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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Anyone LOSE weight breastfeeding?

25 replies

Trillian42 · 11/09/2010 22:42

I know it probably sounds odd given the amount of threads on the opposite, but did anyone lose too much weight while BF?

I'm about 5kg (4/5s stone) lower than pre-pregnancy now with DD aged 13 weeks & still dropping gradually week by week, despite eating twice as much as previously. (Was at pre-pregnancy weight within a fortnight of birth). My mum laughs at me saying that it's obvious where DD is getting her weight from & thinks that I'll put it on as soon as I stop BF. I tend to agree but was wondering how common this is?

(But somehow still can't fit into my skinny jeans !)

OP posts:

zebratum · 11/09/2010 22:42

I wish!

moajab · 11/09/2010 22:44

I lost loads of weight in the first few months of breastfeeding and within a few weeks of each birth weighed considerably less than my pre-pregnancy weight, despite living on chocolate. Sadly it doesn't stay off, especially as it's hard to kick the chocolate habit!

WickedWitchSouthWest · 11/09/2010 22:48

Yep I lose loads too :) the only problem is when baby starts to drop feeds and I don't reduce my calorie intake accordingly!

LaDiDaDi · 11/09/2010 22:50

I never got lower than my pre-pregnancy weight but I did get there very quickly despite eating loads, way more than when I was pregnant.

lovely74 · 11/09/2010 22:51

I was ridiculously lighter after having DS and BF for a month or so, despite my heavy cake habit. But although I still BF 11 months on, DS takes less, my cake habit remains the same, so the weight is creeping back on....!

TheNextMrsDepp · 11/09/2010 22:54

Yep, I lost loads and on each occasion ended up half a stone lighter than before I was pg. One of the best benefits of bf, surely?!

lal123 · 11/09/2010 22:55

yup - I lost about 8kg from my pre-preg weight. Wish I'd kept feeding past 7 months, could do with losing the same again

Original poster

Trillian42 · 11/09/2010 22:58

I've a feeling my chocolate habit may be hard to kick when I finish BF alright! Pity BF can't tone my muscles too

Good to know that it's not just me & is common enough

OP posts:

reallytired · 11/09/2010 23:00

Yup, and with both children. With my son I ended up very underweight.

LaDiDaDi · 12/09/2010 07:59

Lack of muscle tone is my issue too. Must start to do some tummy crunches!

Longtalljosie · 12/09/2010 08:03

Yep - me. I really struggled to keep the weight on. And now DD is one and we're down to one night feed, I'm still a few pounds lighter than pre-preg.

At one stage (when DD was five months or so) I wasn't well for a couple of days. Nothing major, I just didn't feel like eating. My weight dropped off until I was better and ready to start mainlining cake again.

I did find, though, as she got bigger and the number of feeds reduced, my appetite reduced too. Now we're at one a day I reckon my appetite is pretty much what it used to be.

ScroobiousPip · 12/09/2010 08:06

Yes, was well under 8 stone by the time DS was 7mo, despite eating like a horse. Put it back on once DS started to drop feeds but am now about my pre-pregnancy weight and happy with it.

boogeek · 12/09/2010 08:24

I was thinner on my babies' 1st birthdays than I have been since I was about 16 - with DD1 and DD2, anyway, don't seem to be going that way this time! I bounced back though and was back to normal pre-pg weight around 18 months, even though still bf.

5DollarShake · 12/09/2010 08:34

Yep, DD is 5 weeks old and I've lost 16 kilos and am back in pre-peg clothes. Keeping it off is another matter though!

fifitot · 12/09/2010 08:34

Yes me too. I am a stone lighter than my usual weight. I woke up 10 days or so after the birth and noticed I had no body fat - anywhere! In fact I am too skinny IMHO and am eating tons to try and regain some weight.

I am naturally slim though which why losing weight doesn't especially look good on me.

This happened with my first too and once I'd stopped BFing gradually got back to normal weight.

Ineedsomesleep · 12/09/2010 08:44

Yes, with DC1 I lost loads.

Tamashii · 12/09/2010 08:44

Yup - I was way underweight when I BF's DS. He fed constantly for the first month or so and it was exhausting and draining. Once things settled down I was still underweight and all my clothes hung off me.

Like everyone else says, once I was doing less feeds and then once I stopped altogether, the weight went back on so fast. I hadn't realised until we saw photo's of us at a barbeque n I was HUGE! Am now trying to lose weight to no avail.

(Also in my case, no alcohol whilst PG and BF seemed to be help regulate my weight but my hungry DS just seemed to drain me of every calorie and then some)

WoTmania · 12/09/2010 09:46

yes, lost loads of weight. I'm almost down to pre-DS1 weight which was a little too slim. I eat loads too.
have been either pg/BF/both for 5.6 years now now so don't know what will happen when I finish BF. That probably won't be for a few years yet though if DD is anything like DS2

hobnob57 · 12/09/2010 10:03

I have this time, whereas with dd1 I just seemed to put it on! Both times I've been on a restrictive diet due to intolerances. I don't know what the difference is other than my SPD isn't as bad this time so I'm a bit more active. And I had a VBAC.

I'm now down to the weight I was in my late teens, yet I still have a jelly belly. That just doesn't seem to be shifting. I'm liking my new shape but would like to be more toned. I'm a bit to hear these tales of the weight piling back on again because when I stop BF at Christmas when dd2 will be 1, I will also be back onto a normal diet and so chocolate, ice cream, cakes & puddings will also be back on the menu. I don't have much of an appetite now since there's nothing much nice I can eat, but I can see that changing rapidly. So I shouldn't be buying jeans to fit my very non-lardy arse then?

Purplebuns · 12/09/2010 10:10

I couldn't lose the last 3/4st even when I was trying.

emsyj · 12/09/2010 10:10

I have gained weight since DD was born despite ebf.

all those who 'struggle to keep the weight on whilst bf'.

Gah!

openerofjars · 12/09/2010 10:12

About 2 stone, and just as he stopped needing as much milk from.me, he started crawling, so I got loads of exercise! I was about half a stone heavier than I am now when I got pg, and two stone heavier than this when he was a couple of weeks old.

But yeah, everything is much less toned than of yore. Not that I was a fittie to start with, but...

desertbee · 12/09/2010 10:36

oooooooo, i now can't wait to get on the scales tomorrow!
lost 4lbs last week but have eaten more (and walked more) this week... hmmmmmm

ProcessYellowC · 12/09/2010 11:01

yup, round about 6 months it just fell off, and I ended up slimmer than I've ever been. Now that I'm bfing a lot less at 2.5 yrs, it has all piled back on again....

petisa · 12/09/2010 14:52

Dd2 is only a couple of weeks old. My tummy has gone pretty flat, but I'm still 7kg over my pre-pregnancy weight, which is about 7kg over what I really should weigh. Hoping some of it will drop off as if by magic!

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