Losing weight from breastfeeding

[Relaxingambience]

Since having my son 10 months ago, I have lost A LOT of weight. I’m not sure how much I weighed pre pregnancy but I was in size 10-12 clothes and now I don’t even fit in size 8!

It’s making me feel really bad about my body as I hate how skinny I look. I tried to eat more food but I honestly can’t see any difference. People have made comments about it to me. Recently a woman at a baby group said ‘that’s why you’re so slim, because you’re breastfeeding.’ I know she didn’t mean any harm but I feel really insecure about it and preferred the way my body looked when I was a bit curvier.

When she made that comment it felt like she was shining a spotlight at my biggest insecurity and I immediately wished I was wearing baggy joggers instead of leggings so that maybe people wouldn’t notice.

Has anyone else had the same struggle with losing a lot of weight? Did you notice a difference when you stopped breastfeeding?

Have you had your bloods checked by GP? There was a thread a couple of days ago full of posts about how hard it was to lose weight when breastfeeding so it really seems to be an individual thing..

I had the opposite problem 😁four stone in a year!

Get yourself to the GP to rule out any thyroid nonsense but otherwise keep up the good work and as long as you remain within a healthy BMI and not experiencing any other symptoms accept that your body is not your own for a little while?

I lost weight through breastfeeding, but not to that extent. I agree that you should have your bloods checked.

No blood test, I should probably get one tho. Hoping it’s just the breastfeeding and lack of sleep.

It's brutal isn't it?! I hope you're okay. Such a strange time. Before you know it you will be running after him too 😀

I lost some weight after pregnancy through breastfeeding too I believe considering I never actually exercised (besides lifting and playing with baby). By a year postpartum I was back to my pre pregnancy weight and in size 8 or S clothing. Can fit in some XS too. But nothing too worrying for me as I’m quite short. Ever since then I’ve maintained my weight. If you’re concerned about the tremendous weight loss, I would consult a doctor just to rule anything out

I didn't lose any weight at all until I stopped breastfeeding after nine months, by which time I was pregnant again.

I agree witb others, get a blood test to make sure there's nothing going on.

Agree re a blood test is worthwhile just to double check nothing underlying, but I have been the same post-pregnancy. I weight 3-4 kgs lighter now than I did pre-pregnancy and my weight had been static for over a decade. Combo of breast feeding and then running round after a toddler plus relentless colds means putting anything on is near impossible! It's taken a bit of adjustment but I've got used to it now. Was a size 10 or occ 12 before and now a size 8.

Also I agree re the skinny shaming comments. I was back in my normal clothes within 5 days post- birth and the relentless comments the first few months were exhausting. I know people meant it kindly but I wouldn't dream of commenting that people were still carrying their baby weight! I hadn't gained much weight in pregnancy so presume I just didn't have much to lose. Hope your weight stabilises soon OP, have plenty of healthy snacks available with good sources of protein and fibre!

I put on heaps of weight 🙈 I didn’t even eat much differently! Just seemed to pile it on. I think it’s just individual

I lost lots of weight breastfeeding too - I'm about 9kg lighter than pre-pregnancy despite eating all the chocolate - and I wasn't overweight before either.

But my DS eats a lot. I read that a baby needs 90-120 calories per kilo of bodyweight daily, so by the time I started weaning he was probably drinking about 1000 calories of milk per day. And then there was a month of early weaning where he was only eating minimal volumes. Which was exhausting because he was just feeding all the time.

I did lose most of the baby weight while BFing, but once we dropped that final feed I lost even more! I'm pretty sure it's because my appetite plumetted after the milk stopped coming

I lost the pregnancy weight while breastfeeding but at a regular small amount. I fed for about 14 months and it was mostly noticeable when l stopped. I ate normally and made no effort to diet. The biggest lost was on my thighs which were robust enough beforehand so that was welcome. I did notice at my breastfeeding group a lot of skinny legs. I think it uses up extra stored fat but as you had none it is becoming an issue. Are you eating lots as breastfeeding does make you hungry? Hopefully when you finish feeding your body will return to normal but do get some checks done just to reassure yourself.

Yes I lost weight breastfeeding, I had severe prenatal anxiety so I didn't put on a lot of weight while I was pregnant, and then my DD was allergic to dairy so my diet was restricted. I was the thinnest I've ever been in my adult life about 6 months PP, I was also conscious about it, I lost my bum and felt I looked a bit gaunt.
It did stabilise and I carried on feeding until over 1. Definitely get blood tests to rule out anything concerning, but it's definitely possible it's just breastfeeding. I think everyone's body responds in different ways. I put it back on when I stopped feeding and started eating cheese again!!

🙄 Sure - ‘exhausting’ comments admiring that you lost your baby weight so quickly are the same as pointing out rolls of fat.

OP I would definitely contact your GP. Worth getting stuff ruled out.

To me, that level of weight loss sounds quite extreme and I would definitely get to the GP to rule anything else out.

I am naturally slim and a size 6. After both DC I lost a lot of weight through breastfeeding and looked really very skinny, but went back to my normal as bf reduced. I found 5-7 months was when I was thinnest. I like it in a way as I eat so much cake and still lose weight. But I did look a bit gaunt especially with DC1. I get what you mean about the comments, it doesn’t make you feel good and you would never say anything to a woman who hadn’t lost the baby weight!

Hope you’re okay, OP.

What gives you the right to pass judgement on my body but get up in arms if I comment on yours? Size is irrelevant - don't make judgement about others bodies, you have no idea what issues might be lurking under the surface. I spent a lot of my teens severely bulimic and have worked hard to get myself to a good place mentally with regards to my body. Having so many comments about losing any baby weight quickly was exhausting for me mentally.

Sorry you’ve had issues but telling someone they look great and like their old self a few days after birth is generally considered a compliment.

Telling someone they look too fat or skinny is often not (although, let’s face it, many people would think the latter is a compliment if they had been trying to lose weight).

I lost loads while eating loads, but I had a premature IUGR baby who was correcting himself from the 24th to the 96th centile. Does your weight loss fit with your baby’s gain?

Also, I gradually gained it all back once he was weaning.

@Felicityinthecity it might seem a compliment to you. It might not to the person receiving the comment. You don't know, so don't pass comment - there are plenty of things to compliment each other on, weight doesn't need to come into it.

Hi, just wondering if you managed to get to the bottom of this & how are you feeling?

my baby is 9m and like you I have lost allot of weight. I’m actually scared to go on scales and dread others commenting as it confirms it.

only difference here is this is my second baby. I BF my first for 2.5yrs and was never this small. I’m around 8.5 now, which was always my dream after my first but could never do it. And here I am no excerise and feel so small, but unhealthily if that makes sense. I also had all blood tests which came back fine!! I’m praying it’s some sort of hormone imbalance due to breastfeeding for practically 3yrs

hope you’re okay and don’t mind me jumping on xx

Hi
Same as the above comment, did you get to the bottom of it?
I'm so so scared I have something serious going on. I'm booked in to get bloods done on Friday because like you I've lost alot of weight in 4 months and I'm also getting comments.
x