Those of you who lost weight during BF, did you put it back on when you stopped?

[dairymoo]

As an unexpected (but very welcome) side affect of BF, I am now a stone under my pre-preg weight. My DTs are now 9mo and although I do plan to continue for a while longer, I don't think I'll probably be feeding more than once a day once they are 1. At the moment none of my summer clothes fit and before I go summer wardrobe shopping and spend too much money (!), I wondered whether it was actually worth it as I may just put it all back on when they start feeding less and less, and eventually wean.

What happened with you when your LOs weaned? Did you return to your pre-preg weight? Am kind of hoping that I don't but you never know...I don't know whether I can kick my whole-milk latte habit!

[VirginiaWoolf]

Yes!

I BF DS until he was 18 months, lost loads of weight and weighed less than I had done for years, it was great! Problem was, I got so used to being able to eat whatever I liked that I struggled to kick the habit, and now (15 months after stopping) I find myself horrifed at my weight/size.
But that's just me and my lack of will power, bet you'll have loeads of people on here now telling you how much weight they lost when they stopped BF!!!

[FrannyandZooey]

yes i did
but tbh I had got a little bony

[stitch]

no. but then i got pregnant again four months later.
its really all to do with eating habits. if you dont stuff your face with cream cakes etc, then youshould be ok

[beautifuldays]

i lost loads of weight breastfeeding ds, went from a size 14 to a size 8

but i hate to tell you that within about 6 weeks of stopping i put it all back on again

i'm now feeding dd but only morning and night, and i'm back down to a size 10, and am loathe to ever stop

[Notquitegrownup]

Yes, I did. I lost a lot of weight when breast feeding as my two boys dysoned me of every spare calory I had. I fed myself regular Mars Bars, biscuits and Terry's chocolate oranges, and didn't put an ounce on - until I stopped feeding.

I then had a serious chocolate problem and the weight reappeared. I guess if I hadn't indulged my sweet tooth so much when feeding, but had eaten tons of nuts or something, I might have not put the weight on afterwards.

[dairymoo]

See - that's kind of how I am beautifuldays, was a 12, now down to a small 8. Do you agree about the eating thing (like VirginaWoolf said), that you continued to eat as if you were still BF and that maybe resulted in weight gain?

Have to say that I used to be pretty healthy - excercised loads and ate a very sensible diet - but I feel my standards have slipped on both accounts in the last 9 months! Might just need to be a bit careful....or else continue until the (theoretical) next one arrives!!

[beautifuldays]

yes when feeding i can eat and eat and eat and eat. cake, chips, chocolate, cream buns, whatever and i don't put on an ounce of weight. will have to eat better when i finally stop feeding dd so i don't put it all back on agaian.

i guess it breastfeeding must up my metabolism or something

[blueshoes]

I don't think my weight loss (or gain) was due to bf-ing. It was more to do with my level of activity

With dd, I took more than a year to regain pre-pregnancy weight. With ds, it was 3-6 months because I had a pre-schooler to look after as well. Neither were good sleepers nor entertained themselves. So maternity leave was very strenuous physically for me. I never stopped moving with ds, and the pounds just melted off. By the time I went back to work at 11 months, I was really thin and a few kg lighter than pre-pregnancy. But the pounds came back after I went back to work because my job is office based. The luxury of sitting in front of a computer screen uninterrupted.

In the case of both dd and ds, they were still being bf-ed when I went back to work. As I did not express, the level of bf-ing dropped off significantly during the day but they made up for it at night. When I finally stopped with dd at 17 months, no effect on weight (dd hardly took much by then anyway).

[Anna8888]

Yes, in a very gradual way. I got extremely thin from breastfeeding.

[muppetgirl]

No
I was 12 1/2 stone before ds was born and 9 1/2 stone 6 weeks after.
No special diet, ate what I wanted to and still do.
Not put it back on and stopped b/f at 14 weeks. He's now 27 weeks and I'm 9 stone 7.

[fondant4000]

Yes - started gaining after about a year. You just have to realise that the calories aren't getting sucked out at the rate they were, and cut down your food intake accordingly.

Shame, i could eat 2 (healthy) breakfasts when I was first bfing.

[fondant4000]

For that reason I only bought 2 pairs of jeans for a fiver each when bfing

[DiscoDizzy]

yes, it was a gradual thing but i'm losing it again now.

[dairymoo]

Thanks for all your replies....might need to start cutting down on the cakes then!

[onepieceoflollipop]

I have been lucky - I think my metabolism changed permanently when I was pg with dd1 due to my hyperemesis.

Pre-pregnancy (5 years ago) I was just over 9 stone and size 12 ish (am only 5'2"). I ate mainly what I wanted but had to be careful not to go mad at Christmas etc

After dd1 was born within weeks I was back to normal, then the weight fell off (b/fed for a year, exclusive bf for first 5 months). Ended up a size 10, just over 8 1/2 stone.

dd2 is now 9 months. b/f exc for 25 weeks. Still b/f 2-3 times in 24 hours. Now just over 8st and size 8-10. Eat and drink what I like, although I eat less than the early days of b/feeding when I was constantly ravenous.

[MinkyBorage]

no, didn't notice the difference tbh, but needed to eat less once had finished bf

[frumpygrumpy]

Yeah. I lost heaps after each pregnancy and b/f and turned into a skinny rat. Didn't like having saggy passion fruits for breasts but loved having thinner thighs and having hip bones It all came back.......

[PigeonPie]

Yes, but only because I was three months pg with DS2! Will wait to see if I keep it off this time.

[Rosylily]

I've lost half a stone three times once I stopped breastfeeding. I'm feeding dc4 now and hoping the same thing will happen. My appetite does decrease.

[sweetkitty]

No stayed off, was 1 stone plus lighter pre DC (am pregnant just now).

Think it was more to do with lifestyle changes than BFing. Stopped working so no more sitting at desk grazing free food all day.