To think losing weight whilst BFing is super hard

[cymmtptysm]

Hello
I have had 2 kids in the last 2 years and I've put on 20 kg which I'm finding so difficult to shift.

I EBF my eldest for 10 months before getting pregnant with my second. DD2 is now 4.5 months and I've lost 6 kg so far. I have 14 kg more to go to get back to my pre baby weight but I'm just hungry ALL the time.

Also in order to maintain my weight, I used to go to the gym three times a week and I had a fairly healthy diet.

Now, exercise is a myth. I go on walks everyday but it isn't the same as being in the gym. I'd love to join again but I'm breastfeeding so I can't leave my baby. She refuses a bottle.

I try to keep only healthy snacks in the house (fruit, nuts, hummus) but I keep reaching for sugary things. I've even started to make my own oat bars (similar to graze ones) with minimal sugar rather than reaching for the packet ones, but my tummy never feels satisfied.

Ughhhh anyone have any tips?

Don't go hungry op - you will be exhausted, bf is a huge energy zapper.

I’m another one who couldn’t lose any weight while BF; after it was a bit easier. Recommend Joe wicks hiit on YouTube for short bursts that can be done during naps or whilst LO in bouncer

im pregnant and actually contemplating not BF or just doing 3 months because I struggled with it mentally (trying and failing to lose weight)

Everyone's different. I lost 4 stone in under 6 months while breastfeeding by following slimming world and increasing exercise. It makes sense to me as you're using a lot of calories to produce the milk. I've kept almost all the weight off and DDis 3 next month.

Me too. I never struggled a day with having enough milk.

I ended up with malnutrition nine months in, so it's not all roses losing weight while BF

We always have bran flakes in the house - I eat a huge bowl of that to tide me over to my next meal. And I eat proper meals as well as much as possible (not always possible though is it) for lunch and dinner, which helps. And drink lots and lots of water.

I've said to my other half that I can't explain the hunger to him, that it's something else. I've cried before when I was SO DAMN HUNGRY but I had to feed the baby before eating, so I feel your pain. I've been pleased with how the weight has been lost for me though.

Also I started couch to 5k which may have been helping with weight loss. My OH is a runner and is really supportive, which has helped - he will take the baby as soon as he finishes work so I can run and is really proud of me every time I do. So I'm lucky, I know - but if you can, maybe give it a try

Good luck, you can do it!
X

I can't lose weight until I stop breastfeeding. Still breastfeeding baby number 3 who is actually 1 and have lost a grand total of 6kg since coming home from the hospital with her. She is terrible sleeper and I'm addicted to sugar, which doesn't help. In previous weight loss attempts, I did weight watchers very strictly and lost about 200g a week. When I stopped breastfeeding, half a stone just fell off in about 2 weeks. I currently have about 5kg to shift and I just cannot get it off, although the sugar thing doesn't help.

Here's how I handle it:

I don't buy any new clothes in this period, unless they are in my pre-baby size.

I focus on other aspects of my appearance that I can control, such as my hair and skin, doing my makeup nicely etc.

I add in healthy behaviour such as drinking lots of water, taking vitamins, eating nutritious food.

This way, when the time comes around for me to stop breastfeeding and I can actually lose weight, I will already have glowing skin and swishy, shiny hair and won't have felt too depressed in the meantime!

Ugh I'm with you OP, so tough to shift and I am hungry all the damn time. I'm just going with it for now - I remember the first time I started naturally dropping weight after about 7ish months?

Same. I was practically skeletal (with giant boobs) and subsisted largely on custard and Haribo. I think because DD was a Velcro baby who didn’t sleep, so she was in the sling and I was walking for large amounts of the day. Half my time walking, half feeding, I was thin but unkempt.

I didn’t put on much weight at all during pregnancy, but bf I put on loads! I didn’t think I ate that much either! 2yrs on and I’m still struggling to lose it.

Now, exercise is a myth.

Its not a myth, you can exercise with 2 kids if you want.

Personally I found walking on mat leave just as good as the gym. But then I was genuinely walking about 2 hours a day, not 20 mins.
The main thing is your food intake if you aren’t exercising much. While nuts, hummous and oat bars can be relatively healthy they aren’t low calorie and if you are eating things like that often in the day between large meals then you’re probably consuming too much to lose weight.

