Weight loss while breastfeeding

[Cathy31]

Looking for advice from others who've been here before, and maybe company if anyone is in the same boat. I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 5 month old baby. I weigh about 52-53 kg, and am about 160cm tall. I look much better at around 47-48kg, and feel more comfortable/ confident at this weight too.

However, I haven't weighed that in several years. I've had 3 babies in 6 years, all breastfed, but tbh I gained a few kg in the first trimester of my first pregnancy which I never really lost. I'd been a v healthy and quite a rigid eater before my first pregnant (ie very rarely snacked, very conscious of portion sizes, had 2+ portions of veg at lunch and dinner every day). Morning sickness in my first pregnancy, all that went out the window and since then I've been much less healthy - snacking, overeating in the evening, eating whatever is easiest to prepare with one hand while I hold a baby with the other.

I feel unhappy with my body. Breastfeeding gives me a huge appetite (and huge boobs - I think once they go back to their previous size I'll weigh a good kg less without trying. This has been my experience with the other two babies). But even once I stop breastfeeding, I'll still be fatter and flabbier than I'd like.

So - I suppose I'm looking for advice on how to recover the eater I used to be, while also now being a mother to 3 young children and breastfeeding my youngest. I know what a healthy diet looks like. I know exercise would help if I could leave my baby long enough to do it. But how can I get the right mindset? Or is it something else that needs to change?

Any advice, or any other mums who feel a bit consumed by their baby's appetite and want to recover themselves?

I would be interested in hearing advice too. I'm currently breastfeeding my second. I've basically been breastfeeding since summer 2020 (with a 6 month break), and likely won't stop until early 2025. I find it difficult to lose weight whilst breastfeeding and I'm overweight by stones. I have such a bigger appetite, crave sugar a lot from sleepless nights, and feel pretty miserable about it. I've been doing something about it since summe, but have only shifted 8lbs which is nothing compared to how much I have to lose. it's tough.

Hello!! Ha, likewise, my appetite is huge when I'm bf. And yes - sleepless nights make me eat so much sugar. 8lb is fab though, far more than I've managed! What age is your baby? I'm 5 months post partum, but have barely lost anything since baby was about 2 weeks old.

Hello!

im in the same boat could have written this my self ha , second baby and ebf (7weeks old!) I am usually 55kg and currently at 60kg, I didn't put much on during pregnancy but did eat a lot of cake at the end and the first few weeks pp...and don't feel like my self (I know it's only 5Kg but to me it's a lot)

I decided to commit to eating healthy and walking (only exercise I have time to do for now) for the past 3 weeks I have been going for an hours walk every day with baby in carrier,making sure to do lots of hills etc and walk fast not just flat and slow, trying to just move my body a lot more and counting calories again, I'm using my fitness pal to track everything and eating 2000 a day lots of protein etc.

It's hard when you don't have time but I have found if I plan what I'm going to eat in the morning and track it first it helps keep me on track so I can see how many calories etc that would be. Eating lots of fruit to combat any sugar cravings, and not buying any sugary snacks in my weekly shop has helped so there's nothing there for me to gorge on!!

the walking every day has also massively helped my mindset because now I have got into a routine of walking and It's turned into a non negotiable even if I only have time for a 20 min walk, helps clear my mind for the day and want to eat better too as I realised half the time I'm just bored not hungry.

dont know if this has helped or not but hopefully 😂

Totally understand how 5kg can feel like a lot, that's all I have to lose as well but 5months postpartum it's still here! And it makes a big difference on me as I'm short.

The walking sounds fab. I have my older 2 kids home with me now until mid January, so will struggle to get much walking done, at least until DH finishes up for Christmas.

But totally agree re planning meals - it stops me snacking too much if I've got the food in for a good (filling) lunch and a hot dinner.

Ok. I'm Christmas shopping tomorrow (3 kids in tow😬) I'll probably have to have lunch in town. So, let's say peanut butter porridge and an apple for breakfast. Then ideally soup and bread in town. Dinner - pasta? I'm not in my own home for the next 2 weeks either, which makes it more difficult. Maybe I'll just aim to eat more veg and not gain weight over Christmas, then work on weight loss in the new year...

Yes I get you ! And It's so easy to just think "fuck it I'll just eat everything in sight" well it is for me ha!
luckily my dd (5) is at school full time so I have time to walk in the day times. Also going to try doing some dance workouts on YouTube as she finds that fun to and will join in some times.

that must be hard! It will be easier for you after Xmas for sure.

At the moment my day of eating 2000kal looks like this if you need any inspo --

50g porridge with 200ml milk, honey and berries. (360kal)

mid morning snack - Apple, pear and protein shake (300kal)

lunch - half a tub of fresh soup and one slice of bread with butter (350kal)

afternoon snack - protein pudding, banana and maybe some more fruit if hungry (200kal)

dinner - chicken wrap or chicken and rice (600kal)

this will obvs change day to day and I might have more snacks if walked more etc.
i have found it's not the food I'm eating as I mainly ate healthy before its portion sizes, I could easily eat 5 times this much some days due to been breastfeeding hungry but remind myself I can be satisfied on a smaller amount... especially when you can rack up double the calories!
also picking up things like ready made fresh soup in the shop is easy to just whack in the pan so your not having to prepare a meal from scratch with the kids but it's still good for you. Anything that will help!

