Breastfeeding and Weight Loss

[SoonerTexan]

I don't want to hijack Zoe's thread, but I am curious.

What has your experience been with breastfeeding and weight loss? Did it work?

[scrub-jay]

I've posted here and there about this. For me, no. I lost the 20+ immediately following the baby, then held steady for 1 year or so until she wasn't dependent on me for milk. When I tried, the first thing to drop was my milk supply and since we were exclusively bf-ing, that was way too stressful. If my supply dipped, I ate oatmeal (or other buttery) cookies and my supply went up (but weight stayed the same). I didn't gain or lose, if I increased calories, I produced more milk...if I decreased calories, I produced less milk. It would have been nice to lose it faster, but bf-ing exclusively was important to us, so my weight stayed the same until dd could supplement her diet with soy milk. Now it is falling off pretty easily (with WW and exercise). YMMV

[migirl]

BF accelerated my post-partum weight loss, for sure. I basically eat/ate whatever I wanted and continued to lose weight. Combined with moderate exercise (running 2 miles a day), and I'm smaller now than when I started having kids 6 years ago.

It definitely helped in my case!

[peggyfromwastate]

For me I didn't lose weight (beyond the initial baby weight- maybe 25 lbs tops) until I stopped bf. Also I felt uncomfortable exercising while breastfeeding.

[Bittersweet]

I lost my baby weight (20lbs) by just breastfeeding and walking during my maternity leave. However, I plateaued at my pre-pregnancy weight. Kind of a bummer since I think I’ll need to be 5-10 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight in order to fit into my more tailored clothes. I could probably get there by consistently exercising and watching what I eat … but I’m constantly hungry and just a little lazy.

[ladymoreta]

After DS was born, I was ravenous and could eat whatever I wanted while losing weight quickly. Unfortunately, I got into the habit of eating like that even after the weight loss slowed, so I started gaining weight... I also experienced a decreased supply when I tried to reduce my calories, but I could have made much healthier choices. We were doing solids and breastfeeding when we decided to start trying for #2, and I weaned DS and got pregnant right away, so I fluctuated a lot over that year.

It's been crazy. I gained about 30 lbs. during pregnancy and lost it all within a month. I'm now really struggling to keep weight on. I'm at least 5 lbs below healthy, about 10 lbs below pre-pregnancy weight, and have to eat all the time. I'm always starving. I don't exercise, other than walking to work and carrying around my 22 lb sack of chub baby. The milkshakes I eat go directly to his thighs. It's a win-win. I'm kind of scared that when he weans I'm not going to remember how to eat reasonably.

[TigerLily]

With the first babe, I BF for the first year. I lost about 35 lbs in the first 2 weeks, but I had PreE so I was super swollen. I'm not sure how much I really gained, because I lost so much weight in the first trimester and I was never really sure if I should start from my after vomiting for 3 months weight, or pre vomiting for 3 months weight. Anyway, I think I lost the weight pretty fast, and probably kept it off because of BFing. Actually, instantly after I stopped BFing I gained about 7-10 lbs!
I don't know why I'm in such a hurry this time. Maybe because I want to fit my jeans! A1 was born in May so I just wore dresses all summer and fit my old pants by fall. lol! September babies are difficult clothing wise.

[GrayMatterWife]

Did not help to lose weight at all. In fact, it seemed to impede it because exercising was harder.

[Auspicious]

For me bf did nothing by itself, but when I got around to going to the gym (12 wks after my first) or gym plus calorie counting (16 wks after my second) it definitely gave a turbo boost to my efforts, and weight came off easier and quicker than any time without breastfeeding.

I am not exactly a dedicated athlete, though, so we're talking about a bar that's set pretty low, here.

[Pollyanna]

Did not help to lose weight at all. In fact, it seemed to impede it because exercising was harder.

Yes this.

[Michele]

I gained 50,75,50 pounds during pregnancy. I was able to lose most of it just through normal diet (2000 calories) and breastfeeding. I'm pre-Phe weight, but I didn't lose it all after K...so I'm still up some.

I drop the initial hospital weight (20) fast but then plateau for a few months. Then it comes off faster...this is during my eat what I want phase. Once the kid is starting solids and backing off nursing, then I need to watch my calories. I'm just now feeling comfortable about adding exercise. (P is a year.). My primary goal is milk...so if that suffers I change tactics. Now that she's not so dependent on me, I feel like I can add exercise.

[SuzySunshine]

I dropped my initial weight and then some because I had gained on my fertility meds and during pregnancy. I was still about 5-10lbs more then normal while bf'ing (pumping) but went back to a weight that was actually one I hadn't seen in a LONG time after both of my kids because I was working out more then I was pre-kids.

[Chrisada]

I'm just not one of those women who lost all the baby weight though breastfeeding. I've had to work my ass off through diet and exercise once I'm done breastfeeding, which has been about 15 months with each kid.

[Thirteen]

I've hit a plateau with weight loss. I work out 4 days a week for an hour, and I'm pretty convinced that in order to see more results, I'd have to diet too. I'm not willing to do that since DS is BF exclusively, but I might consider it once we're older.

I have, however, been noticeably building muscle and appear to be losing inches. Come on, scale!