losing weight while breastfeeding - is it possible ? how?

[pinemartina]

Not sure if this should be here or on breastfeeding....

Dd 5 is 12 weeks and I am feeding on demand.
Am 3 stone heavier than before,have gained less this time -6 stone with dc4 - but feel tons bigger,probably due to having 5th dc at 42!

Have lost weight previously with Slimming world,but have no time to do anything except sort out dc's now...

Eating is my main reward in a hectic day.Sweet things and butter are so calming!

I probably shouldn't be worrying about this yet,but I am hot and uncomfortable and none of my last summers clothes will go up past my knees.

I'm gaining not losing,too...

I believe cutting down calories will affect milk supply?

I used to go running....can barely leave the sofa, except to cook,wash, separate squabbling dc's..

Any ideas?

Yeah I wouldn't cut calories whilst you're still breastfeeding. I lost all my extra weight within 2 months because of breastfeeding but I know it doesn't work for everyone like that. However, I used to eat little and often rather than big meals. I too had a sweet tooth - still do - so sometimes this meant spreading out a share-size bag of m&ms throughout the day!!

So my suggestion is grazing rather than big meals; think it's easier on the metabolism. Swapping the odd cake for a banana too, but as I say, I wouldn't diet whilst bf.

L x

ps I used to go running too. Those were the days...

pps - your FIFTH!! You legend!

I went on a low fat dietvwhen bf dd1 as I had gallstones and I was hoping this would settle them down enough to mean I could defer surgery. It did and I lost loads of weight and dd1 thrived. Your body prioritises the milk for baby so even malnourished mums produce enough milk. So you can diet and bf. It's up to you if you want to obviously. I am bf 4 week dd2 and am attempting to diet - not seriously yet as too soon. I'm lucky that bf does not make me crave sweet stuff though.

I lost 3 stone in the first year of bfing.
I wouldn't do anything extreme, just eat sensibly and try and exercise (tho I'm guessing you don't have much time for that!) and the weight will slowly come off.
it's changing habits like reaching for an apple instead of a biscuit etc.....

I'm doing weight watchers and exclusively breastfeeding. They give you extra points to cover it. I'm losing weight and it hasn't affected my milk.

I waited till DD was 16 weeks before I started though as I had an ELCS and wanted to make sure feeding was established.

I found it v difficult to lose weight while bfing. Eating healthily, walking and cycling lots etc made no different. Bfing just seemed to see me hanging on to the weight (presumably in case of a sudden famine ).

I had to take up quite serious exercise. I run 4/5 times a week. It's hard when you're stuck in a cycle, tired, craving sugar and not seeing results but if you've run before you know it's always tough at first but improves very quickly.

You can diet while bfing. Of course you can. Not silly starvation diets or depriving yourself as you'll just feel crappy. Your body will look after your baby first and you second.

What ages are the others? Can you put the youngest in a sling/pram and take them all out on long walks, takes lists of things for everybody to look for like leaves and different coloured flowers etc if they're of an age to respond.

Eat healthily and perhaps a walk rather than a run in the early days.

It is hard when you are tired as sugar = instant energy, but if you can break this cycle then that will help.

Ds2 is 6months bf and I have lost all excess weight. This hasn't affected milk supply, for me of course (you may be different).

I also did Weight Watchers whilst breastfeeding - like AlCrowley said you get plenty of extra points and I've found it harder to lose weight when not breastfeeding because of that! To join, you're supposed to wait until your six week check.

2madboys is right. I started off with 30 points but because I lost 7lbs in 5 weeks, they've reduced them to 27 and it's gotten a little harder to stay within the limit.

I think you get more like 20 points when not breastfeeding!! Not sure how I'll manage if I'm still doing it once DD is weaned totally!

Thanks for all advice!

I am walking - and pushing pram uphill! But then get really hungry and eat more!
Also,evening meal is important time for me and dc's (am single mum) and I cook dinners like shepherds pie,lasagne etc.Although I probably could do low fat versions if I thought about it.

Big gap with this baby - others 14,12, 8 and 9 - so last time around I would do kids tea then make my own meal later.

I am on my own with baby during day,and pick at cake and bread and butter..not good.

Does anyone else find it expensive to have lots of fruit and veg - and low cal healthy stuff like spelt,quinoa etc..? Cake is cheaper!!!

spelt and quinoa?! what about rice and oats, cheap as chips.
We shop regularly, buy what's on offer - carrots, apples, cabbage etc, not expensive at all.
healthy food can be v cheap and simple.

