Slimming whilst bfeeding: an urban myth?

[happyspider]

I have put on over three stones with my pg, ds is nearly 2 months old now and a real cutie, however he was tiny at birth and most of the weight has stayed with me

I am now (according to the charts...) classified as obese. I have been bfeeding for the last 2 months, but not only I haven't shifted any weight, I am actually putting on more pounds.

I just wanted some support and to hear that I will loose the weight eventually, and also wanted to hear from you if lost weight easily breastfeeding or if this is only an urban myth...

I'm a breastfeeding Mum (10 wk old) and some days I feel virtuous when I eat my recommended 5 a day fruit and veg.. and other days I think "forget it!! You deserve a treat and have a biscuit/packet of biscuits" (except I swear instead of saying "forget". I think bf-ing has helped me with weight loss, but I think it can vary from woman to woman. It tends to come back down to women and body image (yawn!!).

Mine did melt away - from my boobs to my waist. Do you know though, I feel bad moaning about my post baby bod, its as if I am blaming dd for it (which obviously I am ) iykwim.

Oh, I don't blame him. But I still don't like my body post baby (understatement!). It's not the most important thing in the world but I'm happier and healthier thinner. Hence Weight Watchers. Breastfeeding alone doesn't work for everyone

I put on 2 1/2 stone while being pregnant and didn't lose any of it, or put any more on, the 7 months I breastfed. I was soooo hungry when breastfeeding I couldn't have possibly contemplated dieting as well.

I had a (childless) friend who looked me up and down when I was breastfeeding and said "I thought the weight was supposed to drop off you when you breastfed".

I bf my DD for the first 10 weeks and the weight did fall off, it was fab ! I was 8st 7lbs when I became preg (I'm 5ft 7ins) and within 10weeks of bf I'd lost a stone and was down to 9st. However, my DD is now nearly 1 and is formula fed. I now fluctate between 9st 9lb and 10st, and have only just got my waist back since it went AWOL 18 months ago ! I'm not dieting and nor do I intend to, but I'd like to get down to about 9st 3lbs and I'm sure running around after my very active soon-to-be-toddler will help !

You will lose the weight eventually hs, but please realise that your DS is not even 8 weeks old ! It took you 9 months to get the weight on so it's bound to take more than a couple of weeks to lose it again. Don't fret, it will happen

When I bf, I did lose a bit of weight, but lost a whole lot more when I stopped. HTH

Sweetie, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THOSE SODDING CHARTS, not at this stage. However, I do know what you mean because I was really, really in despair at this stage last time, because about a stone, I think, of extra weight was just hanging around while other people melted away, saying 'oh, he feeds so much', while I looked at my ravenous dd and thought 'yeah, right' (it's like people who tell you they 'worry the weight off' - so why aren't I skeletal, then, dammit?). It did go, eventually. I only b/f exclusively till 3 months, and I think some of it went after that and the rest went some time later. I was back in my jeans ooooh, about a year later.

The very good news is that it doesn't have to be the same with subsequent pregnancies - having been very, very gloomy indeed at the prospect of a repeat, I put on much less this time round (god knows why, cake is virtually a religion for me) and it's managed to go. Probably zoom up again when dd2 quits the boob though!

Its nine months on nine months off - not nine weeks!!

Hi - just thought I'd chip in cos I have done WW whilst bf (few years ago, though!). There is no "WW bf diet" as such - you start off on a very high points allowance and just modify it up or down to find the right balance so that you are not hungry but still lose weight (slowly). I found it very easy - I still ate tons, but it concentrated my mind so that I tended to eat healthily.

I should add that for the first 6 months I didn't lose anything and probably gained - (my GP had said, at my 6 week check, that she thought WW whilst bf a bad idea. When DS was 6m a friend pointed out to me that her GP thought WW at 6w a good idea - the point being my GP was a stick insect who has never had any weight concerns of her own and friend's GP is WW gold member!)I had been trying to watch what I was eating, but, for me, the discipline of WW meetings was what I needed.

