If I wean my baby will it be easier to lose weight?

2

Replies

  • JennS19
    JennS19 Posts: 642 Member
    That depends who you ask. For me, extended nursing burned into some deeply-rooted fat that I hadn't been able to get off before then. Others say the last ten pounds hangs on til you stop. Either way, it would be worth it to continue as long as you can, for the health benefits to your baby. :smile:

    The WHO recommends nursing til two years if at all possible.

    I also say, nurse as long as you want, I really helped me shed some weight with my son.....of couse I put it all back on but that's another story. LOL
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    My body held onto 10 pounds while nursing, then dropped off as soon as I stopped.

    THIS

    I bf both until 9 months (I was lucky they both self weaned), and I felt like as soon as they stopped the weight starting falling off.

    It makes sense that you are holding on to fat when you nurse, i.e. nutrients for the baby produced from your milk.

    IMO of course.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    You're nursing a baby that has teeth? You're brave.

    Lots of mamas do it, it's really not bad usually. Both of my babies got their first teeth at 6 months, I nursed baby #1 until 18 months and baby #2 until 21 months. Lots of mamas go even longer than that. And some babies start getting teeth before 6 months too. The breast is sheilded from the bottom teeth by baby's tongue during nursing and you just get used to the top ones, as long as baby doesn't have any bad habits and doesn't try to get rough, it's not a problem. :-)

    OP, my experiences while breastfeeding were before I found MFP and calorie counting - with both of my babies I lost all of my pregnancy weight by the time the hit 6 months, but once they started nursing less I started putting weight back on again. With baby #1 I kept gaining after I weaned him. Basically I got used to eating more food and didn't really know how to effectively cut back when the nursing tapered off. With baby #2, I lost all the weight by 6 months (just nursing and eating what I wanted, this was before I discovered MFP), then gained back 8 lbs by the time he was 15 months - that's when I found MFP and started calorie-counting. He was still nursing for 6 months after I found MFP and during that time I lost about 30 lbs. I think if you have all your settings done correctly and stick with the program, most people will see success. But you have to be careful about setting your activity and if you eat back your exercise calories as recommended, you need the estimation to be as accurate as possible so that you don't end up over-eating b/c of an over-estimated burn. And if you stall, try switching up your diet or your exercise routine and see if that helps.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    nursing takes up time and you're sitting not burning any calories :) So I think you'd burn faster after weaning.

    Not necessarily! I used to take pride in being able to football-hold my daughter, nurse, talk on the phone and dust - all at the same time. I had a fellow-nursing friend and we would have multitasking competitions while nursing :tongue:
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    nursing takes up time and you're sitting not burning any calories :) So I think you'd burn faster after weaning.

    The body uses calories to provide milk for baby. A mom that nurses exclusively (only breastmilk, no formula or solids) uses around 500 calories per day keeping baby nourished. A mom that nurses part-time might burn less than that but it still takes energy to keep up that milk supply.
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 483 Member
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    My body held onto 10 pounds while nursing, then dropped off as soon as I stopped.

    It will come off, don't worry!

    this is true for me! i stopped at 12 months! i wanted my body back and id surpassed my 6 months goal to continue! helped greatly as she started sleeping through which meant i slept better and the weight came off!
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!

    I don't think she was trying to make anyone feel bad about not nursing (for whatever reason), if you look at the statement she quoted, I think she was just trying to debate the notion that nursing after 12 months is pointless. She wasn't making a judgement, she was just stating the benefits. Please don't ever feel bad for whatever you've done as a mom as long as it was what you felt was best or had to do for your kid. Rule #1 of parenting is 'feed the baby' no matter how it gets done. ;-) All of us are just trying to do whatever is best and works in our personal situations.
  • 0AmyMarie0
    0AmyMarie0 Posts: 315
    nursing takes up time and you're sitting not burning any calories :) So I think you'd burn faster after weaning.

    Not necessarily! I used to take pride in being able to football-hold my daughter, nurse, talk on the phone and dust - all at the same time. I had a fellow-nursing friend and we would have multitasking competitions while nursing :tongue:

    Hahaha I used to be able to change laundry, do dishes, vacuum! I couldn't stand taking the 10 minutes to sit down and do nothing! Of course, once she got older, that wasnt really possible anymore!
  • 0AmyMarie0
    0AmyMarie0 Posts: 315
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!

    You totally took her post out of context, she was trying to say that there is no reason to say that breastfeeding is "useless" after a year of age like so many people think.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    bump to respond to later...........
  • bebreli
    bebreli Posts: 227 Member
    Bump
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 483 Member
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!


    You totally took her post out of context, she was trying to say that there is no reason to say that breastfeeding is "useless" after a year of age like so many people think.