You need to wait til breastfeeding has ended. Your body is prioritising the milk production

Your menu sounds lovely, and so healthy. I also tend to eat quite healthy meals. My issue is snacking, especially between lunch and dinner. I'm up from 6, so have breakfast and lunch quite early, but dinner usually isn't until 7.30 or 8pm. So I tell myself I need a big snack, but then I also eat lots of wee snacks. Calorie wise it definitely adds up to more than a full meal. And inevitably unhealthy as well. Disaster. I think the answer is to have 4 small meals, but breaking the snacking habit will be hard. That's the aim for today: 4 small, healthy meals, and some time outside...

Ah yes I'm also up at 6 but have usually finished eating for the day at 6 so not as late as yours
you will get there! It's hard to break a habit but after a few days you'll form a new habit again. I love snacking ha! That's why I always grab some fruit and drinking plenty of water helps or having a cup of tea. Also don't restrict too much if I feel like I really want some chocolate I'll eat it in moderation and make sure I haven't gone over my daily cals. Slow and steady, Iv realised my body must cling onto the last bit of weight while breastfeeding as well so there is that to consider if you don't see immediate results :)

@KeeeeeepDancing yes I do wonder if there's no point. Since I'm already at a healthy weight, maybe I'll just end up frustrated, or even binge eating or something, if I try to get to 48kg while breastfeeding. This would be a lowish BMI, around 18.5 for me I think, but it's where I look and feel best. But maybe not realistic when my body wants to hold fat in reserve while I'm feeding the baby. @ThisIsntThe80sPat I wonder if you feel the same, like your body just refuses to let go of the weight while you're feeding a baby...

That said, I can at least try to eat more healthily - today would have been fine, and definitely lower calorie intake overall than previous days, until I ate a fistful of quality street on the sofa after dinner. That sort of unhealthy eating behaviour started during morning sickness with my first baby, 6 years ago, and I'll never shift the weight, even when I stop breastfeeding, unless I break those habits. I'd really like to hear what you @KeeeeeepDancing , or others, think though - is now not the time to lose weight, or not even the time to try to make healthier habits?? Baby is still feeding a lot in the evening and during the night, and cosleeping.

@23J how was your day? I did eat more veg, and did get outside, but sabotaged myself with quality street at the end. Tomorrow, my plan is:

B: Porridge & fruit
L: Soup & bread, probably a piece of Christmas cake for dessert
S: Crackers & cheese
D: Burger and salad

I think this is feasible, but not unhealthy. And I'll get outside, probably with all 3 kids so not really exercise, but still.

Not at all! It's always good to eat healthily and get into good habits. But you might find that the extra weight on your middle won't shift, and it's hormonal. So when bf has finished keep going with everything and you find find your body changing even more. It's amazing!

Thank you @KeeeeeepDancing , this is so helpful - managing my expectations so I don't get discouraged. The weight round my middle is the worst too, so it's really helpful to know it might be hormonal.

Weather is shocking here today, no idea how I'm going to get through the day with three young kids. Need to watch out for stress eating!

Oh definitely hormonal! I was a completely different shape til after I'd stopped feeding
Just keep making more healthy decisions than unhealthy ones and very gradually it will pay off.

Thank you! This is so reassuring! I had a big healthy breakfast this morning, so not at all tempted by the cookies /cakes at soft play. Feeling so much more positive and in control after starting this thread!

Glad you're feeling good from the thread it helps to talk to people who are going through the same!

i had a good day yesterday , I treated my self to a wispa bar ha! Still fit in with my cal allowance so no need to feel guilty.

I think @KeeeeeepDancing is correct , making the healthy habits now to last so when we finish feeding our bodies will know what to do naturally. My middle is the bit where i hold my weight also...

Ah, glad it's not just me! I feel quite self conscious about my middle. I was fairly toned before this pregnancy. Now I wear clothes to hide my tummy, baggy tshirts etc. It's just this stage of life. if I work on healthy habits while I'm feeding the baby, this time next year I'll hopefully be back to my usual clothes, and my happy weight.

I used to try to do some yoga while looking after the baby, either with a YouTube yoga video or just poses I’d remembered.

Although yoga probably doesn’t help lose lots of weight it does make me feel more toned and have a better posture which makes me feel better overall.

The baby seemed to enjoy watching me do yoga too.

@DuploTrain I did quite a lot of yoga before this last pregnancy. Struggling to get back to it as the classes are in the evening and the baby still needs me a lot, especially later in the day. I should definitely look into YouTube! Again this will probably have to wait until my older kids are back at school/preschool in Jan. But definitely, I found exercise makes me feel so much better about my body, whether it looks better or not!

I think in the short term you need to give in to cravings and eat when you're hungry while breastfeeding. This is an issue that you will probably deal with when you stop.

@vincettenoir you might be right. Tried to eat less yesterday, ended up starving and having a huge dinner 😔 Same again today. Ugh. I feel pretty down about it today. Tomorrow is a new day, will try to be more balanced....