Post birth weight loss

[Mangotango123]

I dont know whether I am in the right category for this so apologies if I'm not.
I am due to give birth in July. I have gained about 3 stones during pregnancy which has taken a toll on me, as I used to be really big and worked hard over the years to lose weight and maintain it.
I had used the Cambridge Diet, which is now known as One:One diet. It just allows the weight to fall off very quickly and worked well for me.
I really want to lose the baby weight after birth, and had planned to use this diet to achieve that, however you are not allowed to do it whilst breastfeeding.
I am therefore wondering whether or not to breastfeed at all and to go for formula feeds instead? I know some people may think this isnt the best idea, but there are many people, for many different reasons, who chose to not breastfeed.
I know some people have said weight falls off through breastfeeding, but then I have heard conflicting views about this with some even saying they gained weight.
I guess I am asking if anyone else has successfully managed to lose their baby weight whilst breastfeeding?
I did think of doing a simple low carb diet, however this can produce ketones which I believe can be passed through the milk.
Any advice please.

I am not one of those ladies who loses weight effortlessly through breastfeeding alone.

With DD1 I breastfed her for 14 months and really struggled to lose any weight quickly. However I do think this is in part due to the transition into motherhood, which I struggled with. The sleep deprivation and change of lifestyle affected me massively and I couldn't get in the right frame of mind to exercise or eat particularly healthy. Breastfeeding makes you hungry all the time (IME) and also being tired in conjunction made me reach for the biscuits/chocolate etc.

On the other hand - I am currently breastfeeding my 8 months old and have lost 2.5stone in that time. I have been able to be more focused this time and have eaten really well and exercised lots. Breastfeeding doesn't seem to have made much of a difference this time, although I am plateauing a bit now and I still want to shift a further stone at least.

For context with each pregnancy I gained 3.5 stone.

This is just my experience, every body is different of course!

I had almost the exact opposite experience to @HeatWaves - breastfeeding did seem to keep the weight steady, but I wasn’t eating regularly or particularly healthily, just not enough. I was feeding on demand and spent a lot of time trapped under a snoozing baby, or going for walks up hills with the pram/sling, and mostly ate toast and cereal bars. As soon as I went back to work and was only breastfeeding two or three times per 24hrs, the weight piled on as I had plenty of time to snack and was sat at a desk all day. I’m now heavier than I was before I got pregnant, and almost as heavy as I was at 9 months gone. It’s awful.

I wouldn’t formula feed just because it means you can go on a crash diet - make a positive choice to do so.

Thank you for sharing your experiences.
Both really helpful thank you x

I'm 17 days postpartum, exclusively breastfeeding and have lost 1st 6lbs so far.

I lost 6 stone prior to getting pregnant using Slimming World and was worried about my weight gain during pregnancy. Now I'm just focusing on eating healthily and cooking from scratch and getting lots of fruit and veg in.

Slimming World do a plan for breastfeeding as do WeightWatchers.

I think planning not to breastfeed so you can diet is very extreme.

If you think you want to breastfeed, don't miss out on that chance in the hope it will help you lose weight quicker because its not always the case. Post-pregnancy weight loss is very different to other kinds and is hugely influenced by your hormones and the kind of birth you had.

Most women find breast-feeding helps the weight fall off. That didn't happen with me initially, but to be honest at the time I didn't care. I fed till dd was two, initially didn't lose any weight (as in, I gave birth to an eight pound baby, also lost the placenta and a load of other stuff and only lost exactly 8 lbs) but at 5/6 months the weight just fell off - still feeding and didn't do anything radically different. I feel like my body was holding onto some of it as I was establishing feeding (plus to be honest I was eating absolute crap), around 4/5 months I started trying to eat a bit better and it just melted off me.

Most women who struggle to lose weight after pregnancy its to do with being tired, and eating to give the energy they're missing out due to lost sleep. The general advice is: it took 9 months to put it on, give yourself 9 months to get it off. I think thats not just about weight, your body goest through a lot with pregnancy. I wouldn't recommend an extreme calorie reduction diet immediately postpartum even if you weren't breastfeeding tbh. How long are you prepared to wait before you're back to your normal weight?

