Does breastfeeding honestly help with weight loss?

[whatdoyouthank]

Am I going to turn into a slim goddess over night or is it a myth?

Nope! I've been BF for 22 months now and have put on 2 stone (I do eat a lot though though)

I don't think it hurts the weight loss.

Yep it worked for me

No i just ate more/more high cal foods to compensate for the extra hunger. Stress makes me lose weight

No. It's a myth and also depends on genetics. It did not work for me, if anything when i stopped with DC at 3 months, I lost some weight.

Nope weight plateaued once I lost my initial water weight. I was constantly pinned to a couch feeding and so tired I was using sugar as a crutch. FF now and finding I'm way more active, diet is better and weight slowly shifting again for me. Everyone is different

Agree it definitely helps weight loss but only after 5-6 months ish. And constant night feeding..... But the calories burned walking across the landing and back all night every night for a year must help.

Yes, if you are feeding on demand, and for long enough (I lost weight from 5 months on). Though it makes you hungry too.

Worked for me. In 3 Months i lost all pregnancy weight plus another half a stone and I ate like a pig the whole time. But then I stopped BFing and put on a stone as I still ate like a pig! I'd say it's different for everyone though.

Yep yep yep. It's dropping off and I eat all the cake!

No, I was obese to begin with though. I did lose some straight away but I was starving all the time (I’d eat like two packets of party rings, the big packs!). My appetite was insane.
Now my LO is 13 months I’ve lost 2.5 stone but with SW & exercise. He still feeds LOTS!
I have just under 2 stone to go to target

I put on three stone when I was pregnant and I've lost four while breastfeeding so it worked for me (and I was eating lots of cake on maternity leave). Currently trying to get into some better habits as I'm feeding less and I guess I'll stop at some point soon, and I'd like to stay at my current weight.

I think it did for me preDD1 I was a big size 12, 10st 2lbs. Gained 2 stone when pregnant, 6 weeks after she was born I was 9stone and a size 10. 3 weeks after DD2 was born I was 8 1/2 stone and a size 8.

After 4 DC I’ve kind of stabilised at 9 stone

I couldn’t shift a lb whereas my sister lost shitloads [unfair]

It totally is for me! I weigh less now then before I was pregnant. It's amazing but I know it's short lived so I'm enjoying the freedom whilst I can!
DS 11mo is a ravenous reeder thiugh and is still fed on demand and a lot during the night (lucky me)---- so probably when he feeds less I'll start to loose less.

I've plateaued with my weight thought but I'm the healthiest weight I've been in years. Will be working hard to keep it that way!

From the comments it seems like it's just dependent on the person whether it happens or not though.

Yes. It did for me. I was back in my size 12 jeans when DD was 3 weeks old. The sucking also helps the uterus shrink. My uterus was back to its normal size after 10 days.

Not for me! I had a stone I couldn’t shift and was walking everywhere and eating healthily. When I stopped breastfeeding it just came off naturally almost straight away! The same with all 3, so by number 3 I didn’t care- I stopped when he was 1 in November and knew I’d fit it to my nice clothes by Christmas! 😂

Yep, especially when combined with babywearing. Just make sensible food choices (if your appetite increases and you want to eat loads, make it loads of veg rather than loads of cake).

Not for me. Mine cling to me until I stopped, then it shifted gradually.

I found it easier to lose weight while breastfeeding but I still had to work at it. I didn't really realise how much easier it was until I stopped. Wish I'd retired a bit harder while I was feeding!

I lost too much and struggled to put it back on. With my first! No such trouble with my third, but I am eating like a pig.

Not for me at all. Only after I stopped.

Not for me.

EBF to 6 months, and my DD is now 7 1/2 months and has taken to solids like a little star, and I have already started to feel less hungry...

Until today, DD has been crazy hungry today (milk and solids), guessing it's a growth spurt, and after feeding her to sleep (I'm amazed there was any milk left for her!!) I have come out and eaten a bowl of 3 Weetabix, and 2 slices of fresh bread with Jam, and I'm still hungry (but resisting).

Worked for me with my first. Just didn't think about food or dieting. Was slimmer when my Dad was 6 months old than when I conceived.
Didn't work for my second I really struggled loosing that weight

Worked for me. I piled on 4 stones & 3 stones in pregnancy because I couldn't move much with SPD, plus it woke me frequently to lug my body over in the night.

I had 1.5-2 stones to lose after the easy birth weight had gone and it was gone by 9-10 months.

Ravenous EBF babies, getting moving and lots of baby wearing helped. I tried to revert back to my normal diet which was a sensible amount of deficit. It was fabulous to indulge in blocks of 2-3 hours sleep between feeds too, so much better than pregnancy!