    Okay, maybe you're right, but I hope I live long enough to raise my sickly, maladjusted children to adulthood.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    My daughter is 13 months, I was planning on weaning her at 12 months but I really enjoy the extra calories I get for nursing:) I've been having a harder time losing weight lately, and was wondering if I weaned her if my body would let go of the weight easier. I'm 5'8, weigh 165, and I eat 1590 calories a day to lose a pound per week, and I add 300 calories for nursing each day for a total of 1890 calories per day. I also eat back my exercise calories.

    Hi
    In general, the closer you are to your goal, the harder it is to lose weight. You may be experiencing that right now, at 165 lbs at 5'8". In general, breastfeeding helps the majority of mothers lose weight, especially in the harder to lose weight areas of the waist and hips. Breastfeeding moms tend to lose more weight faster than do bottle feeding moms (it' ssomewhere on the LLL website). If you are considering weaning to lose weight, you might be stabbing yourself in the foot.
    That said, if you are comfortable cutting your calories by a little bit to see what happends, you might want to try that. Maybe drop 100-200 calories from your day and see what happens regarding weight loss and milk supply. Make sure you stay hydrated.
  • kardowling
    kardowling Posts: 221 Member
    Most people I know lost weight while nursing. NOT ME! My body held on to fat and once I stopped, I began to drop pounds. Just be healthy about it. Your body has been through a lot. :flowerforyou:
  • meltygarden
    meltygarden Posts: 111 Member
    I found that nursing made it WAY easier to lose weight. Both times.
  • jpmill79
    jpmill79 Posts: 74 Member
    right after deliver i lost 20 pounds instantly! I didn't loose a single pound until i STOPPED nursing. i know everyones body is different and i can't help but be jealous of those, "i lost all my weight while nursing" people, but i've had 3 children and i found it sooooooooo much easier to lose weight after weaning! i nursed until december 31st, 2011! i didn't lose a single pound from 2 weeks post partum until i stopped nursing. Since January 1st, 2012 i am down 8 pounds and have 25 more to go!
  • melrose09
    melrose09 Posts: 271
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!


    You totally took her post out of context, she was trying to say that there is no reason to say that breastfeeding is "useless" after a year of age like so many people think.

    Okay, maybe you're right, but I hope I live long enough to raise my sickly, maladjusted children to adulthood.

    I think we're getting off topic.
  • jpmill79
    jpmill79 Posts: 74 Member
    Most people I know lost weight while nursing. NOT ME! My body held on to fat and once I stopped, I began to drop pounds. Just be healthy about it. Your body has been through a lot. :flowerforyou:

    me too!
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    I think it could go either way. If you wean, but continue to eat the same amount you may gain weight. Yet if you wean you may not be as hungry so you can eat less and workout more.
    I weaned during my weight loss journey and I kept losing at the same pace and when I was BFing
  • Amanda421
    Amanda421 Posts: 261 Member
    I have lost almost 60 pounds over the last year and a half through healthy eating and exercise and continued to breastfed my little boy until he was 22 months. (I just weaned him about 3 weeks ago bc it was just time.) The weight will come off with dedicated healthy eating and consistent exercise. Just give it time. Please don't wean your baby unless you WANT to. Don't wean just bc you want to loose the extra pounds if you really dont want to wean yet. You can and will loose weight you just have to be patient and stick with it. Best of luck to you. Friend me if you want to- I am also 5' 8'', 157lbs. :)
  • DesireeLovesOrganic
    DesireeLovesOrganic Posts: 456 Member
    I nursed my kids until they were 2 years old. With the first one I didn't lose weight but I didn't really try at all and just used nursing as an excuse. With the second one I lost a ton of weight but i didn't eat my extra nursing calories. I gained some back when she weaned (but drinking alcohol again was probably the main reason! LOL)

    I don't think it has to be all our nothing. You can continue and nurse and just cut back on some calories. I never eat back my exercise calories either......
  • lvng_lf
    lvng_lf Posts: 41 Member
    the nutritional needs and composition change as the baby grows. you're body probably doesn't need as much calories to produce the milk an older baby requires. At first you need an extra 500 cals. try cutting that in half. monitor your production to make sure you're continuing to produce enough milk (reducing cals is one reason women can't BF and therefore give up not understanding that) and see if that might help. hold on to nursing as long as you can:)

    We gain/loose for all different reasons. I would adjust cals first before I'd consider weaning if that's what you want to continue doing. Kudos to you for BFing!!!
  • lorierin22
    lorierin22 Posts: 432 Member
    I found it very difficult to lose the last 10 pounds while I was still nursing my son and lost it almost immediately once I stopped, but with my daughter, i've had the opposite effect. I started cutting back nursing and stopped pumping at work (due to necessity) around 12 months. Now I nurse her 2x at night and once in the morning. Until I started on here a few weeks ago I had gained 5 pounds already. Guess it works different for every baby, not just every women. I will say I do have some free time to work out during lunch now that I am not pumping and I'm not too worried about eating too few calories anymore (since if my supply dropped--I am still proud of how far we've made it--she is 13 months).