HTH!

motherinferior, did you know that Entenmann's do a range of cakes called ' Everyday ' cakes? Now if that's not cunning marketing, I don't know what is. Good excuse too.
I don't think weight ever ' just falls off'. I have about an extra 10lbs to go until I'm back to my pre-baby weight, which probably won't happen till I stop feeding.
Incidentally, I would love to start jogging again soon - I tried it once and it hurt so much that I haven't been again. Can anyone recommend good sports bras??

Happyspider, I do sympathise. I put on loads and am still over a stone and half heavier - I'm not clinically obese but I am overweight to the extent that it could cause health problems and I am keen to avoid this - esp as an 'older' mum. My own experience was that breastfeeding didn't make me lose weight so I'm now going to have to bite the bullet and diet, and I have to say, after one week with WW I've had lots to eat and drink (!) and think I might have lost a few lbs - find out tonight. I hate being fat and wish I'd done something like this before so I didn't spend the last two years feeling so horrible and 'not me'.

thanks for the response and support all,
I think the pressure comes from all the gorgeous new mothers I seem to bump into at John Lewis and Marks Spencer when feeding ds.
They all have porcellaine skin, immaculate hair and wonderful figures, that is why I ask myself where did i go wrong?

They are Stepford Wives

Most of us have a pod that wobbles...although dh did ask why all my friends are so slim post-ds/dd, and not me!!

I agree with Aloha in that I went to WW and followed their very sensible eating plan and lost weight whilst b/feeding - however once I gave up WW I put it all back again so here I am 2 years later with an excess 2 and a half stone.

Whilst no one should go on a strict diet whilst pregnant I wish I had stuck to sensible eating as it is very, very hard to get motivated again, especially if you are at home with a young child and exercise opportunities are limited (yes, I did walk 5 miles a day but even that didn't help!!) and there still seems to be a lot of the attitude that 'eat what you like, it will all fall off' ... it might, if you're very lucky!

Aloha, I like the idea that you can bfeed and still go on a diet, however I have found controversial opinions on this.

My hv is adamant that I need to eat for England (or for Europe...seen the list of food she's given me to eat) in order to produce more milk as I had problems establishing breastfeeding. On the other hand I hear from mums saying that they forget to eat sometimes (that never happens to me!) but still have a good supply of milk.
I guess the trick is to drink a lot, what you eat must not be so important? Mears, I think I have once seen a posting from you regarding this?

I am not saying that I am going to start a diet tomorrow, but it would be nice to know if I can start doing something now...

Happyspider - what isn't advisable when breastfeeding is crash dieting. The weight watchers plan is superb for B/F women. You have loads to eat and all it basically is, is a healthy eating plan. As for drinking - you do not have to force yourself to drink extra to produce milk. Infact excessive drinking can inhibit lactation. Drink as much as you desire naturally ie. let your thirst dictate how much. It is a good idea to have a drink handy when you are feeding because that is the time you tend to feel thirsty in the first place. Making breastmilk uses up calories. If you pump in more than you are pumping out you will not lose weight You do not need to eat for two to breastfeed. Getting the balance right can be difficult - that is where the weightwatchers plan is so helpful. Honestly you would not believe what you can eat whilst breastfeeding and still lose weight.

Happyspider, just like you have DS of 7.5 wks and put on at least 3 stone (then stopped weighing self...) during pregnancy. Weight was clearly not going to "fall off" due to bfeeding. Cannot diet as incredibly hungry. Keep saying will try to eat healthier, indeed whole family due to start eating healthier any day now... However I have started nipping down to the gym just after feeding ds (thanks to good old dp - well, it's in his interest too!) and with some (pretty gentle) exercise twice a week have lost a kilo (only been going a week and a half). I had easy birth so body has recovered quickly but how about as soon as you feel your body is up to it - which may not be for some time yet - you give some exercise of your choice a go? It's something you can do for a set time so your dh/dp shouldn't be too scared of being left with the baby. Fingers crossed that both of us get the bodies back!

