Breastfeeding and weight loss

[Bex101990]

Hello

Just interested in seeing people’s experiences with breastfeeding and weight loss. Pregnant with baby no.3 and I really want of breastfeed this time around, so just interested in others experiences. (I still intend to even if no weight loss happens!)

Anecdotally women seem to fall into 2 camps either it falls off them or they really struggle to shift it.
I struggled to shift it and had a lot to lose.
I lost 7lbs to month after i stopped breastfeeding ... while feeding i lost on average 1lb per month. (4 months)

I did lose weight b-fing. But I started craving sweet things because of all the calories I was losing when I was feeding and that didn’t stop when I stopped feeding so I then put on weight that took me years to shift.

I mean there are lots of good reasons to bf but it’s definitely not a failsafe way to lose weight.

I was in the other camp. Ebf, and back in my jeans on day 10.

I had other issues though. Ds weight dipped down to 2nd percentile by day 7 and the midwife said if he didn't pick up in the next 48 hours, they'd have to take him back in to hospital. 12 hours later he started to put on weight.

And he got thrush in his mouth which I caught, which was unpleasant until the GP got it under control.

With my first I lost all the weight really quickly (not sure I had put much on) with my second it’s only just coming off now we are weaning but I have been eating what I want and not trying to lose weight.
I wouldn’t rely on it for weight loss!

I lost weight very quickly while BFing, to the extent that after DD1 was born the MW expressed concern that I wasn't eating properly (I was, DM was staying with us and doing all the cooking). I was back in my prepregnancy clothes within a week. I had 3DC and lost weight quickly after each one (took slightly longer with each one but not by much. And I had them all in my late 30s, early 40s). But as @vincettenoir said it created such sweet craving (I was constantly hungry when BFing) that I then started to put weight on again when they were about a year old and feeding less often. After my youngest was weaned I had to go on a diet for the first time in my life.

I didn’t lose any weight breastfeeding! I didn’t lose any weight when I stopped breastfeeding!

With my first 2 (me in my twenties!) I lost all my baby weight by 8 months (I put on average 4-5 stone) with my third in my 30s (again put on 5+ stone), I lost most of my baby weight by 8-9 months, took some extra work to shift the extra pounds by the time she was 1y. However like another poster said, I was craving sweet things (still am and still breastfeeding - she is 2 in November). So I have to be careful, I've put some weight on as not as active and working loads.

Interestingly, most weight is lost off the bum and thighs first before it moves to hips, waist, rest of body etc - it's to do with the fat globules your body stores there specifically for breast milk (not coincidently from sitting down feeding ;)) This makes perfect sense why many women put on weight on thighs and bum! Love learning things like this.

I’m currently BFing my second. I BF my first until he was over 2 so I only had 4 months between stopping feeding and giving birth where I wasn’t BFing.

I am firmly in the camp of cannot shift the weight whilst BFing and actually gained weight in the first couple of months because of how much extra I was eating. Oddly, I didn’t gain that much overall weight at all when I was pregnant with my second, and was back at my pre pregnancy weight in days, and I wonder if that’s because I dropped the weight during the 4 months where I wasn’t feeding.

I've bf 3 times and really struggled to shift the baby weight. I had friends who were the thinnest they'd ever been while bf though! You just can't predict which type you are I'm afraid.

I lost loads of weight breastfeeding but that only started to happen at about the 5 or 6 months mark when the baby started crawling and being more active.

I EBF and the weight really did just fall off. I still BF at 13 months and I can eat whatever I like. It's pretty good.

I lost too much weight with my first two.
My friend couldn't lose the weight.
...I guess it's pot luck and genetics. Sorry not really helpful!
What I will say is with my first I wasn't really bothered if I could or couldn't so had no pressure. Now pregnant with my third and I can't wait to have that closeness again , and never have to sterilise a bottle 😂

I didn't fall into either camp. I lost some not all of the baby weight super quickly but kept a stubborn stone. Then I moved to combi feeding at 6 months and gained a few pounds. Have just stopped BF now and I have gained a crazy amount in 10 days. Diet isn't perfect but it's not enough for the gains if that makes sense and I am constantly out moving with the pram too. It's annoying

I gain weight while breastfeeding! I just crave carbs so much and sweet things (which I don't like normally).

I didn't gain enough weight in pregnancy and was only a stone over pre pregnancy. I was back at pre pregnancy weight by 10 days and went on to lose another 1.5 stone and was very underweight by the time I stopped breastfeeding at 10 months. My physical health was awful. I had severe pnd and a baby that only slept whilst I walked. All in all it was too much.

I also gained bf, fell off when I stopped!

I've never lost weight as quickly and easily as I did when breastfeeding, with both of mine. I was slimmer 2 months postpartum than I was before getting pregnant. As someone who usually struggles to lose weight, for me it was a fantastic benefit!

My peasant genes kicked in and I hang on to every last centilitre of fat, especially around my hips and tummy!

Lost some weight breastfeeding but it always has made me hang on to a few extra pounds. They’ve gone easily once I stopped.

It burns through calories like nothing else does, in my experience anyway. But then again I lost weight during pregnancy too.

I lost weight breastfeeding

I ended up over a stone lighter than before pregnancy. Not exercise related due to health issues.

I lost all my weight by 9 months PP and I wasn't doing much exercise and I was eating whatever I wanted

You burn lots of calories breastfeeding, however studies show only a few lbs weight difference between breastfeeding and none breastfeeding mothers after 12 months, they think this may be partly due to breastfeeding increasing hunger.

I was 3 stone heavier 2 weeks postpartum compared to pre-pregnancy, luckily for me I didn't have any increased hunger (although I did in pregnancy) and so it fell off. I did have to be careful that I was eating enough though to not lose too rapidly, for my own health.