I bulk out shepherds pie/lasagne/bolognaise etc with grated carrots and courgette. It doesn't change the texture or taste too much, hides the veg from DS (and me and pads out the meat with zero points.

1 500g pack of mince does the 3 of us for 3 meals this way which saves a bomb.

When shopping I tend to do it online and go straight to the Tesco fruit and Veg offers bit. I chose all of my fruit and veg from there and have whatever is on offer.

Porridge oats are cheap and filling too

It is possible - I basically lost all my baby weight while off on maternity leave with DS2 by drinking lots of water, still having treats (but little ones) and exercise - walking everywhere with him in buggy and his brother on buggy board, a couple of work outs a week. Then came back to work and piled a whole load of it back on. Ho hum. Try drinking a half litre of water every time you think you might want to eat something - 9 times out of 10 the desire for food is actually because you're thirsty. And go for healthy snacks - cherries, apples, etc. - more often than cakes and biscuits and you will do it.

the water thing is a v good point, not drinking enough has far more effect on supply than what I eat.

If you are on your won with baby during the day could you fit in some short bursts of exercise? I know you will have PLENTY to keep you busy around the house, but perhaps 20minutes/half an hour?

How about the 30 Day Shred - all about increasing your metabolism so you burn fat and lose weight. Only 20 minutes of exercise a day! You wouldn't need to follow a really strict diet with it - just try and cut back rubbish and drink lots of water.

DVD here

Thread for those on MN doing it here

I also did ww when ebf and it has worked out fine. I couldn't bear being so fat and doing nothing about it.

As a general rule, I'd say my day would go something like porridge/weetabix for brekkie with skimmed milk. LARGE salad for lunch with tuna/chicken/ham, jacket pot maybe and home cooked dinner padded out with veggies. Snack on low fat yog and fruit. Plus a small treat eg curly wurly every day

BTW - congrats! I have 6 and have to confess I found it harder after my last baby and approaching 40 to shift the flab (still working on it tbh but at least a healthy bmi now and size 10!)

I'm EBF and doing WW, started when DD was 8 weeks old, she's now 15 weeks and I've lost a stone, one more to go until I was pre-baby weight. I also couldn't bear being this fat.

Hasn't affected supply at all and you get enough points to not go hungry - I always have some 0 point soup in the freezer just in case I need to bulk a day out.

Robyn - spelt and quinoa seem to be everywhere in low carb diet plans,but will have to stick to oats and rice!
Cabbage seems to give baby stinky farts (and me)!!
Drinking gallons in this heat (water) and have weaned myself off chocolate nesquick now..

Al - do this with mince ,too.Will try online shopping ,keep meaning to.Live in the sticks so would be a good idea.

notyummy - have ordered dvd,maybe could do it with dd1 and 2 in evening

dinky - that's impressive,well done. Definitely want to shift this before returning to work ,or will have to buy more clothes.Tried on dress in shops yesterday and was horrified and miserable at view in mirror!

dotty -that's encouraging! My tummy is unlike anything I have ever seen and seems to have a life of it's own now - it was never a problem area before.

board -that's impressive too.I've gained 10 lbs since birth.

Thanks so much.I am determined to make a start x

30 day shred is hard work!

Ashamed to say I never got past about day 4

Will try again

You can lose weight while breastfeeding, but it is hard work. DD is nearly 7 months now, and I breastfed until 5 months. When she was 6 weeks old, I decided I was sick and tired of being fat, and decided to lose weight. I went on www.foodfocus.co.uk and configured myself on there - if you tick the tab that says you're pregnant or breastfeeding, it gives you a higher calorie allowance. Since DD was 6 weeks, I've lost nearly 3 stone, mainly through calorie counting, although I did start off low carbing. I found the weight fell off at a consistent 1 and a half pounds a week until I weaned, then it took an extra kick start to get the weight loss going again (which was when I started taking Alli and doing the 30 day shred).

I did find after the first couple of weeks low carbing, my desire for sweet food and starchy snacks really dropped. I replaced my usual cake/biscuit snack with fruit (stuff I really like, like mango and melon) and put a brake on over eating. I cut portions by a third, and made sure if I did have a biscuit, I wouldn't automatically get a second one.

www.fridgegraph.com/ is also really good for motivation - print your graph out and put it on the fridge, that way when you reach for a snack, or want to just graze, it will help keep you in check.

It is hard work though - really hard. It won't happen unless you really want it to - your desire to lose weight has to be greater than yur desire to eat food, and your desire for an easy life. Remember though, once you start losing weight, it affects you in more ways than you realised - I have so much more self confidence, I feel fashionable and sexy because I know I look good!

Good luck - you can do it!