Is breastfeeding making me fat?

[Lilli]

Just a question - I've been reading other posts re breastfeeding and how its helping some girls lose the baby weight, speeds up metabolism, they can "eat what they like". Well, I have the opposite problem - I feel that breastfeeding has caused me to put on weight coz it has made me ravenously hungry!!! Especially in the early days - I found that when I got home from hospital I had lost all but 600gms of my baby weight (I put on 9.5kgs) and then over the next 5 months I've put on 5 kgs!!!(and no, I'm not preggers!) Has this happened to anyone else?

I tried to diet but this made my milk supply drop dramatically - and it wasn't a psycho diet - it was the CSIRO healthy eating plan and I made sure I ate at a level recommended for b/feeding. Next, I decided to exercise and again my supply went down - it's like a conspiracy! But I would rather stay fat and have a good milk supply - is that my only option?

[Ginger]

i will be interested to hear peoples replies to this as i'm trying to lose weight while bfing as well..don't have any answers for you, but just wanted to say i hear you on the ravenous hungry. i can eat more than my 6ft1 dp for dinner..

[Rachel]

I was so psyched for this whole losing weight thing due to breast feeding...well I'm still working on losing 10kgs of baby weight and that's what I had left after I gave birth to my daughter! It didn't do a thing for me other than make me absolutely ravenous...I tried to eat the right things and walk etc but it wouldn't budge. I hope others have had more success cause I'm not one of them!

[Michelle71]

I've gained weight post pregnancy too (I lost weight pregnant - go figure ) I think mine might have a lot to do with the desire for chocolate I developed post birth. But even the increased exercise I've been doing isn't helping (and cutting back on the chocolate too)

[Ginger]

i'm exactly the same as you rachel...still got about 9kgs to lose....

[Artechim]

I have been patiently waiting for BF to make me a size 10, but have finally faced the fact that it isn't going to happen. I have noticed the weight is a lot harder to shift than it has been in the past even though I am eating better and exercising more.

[Janie]

Yep, I can eat more than my DH at dinner (and often do) and that's saying something! I'm so hungry, it's unreal. I was almost back to pre-pg weight a few weeks after giving birth, but I've put quite a bit back on. I would love to lose 8kgs, but it's just not happening!

I figure that once DS weans I can have a good crack, until then I'm stuck with being fat

[Astrid]

Initially put on weight as well, I think it was mostly due to grabbing easy/junky food when I got hungry and boy did I get hungry. Didn't start to lose weight until I was able to get out and about walking more.

[cindyb]

I fed my first princess for 15 months and never lost my baby fat (although i did get pregnant again when she was 9 months old!) Even after number 2 i never lost the weight and now i have stopped feeding I am finally going to hopefully lose some with dieting etc. i always wanted to be one of those who the weight just dropped off but NO!

[Rachel]

Oh, that's refreshing to know I'm not the only one!!!!!!!

[Keira]

Thank goodness it's not just me! I've always been the type to eat what I want and not worry about the consequences... I actually lost weight being pg but since having DD i've put on weight! And because i've tried to eat "better" my supply has dropped Can't win!

[Hoody]

I too feel like i am putting it on and not losing it but yes all i do is eat. I have been told it can take a couple of months b4 your metabolism changes so i am still hoping!!

[paradise lost]

I was someone who lost weight BFing but i do have friends who didn't lose much and some of them lost it quite quickly after they weaned so it probably depends on the person. I definitely had one friend who saw a dietician who said that the hunger can't be controlled but what you eat can, so she was supposed to eat 3 normal meals and 3 snacks and if she felt hungry in between she could anything she wanted so long as it was fruit or veggies. She was an afternoon cream-caker so that did make a difference to her. The dietician had her keep a food diary to see she was actually choosing less useful options first though and she did say that for some women they can eat exactly the amount of food their body needs to be healthy and BF and the body just doesn't let go of the extra weight, so if you know you're eating well and it isn't making any difference then it's probably down to your individual body type.

Michelle71 it might be worth having your thyroid levels checked. Moderate weight gain can be a sign of not enough thyroxine and women with hypothyroidism like mine (Hashimotos) usually lose or gain very little weight when pregnant because the natural hormones of pregnancy supress the immune response which is interfering with the thyroxine production. I gained 6kg all up from 34wks onwards (nothing before then) and lost it all on DD's birthday. It might well be just what your body does, but it's worth getting checked.

Bx

[Michelle71]

Thanks Bx - I have a family history and had it checked a few weeks ago for exactly the reasons you said. All normal so I guess I am just one of the weird ones. I'll keep getting it checked though

[Tashie]

I too hadn't lost any pregnancy weight until my bub was about 8months old, even with eating right, exercising and breast feeding. I wish that someone told me that not everyone will lose their weight breast feeding. It wasn't until I actually asked around my friends that I realised there are very few people out there that actually do lose to bf.
I started added lemon juice to my water and it is has made a world of difference. I have now lost 7kg (well I had before Christmas and I haven't weighed myself since). I think everyone is different and for some it is about fixing what you eat and others exercise and some of us out there will always have a weight problem. But don't let it get to you. Enjoy feeding your bubs and once they are running, you'll lose it all then chasing them around.

[Lilli]

Wow! I was beginning to feel like I was the only one who wasn't losing weight whilst breastfeeding - phew!! So basically, if u try to diet or exercise too much, it's common for supply to go down? I wonder if the drop in supply is temporary or permanent? (I was too chicken to find out - I went straight back to eating "normally").

Tashie - did u lose weight just by squeezing lemon into ur water ? How did u lose 7kgs? Did ur supply go down?

[AnyDream]

I definitely had one friend who saw a dietician who said that the hunger can't be controlled but what you eat can, so she was supposed to eat 3 normal meals and 3 snacks and if she felt hungry in between she could anything she wanted so long as it was fruit or veggies. She was an afternoon cream-caker so that did make a difference to her. The dietician had her keep a food diary to see she was actually choosing less useful options first though and she did say that for some women they can eat exactly the amount of food their body needs to be healthy and BF and the body just doesn't let go of the extra weight, so if you know you're eating well and it isn't making any difference then it's probably down to your individual body type.

My dietician said the same thing - and has taken the same tack. It's gotta be healthy healthy healthy all the way and bulk up your diet with mega-fibre otherwise you will eat excess calories due to hunger and either maintain or increase your weight. It's about eating bulk without eating too much energy-dense foods. It seems to be working - apart from christmas I'm losing whereas after my first DD (when I ate normally to hunger) I think I gained over the 18 mth lactation.

[Jennifer13]

It's a good point to make sure what you're snacking on is healthy and it has an additional benefit in that when bubs starts to eat solids (and your food) you're so used to pulling a piece of fruit out to have a snack you hardly miss the junk alternatives (I say hardly, 'cause I still do, and sneak them after dinner sometimes!). Also, I figure I'm providing her with nutrients thru bm, so better that we both get the good stuff.

I'm not trying to lose what and bfing didn't make me gain any but I hear you on the hunger! I'm still bfing and she's almost two and I still get hungry, altho not as bad as in the early days.