Can breastfeeding cause excessive weight loss?

[MrsP81]

I have been bf my DD for 7 months now and I'm struggling to maintain my weight. I was bordering on underweight before pregnancy and put on about 2.5 stone during pg, which I then lost within the first three months. However, I have continued to gradually lose weight since then and am now 9lbs less than I was pre pg, so am definitely in the underweight category now.

Does anybody know whether bf can cause this sort of thing to happen? Or is it just the general rushing around that occurs as part of motherhood, rather than sitting at a desk all day?! Or should I get checked out in case there is something else wrong with me?

TIA

I was always under the assumption that breastfeeding helps weight loss. Given your natural slimness (similar to myself) it probably is helping you loose more.

Could hurt to go and get checked out though if you are worried. Do you feel fit and healthy?

I too was back to pre-pregnancy weight within approx 3 months with not much effort. I've also taken up exercise again & breastfeeding my dd who is now 9 months and the weight is still dropping off me - to the point that friends/family are commenting if I'm eating enough. I eat well and try and eat little and often and I feel healthy so I'm not worried.

*couldn't

I'm also lighter than pre-pregnancy and one dress size smaller. I'm definitely underweight according to my BMI but I've always been very slim. I'm down to 3 feeds a day and the weight isn't coming back. I put it down to lack of sleep and breastfeeding. And maybe just the lack of sleep. I just made sure I eat lots and often, and use full fat versions of everything. If you feel healthy otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much.

This happened to a friend of mine and eventually she was advised to stop breastfeeding.

I was at my thinnest since being a teenager when each of my babies reached their first birthdays. (I bounced back :) ). Like the others say, if you feel ok and have plenty of energy, then I don't think you need to worry. It is definitely not a time to be cutting back though - and I sometimes took minadex when I felt a bit run down.

Might be worth getting your thyroid checked to be on the safe side. Any other noticeable changes?

I had ds 8 months ago and had lost all of the weight by 4 months and have since lost quite a lot more (a shock as with dd I really struggled to lose weight). I'm still a healthy bmi but I'm losing weight without trying atm. I think it's a combination for me of feeding a hungry baby, carrying him in the sling about 8hrs a day, doing a long school run on foot and generally just being busy doing up a house. I don't eat any more than usual and I think I'm not compensating for the extra calories, hence the weight loss. In fact I'm so busy some days that it gets to 4pm and I feel a bit wobbly and realise I haven't eaten since breakfast. I do NOT recommend this. I've started carrying fruit and granola with me to make sure I'm eating.

Make sure you have your Thyroid checked out as this happened to me with both my babies. Apparently 'Postpartum Thyroiditis' is quite common. My Thyroid went into overactive overdrive and I went down to under 7St with DD2 and had to stop BF at 7.5 months utterly exhausted! Don't worry though...I'm OK now

Thanks all. I feel generally ok, although very tired but it's hard to know whether this is just normal mummy tiredness! I am getting lots of 'you're too skinny' comments. I think I'll get checked out just in case, like you say, it can't do any harm.

Good idea for a check, MrsP81 - excessive tiredness and unexplained weight loss always needs a medical opinion.

Just out of curiosity, could having an oversupply of milk lead to weight loss? As my body is working harder to produce more milk than it needs. And if this were the case, wouldn't fixing the oversupply have stopped it? Sorry, rambling a bit now but would be interested to know the answer!

I've never heard of this happening - breastfeeding of itself does not cause excessive weight loss and the difference between oversupply and a normal supply is very small, calorie-wise.

Before I had ds1 I had several friends that bf for at least 6 months and lost quite a lot of weight, were checked for thyroid etc and ok so the doctors told that was the way their bodies reacted to bf and to make sure they ate plenty including things like lots of steak and dark chocolate.

I did have a post partum thyroid problem but it was hypo rather than hyper and I managed to put on 3 stone when bf ds2 :(. Apparently seems my body reacted to bf was to store as much spare food as possible... And because I wasn't badly hypothoroid and levels were fluctuating as it was post natal I didn't get to have thyroxine so couldn't even use that to counteract the weight gain.

I've lost 5 stone since August from a combination of bfing, carrying DS in a sling a lot and not having time to comfort eat when I'm bored!

I was about 1.5 stones overweight before pregnancy and gained about another 2.5 stone....Since giving birth I've lost around 4.5 stone. DD is 20 months, still BF and I'm still losing weight. Right now I'm a healthy size 10/12 but I keep losing I'll be too skinny for my frame. And I eat LOADS.