Do you actually lose weight if you breast feed, or is it a myth?

[fussytodd]

I would love to hear some experiences as I've heard mixed things.

Lots of people say you lose weight.

Others say that you actually need to eat a lot, otherwise you don't produce enough milk - so you don't actually lose weight.

Personally, I couldn't breast feed for very long, as I wasn't producing enough milk. I was also not eating huge amounts of food though. So who knows ! Any experiences appreciated. I may be onto my second one next year and would really like to try again and see if I get more milk this time.

Myth. I was sitting down more.

I did…to the extent that the midwife starting looking at me in a worried fashion when DS1 was about 6 months old and told me to eat more…at the time I was eating about 3,000 calories a day and simply couldn’t face more food.

I was hungry and had to eat at regular intervals. It did help my stomach flatten back very quickly as womb returned to normal which was brilliant. Then after about 6 months each time the weight moved off my thighs. It was like stores of fat were being used up. I had thinnest thighs ever!! I didn't diet as afraid l couldn't feed. It takes a while and when l finished feeding any extra weight just fell off.
So yes but very slowly.

I was back at pre pregnancy weight when baby was three months old.I could eat what I wanted and didn't gain weight.I put on half a stone when I stopped.

It's not that you lose weight, it's that you burn more calories and it also helps the uterus retract so you lose the post baby belly quicker so may look slimmer than a formula feeding mum. Ofcourse if you eat too much of anything you'll put weight on.

I lost a huge amount with no effort. Have found I can basically eat what I want and still losing weight 13 months on. My supply was overwhelming for months, maybe that's correlated I don't know... would be interested to find out.

I also think though for me, it may just be to do with the new life style of being a mum, constantly on my feet and little rest, a lot busier than my pre kid lifestyle.

I gained, I was bigger than when I was pregnant but that’s because I was hungry all the time. But then breastfeeding didn’t make my periods stop either and they returned at 5 weeks with all 4 children despite ebf so I’m obviously unlucky

Yes. Ds is 18 months and I have lost the 20kg gained in pregnancy plus extra I didn’t need to. The first 20kg in about 3 months. He only feeds once a day now but the first 9/10 months he fed constantly day and night.

I didn’t really eat any more as was always feeding so rushed meals to feed again, and hated feeding after just eating as baby basically sits on stomach.
Bmi now about 18/19. I assume it will regain a bit now not really feeding any more, but I dont have time to make nice food as much as I used to do.
I have never really snacked so main calories always came from meals

I lost a huge amount each time, eating as much as I liked. Went into each pregnancy weighing 12-13 stone and dropped to 9 stone while feeding. The weight went back on each time I stopped feeding. Mine were exclusively breastfed, stopping at between 18 months - 2 years each time.

Hmmm.... I did but I also did a lot more walking, ate healthier (but also ate a lot more than I did previously) and was on the go a lot more. So not sure I could put it down to breastfeeding.

I lost weight but like many PPs it was because I did a lot of pram/sling walks and barely ate much during the day because of feeds or naps. When DS was down to a couple of feeds a day and went to nursery, the weight piled on because I had time to snack!

@TheKeatingFive

I didn't. I held on to 10 pounds no matter what I ate.

When I stopped BFing it melted off like magic.

Similar here tbf. I lost quite a bit soon after birth as I think I was quite fluid-retaining, shall we say, but I reckon I was at least half a stone more than 'normal', probably more, until I went back to work when DD was 10 months old- I was still BF around that though-and consequently was BFing a lot less. Possibly eating less too as the snack opportunities weren't the same as being on leave 😂

I think it depends on your metabolism really, I'm quite trim normally but I think this was my body holding on to some reserves as a just in case?

I had a raging appetite. Also spent more time sitting down doing the actual breastfeeding. I did not lose weight.

Second baby was way easier than the first to breastfeed but I think that’s just because I had half a clue what I was doing the second time. The first time I almost gave up every single day until week 9 when it suddenly clicked.

As above I do think it’s also to do with baby rather than feeding per say. Ds has been a terrible napper and whined so much at home that the first year was spent with him in sling or pram and me just walking miles and miles every day so he wouldn’t scream

I lost a lot and became underweight. Fed for over 2 years but even after 6 months I was far lighter than before pregnancy.

I did/am. No idea how since I eat like a horse and don't exercise, but somehow weigh less than I did pre-pregnancy!

Yes and now. Every time you breastfeed your uterus contracts a bit more (you can feel it!) So your womb shrinks much more quickly. But it also involves a LOT of lying around and you do get hungry, so if you keep overeating then you counter the effects. Overall I'd say yes though.

I lost weight but I had a bad birth and was massively stressed both times for different reasons after the birth but I'm certain breastfeeding contributed to weight loss.

So saying I had weight to lose prior to getting pregnant and then I had hyperemisis so got to the end of both pregnancies weighing less than at the beginning! The only times I've ever lost weight easily has been during pregnancy.

*yes and no it should have read

I lost loads of weight in the first 6 months but as per some PP it’s hard to know how much was BF and how much was due to non sleeping velcro baby meaning not much time to eat.

My weight crept up after 6 months as she was taking less milk and allowed me more time to eat.

@fussytodd

Did anyone have more luck feeding their second baby?

My HV always said when I'd get upset that I didn't manage to feed as much as I wanted, that with the second one I'll be able to do it.

Didn’t loose weight with DS1 because I ate everything I saw I was like a locust whilst BFing I can’t describe my appetite in any other way. 😂

Feeding DS2 now and just switched to combi feeding, he’s an absolute milk monster and I just don’t wanna do it alone. There definitely is more and a faster flow this time around though so so can confirm for me at least, it’s different this time. Milk came in sooner too. Less pain when starting out.

I went the opposite way and put weight on. I was permanently starving and craving carbs.

I did. I also (needed to) eat a lot. Not junk, healthy home cooked meals with lots of good proteins and fats and all the carb I could eat. I’d have a morning snack, afternoon cake and bedtime snack too.

Sometimes I had something neutral like a oatcake on the night - I also did this in pregnancy, it helped me go back to sleep. Some pregnancy insomnia is low blood sugar.

It might depend on your metabolism. I’m naturally slim with a fast metabolism and needed to eat plenty.

I also drank lots. And carefully mixed plenty of water with isotonic drinks, especially in summer - both my babies were born during heatwave summers. I drank rehydration sachets (like you use for an upset stomach) once or twice a day when the weather was hot.

I’ve read on here that what you eat ans drink doesn’t affect milk supply but my personal experience is that’s just not true.

I ate biscuits whenever feeding so day and night and gained