Breastfeeding and dieting?

[userabcname]

Hello all, I currently ebf my 4 month old but sadly, contrary to everything I read during pregnancy, it has not helped me shift my baby weight at all. I have dieted successfully in the past by cutting calories however I have read conflicting advice on whether or not this is a good idea while bfing. I don't want to risk reducing my supply as my DS will not take a bottle so could not top up with formula. Has anyone any experience on dieting while bfing or is it best to wait until he is weaned? TIA

[IheartCaptainHolt]

I’m breastfeeding DS 2 and I’m doing slimming world. He is 5 months, I started when he was 1 month and I’ve lost 2 stone so far. I do eat plenty of snacks but all healthy ones and I can have extra dairy and oats and still be on plan.
DS2 is over 20lb now so definitely no problem with supply!

[OwlinaTree]

I'm the same, started Slimming world when baby was 6 weeks. Never a problem and I've lost over 3 stone and I'm still feeding!

[userabcname]

Fab - thanks ladies! I will look into joining Slimming World.

[WillowySnicket]

I started 5:2 when DD was 9 weeks. Best thing I ever did

[OuchBollocks]

I started 5:2 when DS was 4 months, he's 7 months now, on the 91st centile and I'm a stone and a half down :)

[Orangedaisy]

Be patient with the bf natural weight loss-my baby weight didn't shift til almost 6 months. I am now, at 8 months, suddenly back at pre-pregnancy weight despite scoffing chocolate like it's going out of fashion. I have a personal theory that your body saves fat reserves until baby takes to solids, just in case baby needs it converting to milk. Good luck with whatever you decide to do/not do.

[ShoesHaveSouls]

I did WW while breastfeeding, and lost weight quickly without my supply being affected.

I was allowed something like 5 extra points a day because I was breastfeeding.

[LiDLrichardsPistachioSack]

Following with interest.
Those of you who did 5:2, how the fuck did you manage that?! I tried when bfing my first dc at 4 months and felt really really unwell. (Did do it for 6 months after I stopped feeding her later on and still felt grim even though I looked fantastic)

[FuckShitJackFairy]

There are lots of diets that are healthy when bf.

However you will be thrilled to hear that fkr many nursing mums it's the period between 4 &9 months where we loose most weight the quickest. Once we hit the brain development that hits during these growth spurts milk adapts to be a different consistancy which burns more fat. Problem is this often comes with more frequent/demamding feeding (although they are often more efficiant feeders by this stage so this isn't allways obvious).

This only holds true if you don't wean early and quickly though.

[LiDLrichardsPistachioSack]

Ps. I've got an EBF13 week old atm and I am definitely not one of those who loses weight while bfing. Quite the opposite, I get the appetite of a 6'7 rugby player and nothing touches the bloody sides!

[rubberducker]

I did WW when bf'ing and it worked really well. As pp said, you get extra points to ensure you're eating enough to protect your supply.

[WillowySnicket]

I was just so horrified by how much weight I had just classed "baby" was actually "weight". As in, once the baby came out, I was still hugely bigger than I was.

What helped me stick to 5:2 was

1. combining it with weight and interval training once a week. Doing 20 squats and a minute plank every day. SUCH noticeable results really quickly
   
2. doing it on days I was busy meant I couldn't mooch around nibbling
   
3. only having one meal a day for my 500
   
4. repeating the mantra "you can have it tomorrow". In fact, lurking on the 5:2 threads and BigChocFrenzy's safe advice and encouragement.
   
   And results! They are very motivating. I do agree with PP who said your body holds on to fat...I had that experience too. Lost lots and then couldn't shift last 6kgs until I stopped bf at 20 months.

[WillowySnicket]

(And ps I did full 500 cal fast and my supply didn't change at all. But then, I had well established supply basically straight away. If that changes things?)

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I never bothered trying to lose weight while breastfeeding - the combination of round-the-clock mammoth feeders and non-sleepers meant my willpower when it came to any white carb was zero. As a result, the ‘BF for weight loss’ was a complete myth for me.

Biologically speaking, however, your supply will not be affected in the slightest by reducing your calorie intake for healthy weight loss. You would have to be experiencing extreme famine conditions, and severely undernourished for your supply to take a hit. Your body will always prioritise your supply over anything else, unless, as I say, you go to ridiculous extremes.

[userabcname]

Thanks everyone! I don't think I could hack the 5:2 diet atm as I am ravenous constantly but I am tempted to try SW or WW.

[Bearberry]

I put on 4 stone with DD (now 18 months) and 6 weeks post birth still had just over 3 stone to lose. I managed to lose it in about 3-4 months. I used MFP and kept to around 1400-1600 calories a day, everything I could find online suggested this was a suitable level for ebf and she was (still is) a total boob monster. I must admit for the first few months she would only nap whilst I walked her in a sling, which meant I was hitting around 15000+ steps a day and surely helped with the loss.