post-baby weight loss and breastfeeding

[spritesoright]

I just had a baby and having avoided the scales all pregnancy I've just stepped on to find I've gained nearly 3 stone.
I can't believe it. This is the heaviest I've ever been by a long shot.
I am keen to lose it but obviously this is complicated by the fact I can't exercise until 6 week check and I am breastfeeding so don't want to compromise that by cutting calories too much.
Any advice on what is safe/effective at this point?

[Sammie101]

People lie when they tell you breastfeeding helps you lose weight. For some people (me included ) it gives you the biggest appetite in the world that causes you to gain a further 1 and a half stone on top of the 2 and a half you gained whilst being pregnant

Do you use my fitness pal? It's quite a handy way to keep track of how many calories you should eat to maintain your weight/loss half a lb/lose 1lb etc. I would set it at a realistic target of losing about 1lb per week but then make sure that you also eat about 500 calories on top of that. If you add breastfeeding as a food it automatically gives you more calories based on how often you breastfeed.

If you're not keen on calorie counting, then maybe weight watchers or slimming world? Their programmes can be adapted for breastfeeding mums and I've heard quite a lot of people on mumsnet who have sensibly lost weight on these plans.

I think the most important thing is to not eat a tub of Ben and jerrys every day eat sensibly and healthily

I've only know just gotten my normal appetite back after slowly cutting back on breastfeeding and have cut out snacks (except fruit, nuts and seeds)

Hope this helps

[georgesdino]

Breastfeeding usually shrinks you right back down very quickly as the baby is taking its entire food intake from you. Usually you dont have to do much, but I was exercising before 6 week check.

[Isabeller]

I need to tackle this too. My baby was premature so I was racing about to the baby unit for weeks initially and did lose some weight but I've been so tired since he's been home I have done no exercise at all. I am also breastfeeding.

[JimbosJetSet]

People don't lie when they tell you they breast feeding helps you loose weight. For some people it does, for some people it doesn't. Hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones

Congrats on your new baby.

[spritesoright]

I was thinking just walking and cutting out extra treats plus maybe replacing wine with G&T (have to admit I am so pleased to be able to drink again).
Even the walking will be challenging now though as I also have a fiercely independent two year old along so I can't just power push like last time.
I had GD with my first and the one plus was that the no sugar, low carbs restrictions kept the weight off but this time I overcompensated and went a bit crazy with the ice cream, second helpings, snacks, etc.

[ReadyForDinner]

Im in the same boat really. was overweight before getting pregnant and though I managed not to gain loads during pregnancy I still have a hell of alot to shift - bigger than I have ever been. I was expecting breastfeeding to help me drop loads but didn't account for the sweet tooth/time spent sat on the sofa with not much else to do but snack whilst feeding beautiful baby.
I went to slimming world at week 6 and to be honest I think it was too soon. I stuck to it for a week but ended up feeling quite dejected so I left it a while and just did as I pleased. I came back to it in the new year with a renewed sense of purpose. Baby about 12/14 weeks, I felt a bit more settled, kind of the new normal if you know what I mean and was able to make much more progress.
I second my fitness pal. Its a good eye opener as to exactly what you are putting in your mouth, I use it as a food diary and a calorie counter. I add breastfeeding as an excercise. Add me! My username is missvic101. I have basically stopped the snacks , kept eating in the day to a minimum and look forward to a healthy but satisfying dinner.
If you haven't had your 6 week check yet honestly its early days. My advice would be try not to go crazy with your eating but dont put to much pressure on yourself to diet as such right now. When you feel ready to get on it use whatever sensible diet you choose, set managable goals, half a stone at a time and give yourself a none food based treat when you get there. Use the breastfeeding calories wisely but don't expect breastfeeding alone to whittle the weight away. it might work for some but it didn't for me. Good luck you can do it! x

[NewChoos]

A lot of women retain weight while BF, it's your body's way of holding on to reserves.
Try weight watchers, fruit and veg are mainly free points and so you won't feel hungry.

[spritesoright]

Hmm, good tips. This is miniscule but I was also reading about how engorged breasts, swollen uterus and 'thick' blood add weight for a while.

I wish I hadn't hopped on the scales in the first place. I think you're right 'readyfordinner' it's early days and I have a lot to worry about without stressing about losing weight just yet. I jumped into exercise too soon last time and ended up injuring myself which took me completely out of commission.

[MetellaEstMater]

I hopped on scales in a friend's bathroom when DD2 was four weeks. Without doing anything other than bfing I dropped almost a stone in two weeks - I'm sure it was due to the things you mention above.

Unfortunately my experience with DD1 is that after the initial weeks breastfeeding did not help me shift the baby weight.

DD2 is seven weeks and I'm back in the gym (supervised HIIT classes) and have just started a modified version of 5:2 which includes additional calories for feeding (have discussed with GP). So far do good. I feel better already and plan to avoid the scales for a while and let the fit of my clothes do the talking!

[spritesoright]

Hi Metella, Yes surprisingly I hopped back on the scales a week later and had lost 10 lbs with minimal effort.
Good to remind myself that this rate won't last. I have done pretty well moderating all the cake and biscuits you get given when people come to visit the new baby.

[Sid77]

I found that weight started to drop off at about 4 months after giving birth. I think that my bf body needed that long to establish supply properly - at 4 months it thought "ok, I don't need to store fat anymore, I know what's happening here and I can deal with it". I didn't change my eating or do exercise or anything and I lost 1/2 a stone all of a sudden. My plan is to gradually eat a bit less and exercise a bit more and just take it slowly. It takes 9 months to grow a baby, and in my case 4 months to establish breastfeeding that's a lot for your body to go through so you should give yourself plenty of time to get back to pre pregnancy.

[ItsBritneyBitch]

Breastfeeding helped me loose weight but I also put the car keys down, walked everywhere & drank a lot of water! I'm smaller now than pre pregnancy and baby was only ebf for about 2 weeks, then I was expressing and breastfeeding, now only breastfeeding at night time.

I put on 2 1/2 stone. It took two weeks to get back into my old clothes! Everyone is different though and I have been told I'm a false advertisement for pregnancy! (I was bike riding through Richmond park at 37 weeks and played football with my little brother the day before I went in for induction )

[ItsBritneyBitch]

That sounded very boasty sorry

[vichill]

I have lost weight bfing but it didn't start to come off until 4 months.

I bf exclusively and found the voracious appetite died down after a few months. I eat approximately 2200 calories and I walk for an hour 2 or 3 times a week.

I had put on 2.5 stone and after 8 months I am half stone under pre preg weight. Once they start crawling and coasting you will be moving all day long and be unable to leave the room to raid the biscuit tin.