Quicker weight loss whilst breastfeeding?

[Pumpkinx3x]

Hello I’m 15 weeks postpartum.

I’m aware my body did an amazing thing i know but due to many factors I stress ate through my pregnancy resulting in me gaining 4 stone. Since having her I’ve gone down a few pounds or so but still leaving me with over 3 stone of excess weight.

This should be the happy time of showing off my daughter, taking many pictures but instead I cry when leaving the house and can’t be near a camera. I have no pictures of me my partner and her. I can’t stand meals with friends. I hide under many layers of clothes and hate looking in the mirror. I have hardly any clothes that fit me because I can’t bring myself to pick up that size so I’m running on one pair of jeans and a couple of what should be oversized tops.

I’m aware there is no quick easy weight loss but something more than the half a pound a week? But obviously safe as I love breastfeeding her.

I’m cutting out so much food, snacking less, switching to salads, cereal for breakfast and I’m seeing no different?

Any advice?

Thanks

Congratulations on your lovely baby!

You sound like you’re having a really tough time, I’d have a chat with your HV as you might have PND which can affect so many new mums and in different ways.

Try to enjoy your baby and not stress too much about extra weight. Youre feeding a baby too

Are you still stress eating? Or boredom eating? What did you eat and drink today? It might just be teeny changes here and there that will make a big difference. A friend of mine was always stressing about extra weight and one thing she was doing was covering her healthy veg in butter. Swapping Full fat milk for semi skimmed. Are you putting dressings on your salads? Are your portion sizes correct?

I found that while I was breastfeeding it was very hard to lose weight. The weight only started to come off after I stopped.

Your reaction doesn't sound normal. Are you exhibiting any signs of PND?
The answer I'm afraid is not always, I gained 40lb breastfeeding in 6 months. Only stabilised when she was weaning. Prolactin can stimulate fat storage.

Breastfeeding itself uses up a lot of energy and burns 'extra' calories every day, but of course any weight loss effects will be reliant on other lifestyle factors. Many women find they gain weight once they stop or reduce breastfeeding.

Do you ever carry your baby in a sling/carrier? It's amazing exercise!

I totally get it OP, I was exactly the same after my first baby. Gained 4 stone but have always had a fast metabolism so I expected to snap back and I didn't. You can't buy clothes you want and you don't feel nice.

The weight came off very slowly, starting about 3 months post partum. My body held onto the last half stone until I stopped breastfeeding. The photos of celebrities who went back to normal a week after giving birth used to enrage me.

I'm now 6 months pp with my second and although it wasn't a shock this time I still don't feel myself. My advice would be to take it slowly; you won't feel like this forever. Everyone's body is different. You can and will get back to normal but unfortunately it's not immediate for everyone. Other than that, I offer you my empathy.

Please don't let these first few months of your babies life be consumed by your size and shape.

And don't try and cut out calories but eat a healthy balanced diet as this will most importantly enrich your milk.

If you want to attempt to lose weight then eat well, and go for long walks with babe in the sling.

Another thing OP, it isn't recommended to go under 1800 calories or lose more than 1lb a week, as it could affect milk supply and damage the nutritional content.

Few answers about post partum depression. I am seeing a counsellor regarding anxieties I have. I’ve always had issues with my body image for as long as I can remember. They won’t put me on antidepressants due to effecting her weight so unless it gets progressively worse I will be avoiding them. The fact I’m recognised by the nhs as obese, having no clothes to wear is certainly the problem. Thanks for your concern. I have an appointment this week I’ll be sure to raise it

Prolactin can inhabit weight loss so don't beat yourself up. It took me ages the first time. Second time I cut out all processed food. Made sure I was eating enough but cutting out the junk really helped.

Please do OP. You deserve to enjoy this period with your new baby. Your body has done something incredible growing and nurturing your baby and continues to do so by breastfeeding.