Really tough with two. I’m dreading it this time round (pregnant with number 2). I walked miles a day with DS in the sling and it was like weight training on the cheap. The weight fell off despite EBF and I ended up smaller than pre pregnancy. Could you bundle 2 yo into the buggy at nap time, strap the baby on and extend your walk more than 20 minutes?

@Swiftswatch tbh I am probably snacking more, because I don't get a chance to eat a proper meal. Constantly running around after 2 kids I find it so hard to sit down and eat without inhaling my food.

I'm going to aim for 6 small meals instead of 3 large ones. Will that help?

@VivaVivaa that's what I used to do before the weather got freezing, but now she just doesn't fall asleep in the buggy.

My routine was: walk 20 mins to library, spend an hour reading/playing, walk 30-40 mins back with a detour to get her to sleep.

DD2 slept in the baby carrier or buggy the whole time.

Now, DD1 just SCREAMS when I put her into the buggy and wants to be carried. She doesn't even want to walk otherwise I'd go to the park and let her roam freely.

If we go the park, she'll play in the childrens area, but I don't know if that's actively getting a workout in ifyswim.

@EmptyWineGlass thank you!

I did couch to 5k before getting pregnant the first time and I really enjoyed running. I'm definitely going to look into it again once I can start weaning.

If DD2 took a bottle, I could express and still head to the gym or outside for exercise as DH would happily take both kids, but I worry that DD2 will play up without comfort of boob, even if she isn't hungry.

Absolutely. I piled the weight on bf as I was so hungry and exhausted, used to eat a family sized bar of galaxy in the night when I had to get up to pump. Weighed more once I was done bf than after the birth.

I worked hard to lose 10 kg while bf. Once I stopped I lost another 5 very quickly, it dropped off. Then I fell pregnant - but my anecdotal evidence accords with you OP 😂

In the end I actually stopped bf in order to lose weight, because I hated myself and being fat was affecting my mental health. As soon as I stopped I lost 2st in a matter of weeks.

Mine fell off me both times. I bf, and walked a lot with the pushchair/ sling, and once babies were 6 months + tried work in a little "proper" exercise (videos with DD, weekly buggy fit class with DS). Both times I returned from maternity leave lighter than when I had fallen pregnant without any real effort. Once I stopped bfing, I found it much harder to maintain my weight. Both my kids fed A LOT though, and were huge, and I had over supply issues. I wonder if that contributed.

Also I would say I ate well, because I had time. I ate LOADS, but made sure I was getting plenty of veg and fruit.

Use the myfitnesspal app and log all your food. It will stop you constantly grazing. It will also make sure you are in slight calorie deificit (300 ish only) which the hunger should be manageable on. If you go more than that you will be hungry. Get the food right before exercising.

I was at the opposite end of the scale. Breastfeeding made me underweight with all 4 children, dangerously so with one of them. I couldn't eat enough to even stay at the same weight.

I try to keep only healthy snacks in the house (fruit, nuts, hummus) but I keep reaching for sugary things

You should try not having any sugary things in the house!

I loved losing weight when I was breastfeeding as I was able to eat more because the baby was hoovering up a fair amount of calories.

I did exercise classes at home by watching YouTube routines.

I found it hard until about 6 months when weight did start to come off without me having to do anything. I had a very hungry baby and I think I burnt a lot of calories feeding him, but the fat just stayed on for the first few months. Then it fell off. Sadly, I developed a massive appetite to keep up with feeding him and that didn't leave me after I stopped BFing so I gained weight then 😩

I lost weight whilst BF my first but suspect it was more the walking 3 miles a day with him in a pram to get him to sleep! With my second, I couldn't walk as much as I had a toddler to deal with too but lost the weight quite quickly for some reason but with my 3rd every time I reduced my calories, it affected my milk supply so I chose to put my weight loss aims on hold. 22 years later I still haven't lost that weight

I lost 6lb during pregnancy- hungry 10lb6oz baby was stealing all the food. However have put on over a stone in the last 8 months. I’d like to fit into my old jeans but also really want to enjoy the time with my little one without worrying about it. I’ll lose the weight when the time comes, I’m just so hungry trying to keep up with him all the time. Enjoy the rest of your breastfeeding journey and your time with your baby.