Breastfeeding and weightloss

[Neuro]

Hi ladies

I'm preggers with first baby. Please could you let me know how breastfeeding has helped (or not) you lose weight gained by pregnancy. And how has it helped your tummy area in particular?

My step sister became slimmer after breastfeeding than before she was pregnant, but she is a vegan and has v extreme, non fat type diet.

Also, do any of you think breastfeeding has particularly helped you return back to your normal-ish shape if you have done it for quite a long time, ie perhaps up to 6 months at least.

I"m quite fascinated by the whole thing esp if it means not fussing around with bottles.

Thank you!

BF DS for 12 months and my weight loss was alarmingly quick - back to pre-pg size about 2 - 3 months PP. I was eating loads as well. And here's the cautionary tale bit. Then when we started weaning and the feeds became fewer I continued eating at the same rate as I had been and then gained weight. Was horrendous. Still haven't shifted it.

I lost weight really quickly breasfeeding with all 3 kids. Was back to pre preg weight and normal jeans within 3 weeks pretty much.
But it's genetic as my mum was the same

I varied with how much I put on but never put on more than 8kgs the least I put on was 6 this last time round.

Tummy is not toned but not flabby either.

Wahey! Thanks girls. I mean, it's going to be wonderful having a baby, but i'm not going to be defined solely by that. And I'm looking forward to getting back into my fav jeans. I want to be a cool mum and that includes breastfeeding, but I am a woman of many parts!
I'm actually looking forward to BF'ing as i think it'll be great to able to not only grow a baby but my body will be able to feed it. Amazing!
x

Neuro, had different experiences wiht all 3 of mine...with es it definately seemed to have helped to loose weight, etc...with ds2 I was able to loose weight with teh aid of going to SW, with my youngest little monster I was unable to loose weight (dispite trying my hardest) whilest breastfeeding, but once I stopped I lost my weight easy enough really....
well, must say though, I never bf'ed for that reason anyway, I did it because I loved it and still miss it now, dispite ys being weaned off for almost 2 years now....not enough to have anohter Baby, mind....lol...

i think how quickly you lose your baby weight and how much you lose depends on a number of factors, incl how well you eat, your metabolism etc. I was back to my pre-baby weight at 3 months. I still bf my ds at 7.5 months and my weight has now dipped further whcih is quite (pleasantly!) surprising as i always have a huuuge appetite as bf, esp in the early days, made me ravenous. Doesn't matter what quantities of food you eat, as long as it is nutritious. BF is enjoyable because it's best for your baby and best for you, both health-wise and weight-wise.

dragonfruit...as nice it is for you, but believe me that is not a fact, just your personal experience this time....sometimes bf can have adverse effect on your metabolism...it's frustrating and infuriating, but not the end of the world...

Neuro, yep, of course it's a fair thing to ask, and it sure is an added bonus for those of us who can eat like pigs and still be a healthy weight while breastfeeding
Sorry if I sounded judgemental, but I am genuinely puzzled why anyone who had the choice wouldn't try to breastfeed.

Like its been said, i think a lot of it depends on your body shape and your genes.
I lost all my baby weight within 2 weeks of my c section, it honestly did just drop off. At the time i just assumed it was the BF but then my mum said that she was exactly the same and she didnt BF, and ive never been the sort to put on weight easily.
nearly 6 months on I still seem to be losing weight, now weigh less than before preg and i eat like a horse. people have commented on it, saying i should stop BF as it is taking all my nutrients etc but the reality is that i have actually felt fantastic since BF and am enjoying being able to eat what i want. my digestive system seems to be different since having DS. i dont suffer with IBS any more, or headaches, though this may just be coincidence.

Sorry not what you want to hear, back in pre pregnancy jeans within 2 weeks with non-breastfed baby, am now 2 stones heavier and feeding my 6 month old!! Desperate to do something, work too hard get v. little sleep. For me the benefits are more around diabetes/breast ovarian cancer etc and the closness/cuddles the weight would be a welcome 'side-effect' if it happened. Interested in defining the 'eating like a horse', do you all really eat a tube of pringles after dinner and a pack of biscuits before bed 'cos that's what I'm doing... . I'm mega stressed too but having real difficulty stopping myself. DIdi loose 1/2 stone but put it all back on might have just lost a couple of kilos too scared to get on scales and see in case it's all back on again.

Although that's more eating like a pig than a horse!

I dont think the bf has a lot to do with weight loss tbh. My fried ff and is back in her pre-pregnancy jeans. another friend exclusively bf and is still in maternity clothes.
I mixed fed and have 1/2 stone to lose still though having given up bf a month ago. I lost most of my weight early on despite eating loads (bf made me ravenous!), but that last 1/2 stone is hard, and I recently had to buy a load of size 10 clothes for work (usually an 8).
The hardest thing with weight loss and bf was not being able to exercise like I used to. Tiredness, being attached to baby so much, having had a c-section, having big boobs (makes aerobics and running so much less comfortable!), and the fear of dehydration all made me not exercise regularly for the first few months.
Eat sensibly and you should be fine.

friend not fried!

I'm afraid I'm another person who only lost weight when I stopped. And it came off very quickly then. I lost 20 pounds within the first 2 weeks after having a baby, then 15 pounds stuck around without moving one iota for the next 4 months, then that 15 pounds came off in what felt like 2 weeks.

After i had dd1 i was around 1 stone lighter than my pre pregnancy weight. this was within about 3 months. Then i stayed that weight 9.5 stone. Now after dd2 and putting on about 2.5stone in pregnancy i am 9st10lb. dd2 is nearly 5 months and i am still loosing weight.

I just love BFing

So doesn't anyone else have a pack of pringles followed by a pack of biscuits as a little pre bed snack?! I was being serious!
When people say they eat what they want is that what they/you mean? Today I've done well I've just had a small pack of biscuits.
I don't know what's the matter wiht me I can't stop before I've eaten the pack, I think about biscuits!!
TBH I rather hoped I'd look on here and see someone say 'wow that's disgusting' you need to get out more

I overuse emoticons and !!!!!

My solution is to never buy those sorts of things. We never have pringles / chocolate / biscuits in the house, so I can't snack on them unless I can be bothered to drive 6miles to the shops!!
So I snack on grapes or bananas