Unexplained weight loss postpartum

[Twoleftlegs]

I have been shedding weight since having my baby. I have lost about 4 stone in the past year. I would say that 2.5 stone was conscious weight loss, but the rest just seems to have fallen off and is still coming. I’m a ‘healthy’ BMI for the first time in my life as my natural set point even when looking ‘slim’ has technically been slightly overweight.

I’m breastfeeding, and lightly exercising (a couple of 5ks a week) but I just can’t make the calories in, calories out logic make sense. I’ve had two, 2 week all inclusive style holidays where I have drank/eaten everything in sight. My diet is broadly maintenance calories with some indulgences. I’m not ‘dieting’ anymore, but it just keeps coming off.

Should I get this looked into? Are there any hormonal issues that can manifest postpartum?

I’ve lost 2.5kg in two weeks but I can’t understand why.

Always worth getting it checked out, but you might be one of the lucky minority for whom the weight really does "fall off" when breastfeeding. It's never just as simple as calories in/ calories out- hormones play a huge part in weight gain/ loss, and your hormones can do all kinds of things post partum.

I often think a huge factor is the fluctuation of hormones that control appetite though, and am convinced that a lot of, for example, menopausal weight gain is women just unconsciously eating that little bit more every day (speaking as a menopausal woman myself). You might find keeping a food diary interesting- if you have the time!

I was the same, I did see a Dr and after having a load of blood tests I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid. This usually causes weight gain but apparently this type of presentation isn’t unusual postpartum.

I’d get an appt with your GP and chat things through .

What was your life like pre baby?

I reckon you’re probably less focussed on food and move much more

I was like this when breastfeeding.

Pre-baby I'd had a desk job, and did lots of client entertaining, so little time to exercise and lots of food and booze consumption.

Post-baby, I was running around, eating healthier foods (for the baby), not drinking alcohol (or drinking and then pumping and throwing away and using pre-pumped milk for the baby).

All of this meant increased calories burnt, and less calories consumed.

My sister was concerned I was developing an eating order until we holidayed together and she saw what I ate and how much I moved, fed the baby, pumped etc (& how little I slept!)

My kids were like 24hour personal trainers never letting me quit!

Very active. I was on my feet all day and cycling to work. Marathon training for at least of half the year, running 3x a week when not training. Always still had a BMI of about 27/28 though.

I’m exercising much less these days. I can’t say I’m out pounding the pavements with the pram either and my baby can’t walk yet so I’m not chasing them around.

I have never been this light, even when at my fittest or hitting my macros everyday.

Thank you for your response. I can’t really relate to any of this though. I am much more food focussed than before and much less active.

My baby is still crawling and I don’t chase them around. We spend a lot of time indoors, obviously we go to baby groups but it’s nothing compared to my previous full time job (where I was literally running around after 30 kids and it was school policy to not sit down!!!). Mum meet ups mean a lot of cake and coffee too.

I still drink alcohol and have a glass of wine 5/7, sometimes a couple on weekends.

I’m a SAHM and my husband works flexible hours from home so we always sit down for breakfast, lunch and dinner together. A couple of biscuits when he takes a coffee break. If we have Nutella in for pancakes then I’m having a cheeky spoon of it every time I go into the kitchen.

My lifestyle just doesn’t match the weight loss!

I've always been slender but after giving birth each time and breastfeeding I had to eat more otherwise I would have been too skinny.

The same with my sister, so nothing wrong just the way we are built.

I was like this breastfeeding, just couldn’t eat enough, huge portions, high calorie snacks like nuts and flapjacks even in the middle of the night. Peanut butter on/in everything.
Since stopping it has moderated, but my I think my metabolism is faster, I definitely eat more and am much slimmer than pre baby.

Get it checked, could be thyroid.

With your most recent updates, I would really recommend you go and see the GP. It would make sense for you to keep a food diary for a few days so that you can show you're consuming enough calories.