I thought breastfeeding was supposed to slim me down?

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Aibu for relying on breastfeeding to make me slim cos all I've heard is how everyone who bf loses the weight? My baby is 9 weeks old and I'm just getting fatter and not really overeating either. Just my normal amount

Exactly the same as me. I lost loads with my first, became slimmer than I was before I even got pregnant. Second baby, I didn’t lose any at all, put more on in fact.

I was skeletal breastfeeding my first baby but she used to get up at the crack of dawn and only nap in the sling and only if I did a full Riverdance throughout the nap, 20 minutes at a time, 8 times a day. Fed hourly as well, round the clock. I was a HUSK.

Baby No.2 had studied the baby books and understood the assignment: sleep for four months. He’d periodically stir for a feed but largely I sat on the sofa watching all 628 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy and eating an obscene volume of Audrey’s violet creams; DP was on extended paternity so he did all the school runs while I rested… and rested… and rested… and ballooned…

It’s less the breastfeeding and more the riverdancing, imo.

Hahahahhahahaa yeah I got told bf would help me lose weight.

All it did was make me hungry. And I was mega sleep deprived. And had no time for a proper healthy meal. So I'd graze all the time. Probably adding thousands and thousands of calories.

I ached all the time though. All my joints, all the time. Thought it was carrying / bending etc all the time, but it magically stopped when I stopped bf.

I gained weight with my first, I’ve never been so hungry than when I was breastfeeding! I cut out the massive amounts of cake and chocolate and I eventually got back to a similar weight than before pregnancy. Never got back to the same shape though! My boobs went down a cup and and my tummy remains quite wobbly.

I breastfed but I only lost weight because my babies didn’t sleep so I didn’t have time to eat.

I lost a lot of weight breastfeeding both my children, but to be fair it wasn't immediately. My second is now 7 months and it's probably only the last 3 months or so that's it's becoming noticeable.

Also I wouldn't say I particularly eat anymore than I used to and I'm pretty sure a huge part of it is down to lack of sleep also 🤣

I think it just takes a bit of time.

All of my weight literally dropped off me the weeks after I stopped breastfeeding. Wish I would have known, I fed DC for 3 Years! 🙈

First baby dropped off straight away. Second baby took ages but then all dropped off at once (whilst still breastfeeding)

I heard that too, but with DC1 I didn’t lose anything until I started dieting hard at 3 months postpartum- lost 3 stone in 3 months.

With DC2 I dieted more gently and got the 3st off in 6 months.

I’m now 10 weeks PP with DC3, lost 1st 9lbs so far, but I still have another 2st to go 🙄 I use Noom.

I always bf for 10 months, but find it only helps the weight loss up to 6m PP, once I start weaning I guess my calorie burn reduces. Definitely frustrating that it doesn’t fall off easily.

9 weeks is nothing. You still have internal swelling.

I breastfeeding fed three for about a year each. You may not like this but l only started losing weight after a few months and when l stopped the weight fell off me especially on my thighs. So just relax, it will come off but unfortunately not in 9 weeks. As the weather improves you will be able to get walking with baby, drink plenty of water and healthy snacks..lots of them as you will be extra hungry.

I’m gutted too - I stopped losing weight when DS was two weeks old. He’s now 4.5 months and I’ve stayed exactly the same since then, despite EBF. 12kg heavier than I was before I got pregnant!

i only lost the weight once I stopped breastfeeding

Same! Barely put any weight in pregnancy, 2 weeks after giving birth I was slimmer then before getting pregnant but the sleep deprivation caught up with me and I was craving sugar all the time. My weight started creeping up and up. It didn't get any better when I stopped breastfeeding. I tried dieting but after one too many failures ended up on Mounjaro.

Thanks ladies for the advice and comforting words! I will give myself some grace for a few more months and then really look at my diet and walk lots more outdoors (if the British weather co operates)! ❤️

Bf slims you down if you eat normal amounts of food.

Not true.

Some women burn calories when breastfeeding. Others have their metabolism slow down so that they burn less so they have a reserve for their child.

Breastfeeding made me so ravenously hungry, for the first time I could relate to those teenage boys who want third and fourth helpings. I didn’t lose any weight (though I didn’t gain any either).

From what I've seen , women eat wtf they like and that's all

So your comment lacked any scientific knowledge or understanding and was instead based on your own anecdotal experience.

Well that makes complete sense!

With both my babies, I BF

I ate what I wanted and slowly lost weight, though didn't lose any weight in the first few months.

By their first birthdays, I was at my pre pregnancy weight without trying.

For me, I was never going to lose weight quickly while still BFing