Did you lose weight when you stopped breastfeeding?

[Catscrat]

Please give me hope, ladies!

I gained about 2 1/2 stone during pregnancy, 1 1/2 of which I lost pretty much overnight after giving birth (I retained a LOT of water) but the last stone has stubbornly refused to go (albeit with a bit of fluctuation) and I'm wondering if this will shift once I stop breastfeeding?! Feel a bit peeved that the weight didn't melt off as I was promised it would with BFing! I'm fairly active (I walk a lot) and my eating habits haven't changed significantly since pre-pregnancy, apart from eating a bit more than I used to as I'm just generally hungrier!

DD is 14 months old and she has a few feeds overnight and one or two during the day, so not loads. She's not showing any signs of wanting to stop so I'm in no rush, but thinking of starting to wean her around the 18 month mark. AF has still not returned and we're thinking about trying for no.2 next year so want to give my body time to adjust.

Hoping that the extra weight will magically fall off once my hormones go back to normal. Did anyone else have this experience??

[OwlinaTree]

I had to completely stop bf to lose that last half stone. I'm still feeding this time, only two feeds a day to a 13 mo, and although I've lost my baby weight and more, I've still got larger boobs so I'm expecting a similar thing to happens again. Af didn't start again for me till I totally stopped feeding either.

[TheTroutofNoCraic]

I put on weight after birth because breastfeeding made me ravenous. Stopped feeding a year ago when baby was a year old. Have dropped 2stone 10lbs in a year without dieting or exercise as my appetite has return to a more modest level.

[SlugKiller]

Nope. I'm over a stone heavier than I was when I was still breastfeeding. However, I am still a stone lighter than before pregnancy.

[BigBlockofCheese]

Same here. Last half stone didn't go til I stopped bf after both pregnancies. No change in diet or exercise and it wasn't just my boobs, my whole body retained more water/fat/whatever. Whereas my mate gets scarily thin when bfing despite eating loads and only manages to retain calories and look less skeletal when she stops...the human body is a strange thing.

[Strummerville]

For the first 6 months of bf (so whilst it was exclusive) I held on to the last half stone or so, but that was because I massively craved Maltesers. When I stopped eating those, which happened, both times, as soon as I introduced solids into the baby's diet, it dropped right off.

[Sasmac2017]

@catscrat - hi there. I'm currently 4 weeks pp with DC2...although it hasn't been long for me, I totally hear you.
With my first DC I gained 40kg (85lbs). I know...what the actual f**k. BUT....I did lose it all within about 5 months. I gained 20kg this time, I've lost about 12 kg with 8kg to go. One of my theories....I really believe it's not the breastfeeding that is stopping the body from losing weight, more the lack of menstruation. I remember with my first DC I lost about 15kg in the first 3 months, then when my period returned it all fell off.
Have you been to the doctor? I am surely no expert, but one would assume that periods would return by 14 months especially with limited breastfeeding? Hey I could be wrong. Anyway, just a theory! So I am hoping my monthlies return ASAP 😀

[Sasmac2017]

@owlinatree - I just saw your comment about not menstruating while breastfeeding too. It's so amazing how everybody's body reacts so differently to hormones!

[FlappyRose]

Yes, the last 10lbs fell off once I stopped breastfeeding.

[Catscrat]

Ooh, that's encouraging, thanks all! Sasmac2017 that's an interesting theory about the lack of menstruation stopping weight loss...not too worried about mine not having returned as I think it's common especially if you keep feeding at night. But it's nice to have hope that that's the reason and not my eating too much!!

[FannyTheFlamingo]

DD is 10 months. I didn't BF and I'm still have a stone to lose. I eat like a fucking sparrow and the weight will not budge

[Sasmac2017]

@fannytheflamingo - you may not be eating enough. Th body will hold onto fat stores it thinks it is being starved. Try eating a little bit more and see how.you go 👍

[Anatidae]

Nope.