I had twins.....so yeah the weight gain was huge....I breast fed both and was back to pre pregnancy weight within 2 weeks.

Breastfeeding makes you crave sugar and carbs so as song as you've got that under control you should lose weight

I wouldn't diet after birth - for the some reason is that you'll be knackered - especially if it's you're first and it's a total shock to the system / you don't want to add in diet related tiredness/fatigue/lethargy as well

Have had 2 DC and pregnant with third. My biggest tip is honestly exercise. Don’t obsess over diet. You’ll still be hungry if breastfeeding and need to keep energy levels up. Not to breastfeed so you can follow this specific diet seems a shame.
Baby in buggy or sling is around 1 stone of weight to push/ carry around. Get out for daily walks. Try to factor routes in with hills- walking uphill pushing a buggy is amazing exercise!
If you can join a gym with a crèche- this was a literal life changer for me. Knowing my baby was looked after just a few metres away from me but leaving me free to workout and get some precious “me time” was just amazing. The weight came off in months. But I never really dusted as you still need some comfort food! Just work it off with moving more x

Weight loss after baby is dependant on so many factors.

A lot of mine was water weight and I literally sweated and peed it out (lovely night sweats in the middle of February lol)

You can do slimming world while breastfeeding and I had lot of success with that.

It can take a while, it took 9 months to go on, it takes about 9 months to come off.

It's ok as well if you do carry some weight after. A lot of women do. Even Meghan Markle with all her money and trainers took a while to shift it all.

Best thing you can do to help yourself is stay away from 'celebrity' mums on Instagram. Remember they use filters

Dusted = dieted

You all talk a great deal of sense.
I think it's because I worked so hard in previous years to lose weight and I guess I just feel like I am that 'fat person' again - none of my regular size clothes fit me. I have a friend who can still wear a lot of her pre-pregnancy clothes even though she is due the same time as me.
I want the enjoy motherhood and experience breastfeeding - notwithstanding I want to give my baby the best start I can, and not harper that through my own desire to feel 'normal' again. I just have this worry that I will remain big and undo all the hard work I ever put in, which all of your messages are sympathetic to.
I agree social media/celebs are not a realistic expectation.

I’m 38 weeks and have put on a similar amount of weight to yourself. I am definitely keen to lose the weight and to breastfeed my baby. As far as I’m concerned the two are linked. Breastfeeding uses a lot of calories and so it makes you hungry. As long as you don’t eat tonnes more to replace these calories then you will certainly lose weight. Just like with any weight loss, feeling a certain amount of hunger is necessary. I am planning on eating well and healthily for me and baby. My sister lost all her baby weight and then a lot more through breastfeeding and then chasing after a little one ... I’m counting on this working for me too! Good luck op.

@Mangotango123 the weight gain has been really difficult mentally, however, I am going to see how breastfeeding goes first and take it from there. I know a lot of my weight is water retention, so would only know a few weeks after baby is here, so do the BF if you can and actually want to before going down the formula route! Fed is best regardless of your decision xxx

I know it's not the case for everyone (as already evidenced by PPs on this thread) but for me personally, having breastfed both my babies, the weight has dropped off both times. However, I have also cut out a lot (due to DCs' allergies) and I suspect that was a factor too.

If you find that you don't lose weight naturally, there are plenty of diets that are compatible with breastfeeding. However, you might feel differently about it when baby is here and it might not be a priority. Of course we all want to feel like ourselves and to look our best but I have kind of accepted that it's ok not to look as good as I did pre-kids, my body has made two babies which is an amazing thing!

Breastfeeding has proven benefits for mother and baby so please do give it a go if you're considering it.

Lots of helpful info about breastfeeding and dieting/weight loss here
kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/

It sounds like you'd like to breastfeed, so definitely give it a try and see if it works for you. It would be a shame to miss out on breastfeeding if you wanted to do it.
I've had 3 babies and breastfed them all, I hardly lost any weight at all whilst breastfeeding. I find that BF makes me quite hungry and I don't pay enough attention to the quality of the food... I'm always reaching for carbs when i'm stressed/tired/bored so it really isn't helpful for weight loss. But its something to be aware of, particularly if you're like me and consume too many carbs. Being aware of it is half the problem!

