and for energy is important, which is why I always recommend eating what makes you feel good and energized and not below your maintenance calories. There is a big hormonal shift that happens around the 4 month mark (relaxin is a big one) and your baby is going through a growth spurt as well, which is going to place a bigger demand on you.
That being said, if you do want to lose weight there are ways to do it safely and slowly. As nursing moms, our weight loss is still governed by CICO, we just have some extra considerations while doing it. You can try tracking your calories more closely by using a food scale since measuring cups and portion control containers have a larger margin of error to eat more than you think you are. I'm not good at estimating portion sizes, which is partly why I gained and struggled to lose 50-100 pounds repeatedly for the last 10 years and I'm just now getting all of it off.
It's definitely my choice to try and lose weight. Before getting pregnant I had lost a total of 20 pounds with a goal of 40. Just seemed easier then lol. I will purchase a scale, are there any that you recommend?0 -
I breastfed and didn't intentionally cut calories at all with both my children. But I ate a really healthy diet (for them -- I wanted cheeseburgers and shakes), and I ended up losing weight without even trying. (I was pregnant or breastfeeding or both for four years.) Unfortunately, that's also when my hypothyroidism decided to show up, which, along with my eating all the donuts and all the ice cream after four years without, is why I'm here right now.
Don't be too frustrated by your being 10 lbs. higher than your pre-pregnancy weight. You're breastfeeding! Think about the weight of increased breast tissue, fat stores, milk supply, etc. When you decide to wean, all that will go away, and you'll see that the number on the scale is a poor indicator of whether you're overweight or not. Can you fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes? To me, that's a better indicator.
Moderate exercise might be helpful in losing weight. I know you're exhausted with a new baby, at least I was, but I found that pushing them in their stroller at the park was good exercise and a good way to relax and clear your mind, especially when mine slept all the time. My best friend jogged with her twins in a stroller, but I'm not into jogging, so... I didn't.
I'm sure that nourishing your baby is more important to you than losing weight, so please be careful about jeopardizing your milk supply. Be sure to eat enough and drink plenty of water. If you find that your milk supply is decreasing, please be more focused on nourishing your child properly than dieting. I know it sucks to have to give up your wants to supply someone else's needs (believe me, I know!), but if you can breastfeed for even a year, you'll be giving your little one such a great start.2 -
Puregoldxoxo wrote: »DomesticKat wrote: »Puregoldxoxo wrote: »Right now for measuring intake I use portion control containers and measuring cups. I haven't went out and bought a food scale yet. Although I am counting calories and cutting back I am also listening to my body because I don't want to damage my milk supply. If some days I feel like I am starving then I will consume more food. I have noticed that the better I eat the longer I stay full and those extreme hunger moments are becoming less and less.
You don't have to focus on weight loss while nursing if you don't want to. Nobody should feel obligated to lose weight while continuing to sustain another life. Eating intuitively and for energy is important, which is why I always recommend eating what makes you feel good and energized and not below your maintenance calories. There is a big hormonal shift that happens around the 4 month mark (relaxin is a big one) and your baby is going through a growth spurt as well, which is going to place a bigger demand on you.
That being said, if you do want to lose weight there are ways to do it safely and slowly. As nursing moms, our weight loss is still governed by CICO, we just have some extra considerations while doing it. You can try tracking your calories more closely by using a food scale since measuring cups and portion control containers have a larger margin of error to eat more than you think you are. I'm not good at estimating portion sizes, which is partly why I gained and struggled to lose 50-100 pounds repeatedly for the last 10 years and I'm just now getting all of it off.
It's definitely my choice to try and lose weight. Before getting pregnant I had lost a total of 20 pounds with a goal of 40. Just seemed easier then lol. I will purchase a scale, are there any that you recommend?
I understand. I've never not been overweight since even before having kids, and the scale just kept going up and up until it started to jeopardize my health, so I understand wanting to return to healthy weight. Breastfeeding can help with that and still allow you to eat a large amount of food which is nice. You can find food scales in Target or Walmart, or you can find them on Amazon. I have an etekcity one that comes with a removable bowl from Amazon.0 -
I breastfed my little one for 15 months - we were down to bedtime feedings only and she suddenly seemed disinterested. I was 15 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight, and was so tired from everything and needed a break so I did nothing for another 3 months. Then I started working out, and then finally starting logging again... I'm upset that I wasted all that time because MFP got me in shape before baby, however, she just turned 2 last week and I am 4 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight! So weight loss will happen, I found it better to start when the nursing stopped.0
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