Is it really true that your body "hangs on" to extra fat when breastfeeding

[aardfark]

I've got another two stone to lose and have lost at least one stone since I had my DD seven months ago. But everyone I speak to says: oooh well once you give up breastfeeding the weight will drop off because your body hangs onto it while you are feeding.

Is this true? I'm thinking that women in the third world manage to do it without being overly fat. Also surely andipoise tissue doesn't randomly know it's needed and if you use up more calories through eating less and exercising more, it'll go regardless right?

I'm not planning on giving up bfing for a while but I'm v. confused. I'm losing weight quite steadily btw (so far) but I just wondered if anyone could set the record straight?

I put on 12 lbs breastfeeding! Not sure if it is fat held on, or just that bf makes you sit still and eat cake!

Totally depends - from woman to woman, and from baby to baby. First baby I only breastfed exclusively for three months, was fat for ages. Second baby I got back to pre-pregnancy weight in three months (and went on breastfeeding exclusively to six months and then with food for about another year).

I didn't lose much weight until I stopped breastfeeding but that, I think, was because a) I was hungry all the time and b) my boobies hurt when I exercised so I tended not to LOL

I bf for 19 months and it was only in the last 6 or 7 months that I started to lose the weight - not only did I lose the weight, but the weight came off my hips and waist, and I got my figure back

Now I1've stopped bfing, I have to watch what I eat because I can feel some of the weight coming back on

But even if your body did hold on to extra fat, you're using up calories by breast feeding.

I was 1-2 stone heavier than my pre-pregnacy weight up until a few months ago. Ds is 19months and I am still breastfeeding, but I amnow backtomy pre-pregnancy weight. I don'tknow if bf'ing makes your body hang on to fat when you are breastfeeding but I doknow that mine finally started to shift once ds was walking and I started to chase him round

mine does - well it did with DS2 - I didn't lose any weight while feeding him even though I was following WW very carefully. When he went onto solids and cut down on the breast milk, I lost a stone wihtout even trying and then lost another stone very easily when I stopped completely.

I think there must be some people who lose the weight easily while feeding ans some who seem to do the opposite!

LynetteScavo - you see this is what I think too - I've got my figure back, I have a fourteen inch difference between my waist and bust/hips, but everything is bigger overall. I have lost my double chin though (thank god I looked like an oik).

Breastfeeding made me hungry to start with until I figured out it was actually thirst and it does make you very very thirsty IME.

I lost weight like nothing on earth while breastfeeding

it was a good job I put on 3 stone while pregnant because I lost it all plus another 1.5 stone while breastfeeding

Depends.
I didn't lose weight when b/feeding really (prob. due in large part to gourment meals and lashing of Burgundy and Chablis to which I felt damn well entitled) but gradually came off as time went on and now weigh the same as I did pre children (10 stone).

I'm lighter than I was pre children. Around 10st now. DS2 is 9mths, still breastfeeding

Agree with motherinferior about varying from woman to woman and baby to baby. I put on 3 stone with each baby (which on a 7 stone woman is NOT a pretty sight).

Dd, took me 1.5 years to gradually drop back to pre-preg, almost as long as I bf-ed her.

Ds, back to pre-preg in 3-4 months and still dipping. Now so thin I am almost skeletal. Stuffing face with chocs to stay alive.

Blue shoes

Moondog - can you drink when breastfeeding then, I just assumed you couldn't?

Good grief woman,of course you can!!

Whatever gave you that idea?

i would have gone metnal without wine.

Moondog - but doesn't the baby get tiddled?

I havn't lost any weight ever whilst BF but manage to when BF stops I have even been on a diet and to gym this time and I am still over weight massivley

no!

Well, there's some debate on that actually

alcohol does pass into breastmilk, but it leaves it at the same rate as it leaves the rest of your body

Mine did - I didn't really lose weight will breastfeeding at all.

No, I lost weight fully breastfeeding for 9 months. Breast feeding helps to regain the pre pregnancy body..

I found (as did all my friends) that you never really lose that last 1/2 stone until you stop bf.
so yes, to answer the OP, i think it does.

i also think bf makes you hungry so you are more likely to snack, and snacking tends to mean biscuits etc... ?

I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight within a couple of weeks after DD's birth, which I'm sure was due to BF (DD put on 3oz a day at one point!). Trouble is that my pre-pregnancy weight was half a stone too heavy due to not-exercising and comfort eating during fertility treatment. Ho hum.
I reckon that the reason why I'm not losing any more weight now is due to eating lots of cake and toast. I eat like a pig, so I "should" be the zize of a house. Heaven help me when she gives up BFing...

I've lost all baby weight, was back in old jeans yonks ago (ds 4 months). Eat like a couple of very hungry horses too. Great excuse to lose weight while eating cake IMO coz I need all the fat to make good milk dontcha know

Indith

I can't even remember what cake tastes like it's been so long.