to be afraid that I am really ill and don't know it?

[suddenlyskinnygirl]

I have a 10 mth old DS who is a bit of a boob monster and feeds constantly.

I gained quite a lot of weight in pregnancy and decided about 3 months ago to try to lose it. It was slow at first but in the last 8 weeks has literally been dropping off with me eating about 1700 cals a day. I mean, losing 3lbs a week. I found this a bit worrying, obviously I was pleased at first but it does seem a lot and I haven't found it this easy to lose weight in the past.

Anyway I got down to 9 stone 7. I have just been on holiday for a week and literally done nothing but stuff my face, quite disgustingly, with packets of biscuits, bowls of chips, crisps, just total crap. I have got back and am actually a pound lighter than i was! Maybe it was watching Stand up to Cancer last night, and I know I have to see my GP if I am really worried, but I am genuinely scared I have cancer or something else serious as I am losing weight even when I am stuffing my face.

[notsofrownieface]

Well it depends on how many calories you were using on your holiday. If you use more than you eat you will use weight. If not then yes go to your doctors they will investigate, and find the cause. HTH!

[pointyfangs]

But how is your weight for your height and build? Are you actually underweight at the moment?

I recognise where you are coming from, only when I had DD1 I started shifting the weight from day 1 after she was born - was back in pre-preg jeans 7 days after the birth and could take them off without undoing them 3 months after. I ended up weight 2 stone less than I had done pre-pregnancy. And yes, DD was a boobaholic, I was stuffing my face, I was also working full time and fencing competitively.

If you drop below healthy weight and have other symptoms I'd get checked out, if you're feeling well and are a healthy weight I would let it go.

(Unfortunately I did not have this same weight loss experience after having DD2 even though she fed in exactly the same way )

[ToothbrushThief]

Go and get your thyroid checked :)

[suddenlyskinnygirl]

Hi, my weight is fine for my height, I am 5'4 so it's not super skinny, just quite slim.

[Nuttyprofessor]

1700 calories is not a lot for two.

[JeezyOrangePips]

I found that sometimes when I stuffed my face on holiday, the weight gain only manifested a week later. Which sounds bizarre, but it did happen.

It might be worth going to the doc though, just for your own peace of mind.

[PartyFops]

Surely its because you are bf, that uses lots and lots of calories. Sorry, I don't know the figures. But thats the first thing I thought when I read your thread.

But yes discuss with your GP if you are concerned about anything, better to safe than sorry.

[squeakytoy]

you could weigh yourself tomorrow and be 2lbs heavier, as that amount easily fluctuates.. also, you would be unlikely to see the weight gain from eating loads in a week so quickly too.. (you probably havent really eaten as much as you think, but just feel that way because it has been a week of relaxing rather than counting the calories)

3lb a week weight loss is fairly average if you are sticking to a diet and I would have thought that with breastfeeding too that will help you lose the weight as well.

by all means get yourself checked out, but I wouldnt think it is anything to worry about...

[CaptainVonTrapp]

I always have what Jeezy has. You'll probably put on 5lbs next week.

Bf does burn a lot though. And I think you use more energy if you're up in the night as well.

[pointyfangs]

When I was feeding DD1 I was eating 2000 calories and still dropping weight. She took loads of milk.

I found out when expressing at work that I was producing 24 oz of milk over two pumping sessions - this in addition to what DD was having at her morning, teatime and bedtime feeds. Boobmonsters really know how to get what they need.

[emsyj]

I'm with Jeezy, weight takes an extra week to 'settle' or disappear on me - so when we went away to a wedding and stayed at a B&B with the most amazing food I've ever eaten in my whole life (Bears & Boxes in Cornwall, near Bude if anyone wants to know - seriously that woman can cook) I stuffed myself ridiculously the whole time and lost half a pound, but the weight came to get me the week after!

If you're worried, go and see someone - there is no point panicing, just get checked out. No harm seeing the doctor, at best it will put your mind at rest, at worst you've got something wrong but then at least you're on the right track towards treatment.

[Snazzyspookyandscary]

I dropped absolutely tons of weight when I was bfing and could eat anything I wanted. So get yourself checked over for peace of mind but I wouldn't panic.

[youarewinning]

I'm sure I heard you use 2000 cals a day when BF? If I'm right then your eating 300 cals a day less than your buring off before even adding in moving around etc.

I agree to see GP if your worried. Better to be told your fine than not treat something.

[purplepansy]

1700 calories is a diet. Take away from that the couple of hundred calories a day that your boob monster is sucking out of you (based on breastmilk being about 65 calories per 100mls) then knock off a few more calories for your body to make the milk, and you're basically on a really low calorie diet. Same happened to me after extended BF - it does seem to take over 6 months to start to really shift. Just eat some more if you're really worried and it will go back on.

[Badvoc]

I think you need to be having at least 2500 cals per day tbh.
I know lost of people who lost loads of weight bf ing.

[sweetkitty]

Sounds like BFing to me, if your 5ft 4ibs like me you'll need about 1500 cals just to do nothing so to speak stuck on another 500 cals at least.

With DD2 I was in my pre preg jeans 2 days after she was born and lost a stove and a half on pre preg weight.

[youarewinning]

not use 2000 cals - need 2000 cals!!! They recommend an extra 500 cals/day when BF!!! Whoops!!

[Sleepwhenidie]

Assuming what they say about bf using 500cals a day and you are doing a reasonable amount of running round, carrying ds etc, you are probably easily consuming less than 1000 calories net. That is a very low calorie diet and will make you lose lots of weight - not really the best way though.

Your week away also probably seemed much more excessive than it actually was because of your restricted diet prior to that . 1lb is not much of a change and I am sure if you kept it up you would start putting weight back on.

By all means see GP if you are worrying but I think you easily need more than 2000 cals per day while you are bf to maintain your weight.

[Yama]

I got really skinny breastfeeding.

I think perhaps the magnitude of having a child, the cancer programmes and your weight loss is having a cumulative effect.

Sweetie - you are fine.

[purplepansy]

By eat some more, I mean regularly - like stop dieting! If you were losing 3lbs a week, then only lost 1lb on your holiday where you were eating more I'd say you've demonstrated that you weren't eating enough before.

[Sleepwhenidie]

Wow, x post with last 10 ...popular thread!

[ChippingInLovesAutumn]

Anyone want to lend me a baby?? It's a far nicer way to lose weight!