Breastfeeding and weight loss

[Tal12]

I was just wondering - is if a myth that breastfeeding makes you lose weight? I log my calories and have about 1600 a day, have a great supply baby feeds well and seems very content. I exercise daily (walk dog, plus 2.5 year old keeps me running around), eat healthily, but I am stuck when it comes to losing weight!! Still have 0.5 stone before I am back at pre pregnancy weight. I thought that breastfeeding was supposed to speed weight loss up, but I wonder if that’s why I am not losing? Any tips gratefully received it is making me feel a little down as I just feel I’m never going to get my body back!

Firstly, congratulations.
Weight loss through breastfeeding didn't work for me, but mainly because I was so hungry and ate allllll the cake.
How old is your baby? As they get older, they take more milk.
If you've recently had a baby, don't worry. You will get your body back but give yourself a break. Don't starve yourself of the calories you need - it sounds like you're doing a lot.

I don't think it's a myth because it does use up calories and causes the uterus to contract.

1600 calories doesn't sound like much, esiif you are breastfeeding.

I didn't lose weight until i stopped feeding -baby was about 9month.

It dropped off then no effort.

I am naturally or was anyway slim so I think my body had to retain fat to support the feeding process.

I think it can be different for different people, I did lose weight the first 6 months of breastfeeding, but I also had to give up dairy which contributed. I would say 1600 calories isn’t a lot when breastfeeding can burn up to 500 a day, make sure you’re eating enough to keep you full or you’ll end up getting poorly. I think for some people breastfeeding causes their body to hang on to a bit of fat stores, I’m sure it’ll fall off when you stop, try not to worry xxx

I don't know if it's a myth or no but I didn't lose any weight at all until I stopped bf.

I exclusively bf and was back to pre-pregnancy weight by the time my DS was roughly 6 months old. But that was just with walking and not dieting at all. I ate healthily but ate a lot. I was very afraid to diet incase it affected my supply as DS wouldn't take a bottle at all. I think with ebf you need to be taking in slightly more calories than the recommended calories per day. La leche league recommends a minimum of 1800 and CDC recommends an additional 300-400 calories on top of your usual diet. Perhaps your body is retaining the final weight to protect your supply if your daily intake is a little low? That's just a guess though, I'm not expert!

Thank you all so much for your replies. I suppose I will just have to see how it goes, it seems to vary for each person. I think that’s a really good point in that taking in too little calories may mean that my body is storing an emergency supply of calories!! Just seems counter intuitive! So maybe I will try upping my calorie intake and seeing how it goes. Shouldn’t put so much pressure on it as know our bodies do amazing things, it would just be in to feel myself again soon. Again thank you for the replies Xx

Sorry, emergency supply of fat that should say!

I gained weight while breastfeeding! It came off pretty easily once I stopped. Sadly, for me, the breastfeeding-helps-weight-loss thing had to be filed away under baby myths, along with the pregnancy glow, easy recovery after vaginal birth and "sleep when the baby sleeps" (my first baby just....didn't sleep!).

Breastfeeding my first the weight melted off me, back in my old jeans 5 weeks after he was born. My second is almost 4 weeks now and initially the weight started coming off great but it really slowed down and this week I’ve started putting it on again!

Anecdotally I have heard that many women "hold onto" that last bit of extra weight until they stop feeding.

I didn’t lose weight while breastfeeding, but I didn’t watch what I ate, and then I started to put weight on once I stopped breastfeeding (at 1 year old)! So it was obviously doing something. I’m not breastfeeding my 2nd baby (6months old) and I’m calorie counting 1460 calories a day, that’s what TDEE estimated for me. I’m 5’ 5”, 36 years old and weigh just over 11 stone, having started at 12 st 5lbs post partum, target weight 9 st 10lbs. I used to do low carb when I wanted to lose weight but I don’t want to cut a whole food group out while breastfeeding so calorie counting it is.

It might work for some people, but no I never lost the baby weight while BF. Partly because I ate a lot and partly because I struggled to feel like exercising when BF and in those early-ish days post partum.

My most successful weight loss was around 12 months after my 2nd was born, I had stopped BFing, she was sleeping ok-ish and I felt able to eat properly and exercise. I lost 2 stone really quite quickly at that point.

I don't know if you can rush your body into these things.

I’m not loosing anything, but I’m small and eat I reckon well over 2000 calories. I reckon you are eating more than 1600 calories without realising it.

@Tal12

Thank you all so much for your replies. I suppose I will just have to see how it goes, it seems to vary for each person. I think that’s a really good point in that taking in too little calories may mean that my body is storing an emergency supply of calories!! Just seems counter intuitive! So maybe I will try upping my calorie intake and seeing how it goes. Shouldn’t put so much pressure on it as know our bodies do amazing things, it would just be in to feel myself again soon. Again thank you for the replies Xx

I ate loads and loads and loads when BF; never known a hunger like it.

I'd have a full meal at the work canteen, go and feed my baby (on site nursery) then get a Magnum on the way back to my desk.

I lost all and more of any baby weight and by 5 months in, when DS1 was nearly starting solids, working full time and baby not sleeping well, I was really thin.

At antenatal class the midwife said that the equivalent calories per day when BF is a slice of toast. Just keep doing what you are doing - exercise and eat healthy and you will get there. Don't put extra pressure on yourself x

Ps I also think having a c-section prevents you from shedding the weight quicker. Not sure if you had one...

I only have anecdotal evidence - I breastfed for 3 months and my weight continued to go down. As soon as I stopped I plateaued. (I lost the final bit of pregnancy weight about a year later after having a sickness bug!) But maybe at a certain point I would have plateaued anyway and that’s where you’re at. But I’d definitely stop putting pressure on yourself to lose the weight quickly so soon - if you eat sensibly and can start exercising more again it will happen (I don’t recommend catching a D and V bug like me ) I understand it’s frustrating though, I felt the same.

I lost a tonne of weight breastfeeding, the slimmest I'd been since my early 20s, and then stopped after 2 years and put it all back on AND SOME. It screwed me over 😭😂

It flew off with my first until the last half stone which came off when I stopped feeding.

The same happened with my second except going on a liquid diet after some dental surgery actually has bumped the last bit off and more.

You are a sacred vessel when you are breastfeeding - I really wouldn't concern yourself with any weight loss thoughts until you're ready to end it.

My body clung onto mine until I’d stopped breastfeeding, both times.

I didn't lose weight breastfeeding in fact I gained weight as I was hungry all the time! Mind you it also didn't stop my period which return back at 5 weeks each time

I didn't lose weight breastfeeding in fact I gained weight as I was hungry all the time!

Exactly the same for me - I've never felt hunger like it! Once I stopped fully (at around 10/11 months) my normal appetite resumed and I slowly lost the weight without too much effort.

I put weight on whilst breastfeeding despite everyone telling me 'it would fall off'. I found trying to lose any weight whilst breastfeeding was impossible despite exercise and limiting diet.

I’m glad it’s not just me, so many people say ‘it will fall off. I suppose in the great scheme of things it’s a temporary thing, should just cherish this time and stop worrying about it. Would be great to wear something other than leggings though lol!!