Breastfeeding & losing weight

[Mustang27]

I'm 9 weeks postpartum with my second ebf baby. I really struggle to lose weight whilst feeding and have read that some women do. How did you lose weight whilst feeding? Obviously simple science is eat less move more I get that but any other suggestions that really worked for others whilst feeding I'd really appreciate.

I'm trying to low carb, so I'm eat as much protein, veg & healthy fats but struggling not to reach for chocolate every day and sugar is probably my worst habit. I'm trying to walk most days and exceed 10k steps which I do but I need to up my exercise. Il aim for weight (pump) and spin twice a week once I'm in a better routine.

I am stressed and under slept but we all are so not much of an excuse but I know it is another factor in slow weight loss.

Need to lose 3st to be in middle healthy bmi range. 4st would be my ideal though.

Not really sure what else to add. Thanks in advance.

Seriously, your baby is 9 weeks old, you need to cut yourself a teeny bit of slack.
Your body will majorly be in recovery mode still and you’re knackered and literally being sucked dry!

I’ve always found that low cab has a terrible effect on my milk supply so I avoid that.
I generally cutting out the crap and making the “good choice” - fruit instead of cake - will help.
It’s such early days though.

With my last baby I started the joe wicks plan at about 4m pp and that was excellent - you get to eat loads including carby meals as long as you do the exercise.

For me it’s much harder to lose weight while bf and I always hang on to 7-14 lbs until I’ve completely stopped.

I lost weight slowly while bf. Gained 2st over my pre baby weight. More than 1st has now come off, it's come off as milk supply has gone down now DS is eating solids and switched to formula in the day time. I wouldn't be trying to control your diet at this early stage, you could end up having a hypo fit or simply affecting your milk supply. Eat good healthy food in good sized portions for now. Once baby moves on to solids you can start to look at trying to help the weight loss process. Exercise is better than starving yourself and eating healthy food not unhealthy!

Low carb won't work if you're still eating sugar and chocolate etc.

So try to have some healthy snacks available that you like. Cheese, olives, hard boiled eggs, nuts, even things like celery and a little peanut butter.

Good luck.

I know bluntness I do so well then I sabotage myself. I'm sure I had more will power than this feck knows where it has gone.

Thank you millenium that was a really kind reply. I'm trying to be kind to myself but I feel so uncomfortable in my own body I bloody hate it. I'm wondering if the low carb is upping my cravings to stop supply dipping. It worked so well before pregnancy I was at my slimmest & fittest and felt amazing but maybe it's not best whilst feeding. Il look into Joe wicks i think getting more exercise will improve my mood.

Thank you remain. I will take it easy and I know once he is on solids it will be easier. I was still feeding his brother when I fell pregnant and was 1st heavier than my previous pregnancy I'd reached a plateau at that point. So assuming I'm like Millennium and the last will shift once I'm finished feeding.

mustang I completely get where you’re coming from - I’ve got 2 dc and between them I was the fittest and trimmest I’ve ever been.
After the second I felt wobbly and ungainly and generally like I had a “mumbod” in a way that I don’t remember from my first.
It just takes time though. Your body has done very recently and is doing amazing things, hitting it with a diet is potentially a step too far!

Re the cravings, some of that will be due to bf, but also if you’re not getting a good amount of sleep then your body starts craving fast carbs in order to keep itself going.
If you can, try and up your water intake - that always makes me feel generally healthier.

You’ll probably find the springtime will help too. Being able to get outside and also not needing chunky comfort food to stay warm!

My youngest dc is just over a year now (and still bf at night) and I’m nearly feeling like I’ve got a handle on myself again. I do think each of my boobs weigh about 1st currently though so once she stops feeding they should shrink down significantly (I hope! I HATE having big boobs!)

I really laughed at the boobs weighing a stone each as my partner says that about my boobs too. 2st of boob sounds extreme but they are massive and have no idea why anyone would pay to get bigger boobs.

Springtime does help as hopefully we can get outside more, less indoor classes.

Yeah I do need to take more water I'm not bad but a couple more pints a day may help a lot as I do get thirst and hunger confused sometimes.

Yeah I feel like Iv stretched in ways I didn't before, my hips never went back either and seem wider again I'm hoping they will go back a bit more.

You must have lost some weight? I'm not sure how people have time to eat as looking after baby is a 24/7 job! I barely have time to grab a meal before mine wakes up or cries. It's rare that I have the chance to eat something while it's hot. Main rules are fruit or vegetables with every meal, no more than one sweet treat per day, no crisps or takeaways or sugary drinks or alcohol. I don't count calories but do try to do light exercise 3x per week.

Oh no you get me wrong Bella I am losing just very very slowly roughly a lb a week I just have more pounds than I'd like and was wondering if others had found a more efficient way of shifting the most definite excess baby weight. I can't recall the last time I ate a meal that was warm and often go to tea time before having food which isn't ideal.

I don't eat or drink anything in that list but I do I have the occasional portion of tortilla chips but hate crisps, don't drink, not a fruit fan but love my veg. If I eat out I get steak or chicken and veg/salad drink water, don't take away as I'm coeliac so everything is pretty risky. I also have ibs so I stick to a low fodmap diet so don't drink pop or eat processed food, don't do gluten free bread or pasta very rarely do rice can't do pulses or lentils 🙄. Chocolate is my go to treat and I have a bar most days at the mo mostly dark Chocolate but occasionally a milk chocolate and hazel nut as that my favourite obviously that roughy 250/300 worth of empty calories I don't need.

I do absolutely need to exercise more but it's just finding the time. I'm working on it though.

I too am ebf and was hoping (naively) it would "drop off" as people said it would if I was BF.

I lost around 2 stone within the first 2 weeks from pre birth weight (baby etc included)

I now need to lose 2/3 stone

It's shit isn't Cheshire I was hoping I'd be lucky and lose all my baby weight whilst staring lovely at my baby whilst he sucked me dry it has not panned out that way at all either times and I breastfed until my first was 2.

I don't think I lost as much as you first few weeks maybe a st st & 1/2 il need to work it out.

How do you think you are going to lose yours? It feel like such a lot too lose doesn't it?

Lovingly*