    It's a hard decision to make, when to wean, and everyone has different factors that go into that. If losing weight is one of yours, I think that is fine and whatever decision you make will be the right one!
  • lvng_lf
    lvng_lf Posts: 41 Member
    the nutritional needs and composition change as the baby grows.


    the nutritional needs - of baby - and [therefore] the compostion of - Breast milk - change as they grow.

    -just wanted to claify that:)
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!

    I was talking about whether to continue nursing a 13 month old child... and the reasons behind it. Obviously, you came into a breastfeeding thread (as a non-breastfeeding mother) simply looking for a fight?

    Just because there are statistics and facts discussed doesn't mean you have to let that make you feel like $h*t. Only you are the boss of your emotions. I'm stating simple facts about the reasons to continue instead of weaning at that magic 12 month number, and you're using it as some kind of "poor me; I couldn't BF and she's being mean to me!" drama grabbing fight.

    Get over it.

    I only nursed my oldest for six months because I didn't have a clue about continued benefits, and at that time, 6 months was the "magic number." Education on BF is at a low... offering information to people who don't have a clue is the only way to change that. If you find BF facts upsetting, then perhaps you should not enter a thread with breastfeeding or weaning in the title?

    :)
  • luvmybaby333
    luvmybaby333 Posts: 241
    That depends who you ask. For me, extended nursing burned into some deeply-rooted fat that I hadn't been able to get off before then. Others say the last ten pounds hangs on til you stop. Either way, it would be worth it to continue as long as you can, for the health benefits to your baby. :smile:

    The WHO recommends nursing til two years if at all possible.

    This!

    Regardless of its relationship to your weightloss, I would suggest nursing for at least another 11 months. The 33 months I nursed my youngest were invaluable for both of us. I nursed my eldest daughter for only 13 months (As a teenage mom about 5 years before my youngest was born. LOL), and I *still* regret weaning her so early. Even if it is harder for you to lose the weight, the benefits will far outweigh the delay in your weightloss. Reduced breast cancer risks? Yes please. :-)

    Of course, you have to do what you feel is best for you. I don't mean to spam your thread with my personal feelings on the subject. The problem with your question, though, is that the answer will be very different for everyone. I think that since you are on MFP and paying such close attention to your diet and exercise, then you have a better chance of losing weight regardless of factors, compared to other breastfeeding moms who are just winging it and hoping the extra pounds will come off. KWIM?
  • BeccaB1981
    BeccaB1981 Posts: 456 Member
    There is research to show that breastfed children are better psychologically adjusted and healthier. Mom's benefits continue on as well-the longer a woman breastfeeds, the lower her chances of all female cancers--cervical, uterine, and breast.


    People like you make those of us who were unable to breastfeed feel like s**t! Thanks!

    I was talking about whether to continue nursing a 13 month old child... and the reasons behind it. Obviously, you came into a breastfeeding thread (as a non-breastfeeding mother) simply looking for a fight?

    Just because there are statistics and facts discussed doesn't mean you have to let that make you feel like $h*t. Only you are the boss of your emotions. I'm stating simple facts about the reasons to continue instead of weaning at that magic 12 month number, and you're using it as some kind of "poor me; I couldn't BF and she's being mean to me!" drama grabbing fight.

    Get over it.

    I only nursed my oldest for six months because I didn't have a clue about continued benefits, and at that time, 6 months was the "magic number." Education on BF is at a low... offering information to people who don't have a clue is the only way to change that. If you find BF facts upsetting, then perhaps you should not enter a thread with breastfeeding or weaning in the title?

    :)

    Wonderfully stated :flowerforyou:
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    I nursed my eldest daughter for only 13 months (As a teenage mom about 5 years before my youngest was born. LOL),


    A teen mom who breastfed longer than 13 MINUTES is commendable! Sadly, many stop after trying just one or two times at the hospital.
  • Mama_CAEI
    Mama_CAEI Posts: 235
    I nursed my eldest daughter for only 13 months (As a teenage mom about 5 years before my youngest was born. LOL),


    A teen mom who breastfed longer than 13 MINUTES is commendable! Sadly, many stop after trying just one or two times at the hospital.

    I was going to say the same thing! Congrats to you! Too many adult moms don't nurse beyond the hospital, so you have nothing to feel guilty about!!
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