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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Quick poll - did you lose or gain weight when breastfeeding?

46 replies

MayimBialik · 09/12/2012 13:18

I'm not sure if I should post this here or the weightloss topic. Sorry if it's wrong.

I'm currently BFing DS who is 3 weeks old. He's thriving despite the fact that I find it very difficult. Still painful, have had my latch looked at several times and apparently it's right, and am struggling with the fact that the job can't be shared so I am chained to the sofa for much if the day. At night times are difficult too - sleep deprivation is a killer.

Anyway I am persevering for his sake and he's a healthy little chubster so it must be doing him good which is a real boost for me. But other reasons that give me motivation to carry on are the convenience over making up a formula bottle and the fact that it may help me lose my baby weight. (I know incredibly superficial!)

Just wondering though - is it a given that you'll lose weight (if eating healthily too!) because I've read about people unable to lose weight until after they've stopped BFing?

What was your experience of this?

OP posts:

Beamur · 09/12/2012 18:57

I lost loads of weight while bf. Sadly put it all back (and maybe a few more pounds) when DD weaned - she was still bf obviously not taking as many calories from me, but I didn't cut down on the cake!!

CuriouslyChristmassyColaHam · 09/12/2012 19:00

I lost loads. I had to make a conscious effort to eat more to maintain my weight. Never had a sweet tooth before, but couldn't get enough of it.

scrumpkin · 09/12/2012 19:03

I cannot lose weight whilst bf.

SleighbellsRingInYourLife · 09/12/2012 19:20

I hold onto fat when bfing.

I'm constantly starving and crave sweet things even more than usual.

CandyPop · 10/12/2012 05:20

My LO is 4 weeks and I only have 5lbs to go to get to pre pregnancy weight. Weight has been steadily dropping off. I'm not eating crazy but definitely having more fair share if not more of chocolate and biscuits!

I've done no exercise either or been out for walks much so hopefully when I start doing that it will also help!

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 10/12/2012 05:27

With DC1 I was below pre-pregnancy weight within a month of his birth, DC2 I held onto most of the weight but it fell off (mainly thanks to appetite massively decreasing,I ate for 10 while ebf 2nd time around) when she weaned

CandyPop · 10/12/2012 05:28

Also to add... I but on 3.5stones from my pregnancy so the weight loss has been pretty dramatic !

YouSeveredHead · 10/12/2012 06:00

I lost and put all my prebaby weight back on within months of stopping

TheReturnOfBridezilla · 10/12/2012 06:00

Kept the weight on til I stopped. Lots of people say you lose weight if you are bigger to start with but I wasn't. Sob. Lost it quickly afterwards though.

Maximilimum · 10/12/2012 06:14

I lost weight v quickly, not really trying and eating whatever I liked. I haven't weighed myself for a while but I'm almost back to pre-pregnancy weight at 6 months.

jaggythistle · 10/12/2012 06:31

i put on 3-4 stones with both pregnancies and lost weight very quickly, despite eating far more sweet stuff than usual.

this time round i was back to pre-pg weight by 8 week check.

i am now about 6-7 kilos lighter after 8 months.

i was fairly overweight before and could still do with losing about a stone.

I'm going to have to watch though, with DS1 the weight loss stopped when he was around a year old but i didn't stop eating extra food. i went back to being overweight fairly quickly, although this was partly due to grumpy comfort eating while ttc.

i have one friend who has lost weight in a similar way to me, but know other people who struggled to lose until they stopped feeding.

SuiGeneris · 10/12/2012 07:40

Lost weight steadily both times despite not watching my diet and eating all I wanted.

With DS1 I had lost about 15 kgs of pregnancy weight within the first 9 months of breastfeeding and was below pre-pregnancy weight by the time he was 1. Continued breastfeeding him until 23 months and 5 months pregnant with DC2.

DC2 is 7 months and again, I have lost 15 kgs of pregnancy weight (had gained 17kgs in both pregnancies). I am hoping to be at pre-pregnancy weight by the time he is 9 months but am not dieting, just eating sensibly (including chocolate after lunch and dinner and 2/3 biscuits at breakfast).

To put this in context for you, my weight is usually very stable and, bar pregnancies, I have been within 2 kgs of my pre-pregnancy weight for the last 6/7 years.

Well done for keeping breastfeeding through the pain. Do get the issues sorted as it does get easier and it is wonderful once it works.

NervousAt20 · 10/12/2012 07:49

I lost a stone and a half then it stopped there and I'm still half a stone away from my pre pregnancy weight

3plus2 · 10/12/2012 18:01

I've I'm back at Pre preg weight 4 months on but I'm big anyway (size 18)

ComradeJing · 10/12/2012 18:09

With dd and ds I was in my pre pg jeans and pre pg weight leaving the hospital but gained a lot after.

It was a combination of being starving all the time, boredom, huge sugar cravings, sleep deprivation and bfing I think.

mamaonion · 10/12/2012 19:04

Lost it in 3 months except for last few pounds which lingered until I stopped feeding with first 2, this time I'm still feeding but dropped last half a stone with a horrendous tummy bug!!! Hasn't gone back on, so I think the last few pounds are a good safety net if you're bf and naturally very slim! I never tried to lose weight bf, gradual and natural process.

Op hope it's all better soon well done for persevering you'll be really chuffed you stuck with it when you look back

mamaonion · 10/12/2012 19:05

Lost it in 3 months except for last few pounds which lingered until I stopped feeding with first 2. This time I'm still feeding but dropped last half a stone with a horrendous tummy bug!!! Hasn't gone back on, so I think the last few pounds are a good safety net if you're bf and naturally very slim! I never tried to lose weight bf, gradual and natural process.

Op hope it's all better soon well done for persevering you'll be really chuffed you stuck with it when you look back

DeckTheHallsWithBoughsOfJolly · 10/12/2012 19:07

Lost loads in the first year. Have put some back on again since Ds turned 1. That's my lack of exercise and overeating though rather than the BFing causing me to gain weight.

AngelOne · 10/12/2012 19:36

I lost all pregnancy weight very quickly, and then a little bit more.

But then I put some of it back on when I stopped breastfeeding :(

JiltedJohnsJulie · 10/12/2012 20:25

Couldn't keep my weight on and HAD to eat vast quantities of cake, but I think DS had undiagnosed tongue tie and I'm wondering from your symptoms if that's what your lovely new Lo has too?

MrsNPattz · 10/12/2012 21:03

I am not losing any weight whatsoever! Of course I only have myself to blame because of the amount of sweet stuff I eat! But I really believed the weight would drop off after everything I heard. I do look at my spare tyre and think yuk, but I'm really not motivated to do anything about it at the moment!

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