Losing weight & breastfeeding - my experience

lulubenmom
lulubenmom Posts: 45
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi I couldn't find any info on this before but thought I'd share my experience. After the birth of my first baby I nursed for 15 months. During that period I went from eating whatever I wanted (a lot - but healthy) to watching carefully and walking lot's every day. No matter what I did I stayed exactly the same weight of 135 lb from the day I gave birth until I stopped nursing. Once I stopped nursing the weight fell off without any effort back to 125 lb.

I had my 2nd baby last year and same thing - was stuck at 140lb irrespective of what I ate or did. I even hired a personal trainer and have been going crazy at the gym for the last 6 months determined to fight the situation. I didn't restrict calories too much as I was breastfeeding. I stopped breastfeeding 3 weeks ago and FINALLY I've lost 2 pounds! And I'm now able to restrict calories which I do to 1,200 + exercise calories. I'm 5ft3" & age 38.

I've also been using an arm gadget called an epulse that tracks your calories and heart rate - I love it! You don't need to wear a chest band. At my last personal training session I burned 600 cal in the hour.

Anyway I wanted to share this so if there's some other mom's that have had the same issue you might find you won't have much success until the nursing stops like I did.

Replies

  • lulubenmom
    lulubenmom Posts: 45
    Hi I couldn't find any info on this before but thought I'd share my experience. After the birth of my first baby I nursed for 15 months. During that period I went from eating whatever I wanted (a lot - but healthy) to watching carefully and walking lot's every day. No matter what I did I stayed exactly the same weight of 135 lb from the day I gave birth until I stopped nursing. Once I stopped nursing the weight fell off without any effort back to 125 lb.

    I had my 2nd baby last year and same thing - was stuck at 140lb irrespective of what I ate or did. I even hired a personal trainer and have been going crazy at the gym for the last 6 months determined to fight the situation. I didn't restrict calories too much as I was breastfeeding. I stopped breastfeeding 3 weeks ago and FINALLY I've lost 2 pounds! And I'm now able to restrict calories which I do to 1,200 + exercise calories. I'm 5ft3" & age 38.

    I've also been using an arm gadget called an epulse that tracks your calories and heart rate - I love it! You don't need to wear a chest band. At my last personal training session I burned 600 cal in the hour.

    Anyway I wanted to share this so if there's some other mom's that have had the same issue you might find you won't have much success until the nursing stops like I did.
  • Lillybelle1889
    Lillybelle1889 Posts: 19 Member
    Breastfeeding is usually a great way to lose weight (as long as you watch you caloric intake). Before i didn't lose anything because I ate way too much. I am currently breastfeeding and now that i am watching what i eat I have had no problems losing weight. It is going as quickly as it has when it did when i wasn't bf but i'm still losing it. Hopefully no one reads this and thinks giving up breastfeeding is a good idea just so they can lose weight. It is better for you and your child to continue to breasfeed even if the weight doesn't come off so easily.
  • blindrn
    blindrn Posts: 12
    My experience was the opposite. I dropped down to the lowest weight that I have been since before high school while I was breastfeeding. My body produces a LOT of milk and I physically couldn't eat enough calories to make up for what I was losing in milk. I didn't restrict myself at all with my diet, but I generally eat with moderation anyway. As soon as I stopped breastfeeding, my body quickly returned to my pre-pregnancy weight.
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
    I seem to lose the same monthly average (5-6 lbs) no matter if I'm breastfeeding or not. I think I have to work a bit harder while doing it though. However, I know that I should BF while I can since I can lose weight later if need be.
  • lulubenmom
    lulubenmom Posts: 45
    Note - I could find tonnes of information about how Breastfeeding was SUPPOSED to cause me to lose weight & plenty of woman saying, "Oh I lost weight easily B-feeding", not really helpful when it so wasn't my case x 2. I just wanted to let some moms know who've had the same experience as me that it's sometimes the case you can't until you stop. Not that I'm suggesting anyone stop either, I bf for 15months & 10 months & loved the experience. But it's nice to know there's light at the end of the tunnel.
  • robsgal
    robsgal Posts: 50 Member
    Don't tell me this! I'm pregnant and really don't want to breastfeed but the weight loss is helping motivate me, or course the babies health is the primary reason I'm going to try bfing but I can't say the thought of loosing weight a bit easier isn't encouraging me. I didn't have the option with my first daughter since she is adopted but this time I figure I should give it a try. Hopefully the weight will fall off if I eat a healthy diet once that baby arrives and exercise as soon as the doctor allows. I'm 37 so I doubt the weight will fall off as easily as if I was 27 but hopefully it will.
  • acjmomma
    acjmomma Posts: 16 Member
    I had the same experience so I am totally getting what you are saying. I do not think you are trying to say anyone should stop breastfeeding for any reason, but I know I was very frustrated when I could not lose weight while breastfeeding more frequently, especially because everyone I knew told me that the weight just magically flew right off for them :grumble: I am still nursing my 14 month old daughter and I have only been able to start losing since she has reduced to only nursing twice a day. I am doing the same routine as I was months ago and wasn't losing and I was actually slowly gaining!!! the same week she started nursing only twice a day I lost 6 lbs!!! and have steadily been losing 2 lbs per week since then.

    I think you are just trying to let someone know who might be having the same experience that they are not the only one not "dropping" weight like no tomorrow while breastfeeding, it helps to know you are not the only one. so thank you for this post, I think it might help more people than you think :flowerforyou:
    I breastfeed because it is what is best for my baby and it is free, losing weight was not my motivating factor, I will have the rest of my life to lose weight and only a short time to nurse my babies, the trade off was more than worth it for me :blushing:
  • lulubenmom
    lulubenmom Posts: 45
    wow got on the scales today and lost 4 lb's in 4 days!! And I've been making sure to eat my calories even though I'm not hungry. I think the milk making hormones have gone :)
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