If you couldn't lose or put on weight while BF, did it drop off when you cut down or stopped? (PLEASE say yes...!)

[Monkeybird]

Have tried (well, probably a bit half-heartedly since STARVING most of the time) and failed to shift any of my extra (mumble) stones while exclusively BF.

Did manage to shift some after previous babies when BF finished but can't remember whether it is easier, harder or what. I'm hoping for a. lots of reassuring stories about it just melting off when you stopped or cut down, and/or b. some science to suppor this...?

For example, I just read (in New Scientist) someone saying that if you starve some animals, they put on weight cos the body becomes more efficient at holding fat and converting stuff into fat when under starvation conditions. Ha ha, trust me to turn this into a desperate explanation for extra blubber, but it does sound like a plausible evolutionary option to me

or perhaps I should just try to give up my chocolate habit now...

Still feeding @16mths.... I'm holding onto the hope that it'll all vanish when I wean her... With DS it was a case of getting used to not eating as much after I weaned him. The first mth was HARD but it started to go after that. Right enough I coould have done with it just melting away a'la celebrity style

there's no hope for me then. 9mo into BFing and I'm still 2 stone heavier then before I was pregnant....and I'm pg again. I can see myself another 2 stone heavier by the end of this one!

I'm still BF DD at 10 months, don't have an increased appetite, have started running 3 times a week and work full-time and still am not losing

This is such a reassuring thread! I have been pregnant or breastfeeding for 3 years now - I got pregnant while breastfeeding 11 month old ds. My weight started to shift when I started cutting down on number of feeds, but then I got pregs so have no idea what it would have done! Now have 3 stone to shift, and seriously hoping it goes when I stop bf dd... Thought it was just that I was a pie girl.

I breast fed ds2 for 6 months and have to say the weight did drop off once I stopped. Within a few months I was lighter than I remember ever being. I have lots of lovely photos of a very svelt me on my 30th birthday!

Had ds3 4 weeks ago and still have a lot of preg weight to lose. It probably doesn't help that he cluster feeds all evening and I sit on the sofa eating crisps and chocolate. I plan to bf for longer this time as I'm going to take longer off work so hopefully will lose weight as he gets bigger!!

I joined weightwatchers when baby no 3 was 6 weeks old.They make allowances for bf and you get to eat lots.

He was fully breastfed till 6m then partly for 2years.
it was the only time in my life when I found losing weight easyish.

Stayed fat after first two babies while trying to just eat healthily.

WW did it for me

I didn't lose weight when bf, kept all the baby weight (and even put on a stone when bf dd2 ) but I did lose it after stopping breastfeeding each time. I found it FAR easier losing the weight when not breastfeeding.

When I'm bf I seemed to have a constant craving to eat sweet things and/or sit down for a rest.

I am finally losing weight without dieting after finishing BF completely I have had 3 DC and have never lost a pound whilst breastfeeding

I have lost 1.5 stone since but still have more to go

Oh, this is making me feel so much better!! I lost some of the post-baby weight, but hanging onto an extra stone, which refuses to shift, regardless of what I do!! As an experiment ate like a pig for 2wks- no change!! I am bf'ing ds (17wks) and was hoping it would help (seem to remember losing it more easily while feeding first 2!!). I am encouraged by all of you who lost it effortlessly after stopping bf'ing. In that case I might just follow the horrible slim-a-soup I had for lunch with a choccie biscuit.....