Nursie -- sports bras: I've tried 'em all and I don't think there is one you can run in while bfing. They either don't work or strap you in so tight you can't breathe. Seriously, I think one which worked well enough to run in contributed to giving me mastitis. I've just accepted that I'm not going to run again until I've stopped feeding. I do go swimming, though

Saskia, after looking at your posting I have spoken to dh and he agreed to look after little ds at least 3 times a week, so I am starting the gym tomorrow. He thinks I deserve it after all I have been through so far...bless him!
I had a c section, so it's going to be swimming and gentle exercise.

Will have to give WW a chance, how do I get hold of the eating plan? Any no to call anyone?
Thanks!

Nursie and Jane Lucy - I have gone back to running while breastfeeding. The sports bras I use are called ShockAbsorber, but I'm not sure who makes them. They are sort of like a little half top so don't know whether that is what makes them work. Haven't had any problems, but I do go running just after I have fed. Also I haven't got massive boobs naturally so they are quite modest breastfeeding boobs

This might be helpful regarding info about ww.

this

I breastfed (and am still breastfeeding youngest) both of mine and lost the weight both times. I shifted about 2 stone in the period after giving birth and then the first month of breastfeeding and then went on to loose another 1/2 stone in the month to follow. Whether or not this would have happened had i not breastfed i don't know but i certainly noticed my tummy came in very quickly. They say you need something like an extra 500 calories a day and although i do eat alot i do try to make up my calories through 'good' foods as opposed to cakes, sweets and other not very substantial forms of nutrition. The first 6 weeks after birth are the most important for ensuring a good milk supply but i think after that if you're not loosing weight you can slightly reduce your food intake but not to a silly starvation diet. There is a danger of passing on certain bad toxins (can't remember what they're called) to your baby via your breast milk if you go on too stricter diet. Exercise is always good for shifting excess body weight and although you might not feel like it it can increase your energy levels!

I must say I lost all the weight while reastfeeding, and more. But I was on a diet! I did Slimming World while breast feeding and because there is so much 'free food' allowed I never got hungry, ate huge amounts, but it was the 'right' type of foods. Low fat, but high carb, loads of fruit and veg etc. I just didn't eat junk. I kinda felt that since my body would be using loads of extra cals anyway I would help it along. I started at 9 weeks. I am not saying you want to d this, but it did work for me.

Happyspider, ignore those horrible glowing creatures. I know just what you mean. If they look well off, they probably had the fabled joint caesarian/tummy tuck you can apparently get at the Portland. In any case, they presumably have 24-hour support if they can get enough sleep to glow!

Well, I have lost 4lbs in a week with ww - and have eaten and drunk rather a lot, IMO! I agree that comparing yourself with others (who are probably rich and pampered!) is just a waste of time, I just compared my self before and after. Don't mind a bit of wobble but would like to wear clothes I liked again. I put on a lot of weight when I was pregnant and I was devastated that breastfeeding didn't 'work' for me, as I had read so much about losing weight that I felt freakish when I didn't lose any. Also felt that I couldn't diet or go to ww, and I fed for over a year! Hence two years later, still fat and pretty unhappy with myself physically. Most people do lose all their weight after pregnancy, all my friends have but I didn't. And I wish I'd done something sooner. I'm certainly not criticising anyone or want to make anyone feel bad, but if you have three stone to lose and your health is suffering I do actually think now is as good a time as any to do some gentle exercise and start a good structured eating plan without going mad or making yourself unhappy. Fat isn't just an aesthetic/feminist issue, for some of us it's a bit of a health one too. Cake is lovely, but all the cake in the world isn't as nice as feeling comfortable in your own skin.