I know how hard it is to struggle with body image in pregnancy after you've lost weight. Be kind to yourself. And with self control, and with time, you will get there!

If you're burning fat you will produce ketones so all diets will do this.
I wouldn't avoid BF for weight loss, it's just a bit of extra time with some extra padding.
I formula fed our twins from day 1 (crap at BF, tried with 3 singletons before them), initially lost weight the 1st few months getting to pre-pregnancy weight but then gained over 2st due to being in constant pain from the damage the pregnancy had caused. Been doing IF for over 2 years, still doing that during this pregnancy but not as long fasted and eating plenty in my eating window. I rely on exercise more to control or lose weight, not able to do as much during pregnancy so the weight has crept on a bit faster than I'd like, I powerlift in the gym and do lots of walking. I had gained a fair bit of weight pre-pregnancy after a MC too so have plenty to lose once baby is here but there really is no rush.

I was back to 10 lbs heavier than my pre-baby weight within 8 weeks of having my daughter... I breastfed exclusively... but I had no discipline on watching what I ate. I was hungry and tired, so I treated myself and held onto that extra weight for a couple of years! It was only actually just before I fell pregnant again that I really found the want and the discipline to lose that weight!

That had nothing to do with breastfeeding - just being tired and using carbs, sugar etc to keep me going!

I would say you can diet very effectively when breastfeeding... BUT please don't do it within the first 6 weeks. You need ot let your body find its rhythm and don't want to disrupt your milk production. Once you get feeding underway, you will find you can test out dropping some calories etc. I ran an awful lot whilst breastfeeding and just found I really had to stay hydrated so as not to effect your supply.

Remember, it takes 9 months to grow a baby, you need to remember, it will take a similar time for your body to recover, so be kind to yourself and don't expect to start a radical diet in the first few weeks as you will really struggle I think :-)

Hi Op,
I am still bf my 20 month old and for the first year, I found losing weight quite difficult, I lost weight initially after giving birth...then it seemed to creep back on. I put on about 2 stone, but I don't believe that was from breastfeeding alone.

Looking back, I was not as active as I had been, covid happened and we were not getting out as much, I was snacking alot, eating quite alot of biscuits and chocolate.

My appetite did seem to increase whilst bf which I read can happen, so whilst I was eating mostly healthy meals, my portions were massive!

I have lost the weight now, slow and steady, and am now back to my pre pregnancy weight.
I don't do any fancy, restrictive diets. I just eat roughly between 1500-1600 calories a day, I am always in a deficit so the weight just naturally comes off. I find it surprising easy to keep to and rarely feel hungry during the day after my meals. I use my fitness app to record things but tbh, I know alot of things off by heart now, so don't use everyday.
I can recommend the Weight Watchers app too, I did it for 3 months and it really kick-started my weight loss. I used the plan for breastfeeding mothers too so it gives you extra points.

If you want to lose it, you will do it. Give yourself a realistic goal and don't rush it. Those kind of diets rarely work long term. If you want to breastfeed, you should. I personally wouldn't rule bf out just to lose weight through a restrictive diet.

@Mangotango123 and I just wanted to add, your baby has zapped all the nutrients you had... Your body has just given everything to nurture a baby. Be kind to it and pay it back, now's not the time to put it under even more stress

Hi op, I gained two stone during pregnancy and had lost it all by six days pp. Within a month I'd lost a further stone, I think mostly due to the night sweats!
I found breastfeeding made me absolutely ravenous, but I started weight watchers around 3.5 months pp. You get lots more points for breastfeeding so I still felt like I was constantly eating, but managed to lose over 1.5 stone in two months. By 5.5 months pp I had lost a total of 4.5 stone without much effort. Loads of walking with baby in the sling, but I walk lots with my dog anyways. That's the lightest I've been in my adult life! It did creep on when I'm stopped breastfeeding and increased my wine consumption!