I'm going through a similar thing at the moment. My baby is 8 weeks old and I don't fit into any of my old clothes. I'm really annoyed that I put so much weight on when I was pregnant. However, I've started doing slimming world and they have a sensible diet for breastfeeding mothers. It feels doable and healthy. Only day 4 into the diet but so far so good.
Definitely don't crash diet but maybe speak to your hv about the slimming world diet.
Also, you didn't mention walking but if you can, try getting out for a walk everyday with your baby. It will make you feel better mentally but it's also a great way to slowly build back up physical strength. All the best

@Stringervest I’m sorry you went through it also. I never gained weight. Anytime I did, and I swapped in a salad here and there and would lose it in a week. This is much different. My metabolism is just not happening. Celebrities looking amazing and saying ‘oh it’s really hard’ when they have personal trainers in their front room really anger me. I feel you

Thank you

@BrizNiz it is really so hard. I have been looking into slimming world! Is it really restrictive though? We do a lot of walking. I enjoy it a lot.
My hv is just non existent. They called me at the beginning saying this isn’t the right number someone else will contact you and never did. I’ll talk to my doctor about it. Thank you

OP, I breastfed my ds for 18 months, and I was always hungry but still had weight to lose so I bought a sling and carried him everywhere rather than using a buggy. I walked a lot every day - not fast and not necessarily very far, but at least a couple of hours every day. Carrying ds used up a lot of energy.

Obviously only if you have recovered from the birth. I started at about 8 weeks pp. Between breast feeding and carrying ds, I lost my baby weight slowly but steadily without cutting down on food.

Good luck xx

I understand how you feel.
I'm naturally a slightly chubby person but I found that I lost weight breastfeeding, bit this did not start happening until 5 or 6 months in. I eventually went back to normal.
What I can say is everyone is different and your body is going through tremendous changes. Give yourself some time.

I would wear a sling but I’m seeing a physio for my bad back. I can’t have her on for longer than ten minutes so it doesn’t work for me unfortunately

Then lots of long buggy walks maybe somewhere with hills

For some people the weight stays on whilst breastfeeding, and then drops off pretty quick when you stop.

Obviously that shouldn't encourage anyone to stop breastfeeding though!

I have found stopping eating after 6pm is helping me to drop the pounds steadily. That’s when I usually reach for the biscuits!

My weight fell off when breastfeeding especially considering I ate so many biscuits. However I did do a lot of waking with the pram (we live in a hilly area plus my baby would only sleep on the move, so that helped I’m sure!)
I found keeping on with the feeding after 6 months helped hugely - the loss was most pronounced after about 10 months.

Hi op, as others have said ; breastfeeding can really slow down weight loss. I managed to lose weight incredibly slowly while feeding but once I stopped the weight just went. But that is not a reason to stop feeding if what you're doing is right for you and your baby.

You seem upset that 'celebrities' lose their baby weight straight away.

1 they may not have gained much to start with

2 they may not breastfeed

3 photoshop

Please chase up an appointment with an hv, social media and magazines are not real life, you and your baby are.

Good luck

My weight fell off when breastfeeding

Me too.

I don't think breastfeeding stops you loosing baby weight, i think its different for everyone. I breastfed all four of my children and was back in size 8 -10 after 6 weeks of giving birth. I was still eating plenty, but mostly healthy meals and not eating too much sugar/junk. And I also did lots of walking like other people have mentioned, and doing yoga really helped aswell. I understand its hard to find the time though, especially if you have older ones too!

In the end I stopped breastfeeding because it was preventing me losing weight. Feeding made me feel tired and hungry - and not just “diet” hungry, it was like “I have to eat or I’ll pass out” hungry. Sometimes I had to eat several hundred calories to make that shaky feeling stop. It was impossible to diet because reducing my food intake made me feel physically ill. The doctor said it was because feeding made my blood sugar drop rapidly, and hormones such as prolactin stimulate milk production but also prevent you metabolising fat.

Not everyone has this experience. Some women find that weight just falls off while breastfeeding. I was jealous and angry that didn’t happen to me. During the whole time I was breastfeeding I utterly hated myself and I have no photos of me with my baby because I looked awful. I put up with it for the benefit of my baby, I cried literally every day, and in the end I stopped breastfeeding because I needed to lose weight for my own mental health. As soon as I stopped feeding I lost 1.5 stone in a matter of weeks.

Hey @Pumpkinx3x I also have a little baby. He is 17 weeks and also breastfeeding. I have piled on the weight and I just can't stop. I'm starting to get unhappy about my appearance now I wish I had some willpower!