weight loss while BF

[Butterfly Dawn]

How does it happen?
I have atleast 10kg to lose and 6 weeks after bub is born my scales havent budged at all.
I know some women have weight fly off while BF but Im battling not to put weight on!
HELP! I need tips, pointers anything please ladies

[MummaSue]

I've found the same thing. It's a myth for some women that bf can help with weight loss because I have certainly not found that to be the case.

[Mad Scientist]

I actually put on weight with DD1. With DD2 I lost it straightaway. The only thing I did differently was have a toddler to chase after as well as a newborn.....with DD1 I just sat on my butt and bf and ate and bf and ate and bf and ate........good food mind you, but no exercise was the killer for me. My friend didn't lose weight with either of her kids. I think sometimes it just depends on the person. How much exercise are you doing? With DD1, I just made a point of going for a walk once a day. Eventually the weight started to go, but it took a while.

[Butterfly Dawn]

I had just lost the weight I had put on with my boys when I got pregnant again. Im not doing much exercise and I suspect thats the problem, but apart from looking after the kids- who has the energy to exercise while BFding?! gosh darn it! looks like its a long slow road again think it gets harder the older you get too

[HotI]

You are only 6 weeks post partum, give yourself a break!

[Babyluv]

BF hasn't worked for me, I still have 2kgs to lose. I had to work hard to lose the weight but I've had friends who have ended up skinnier than before getting Preg because of bf.

[Nai]

BF didn't make me lose weight with DD1 but with DD2 I did the Weight Watchers BF program with some regular exercise and the weight did seem to fall off. I think the BF helped the weight shift once I started doing the right thing - because I kept doing the right thing when I stopped BF and gained 4kg!! I am now struggling to shift that!

[Butterfly Dawn]

wasnt expecting huge loss but, at 8 weeks -sorry not 6, i expected 1 kg to be gone. (sigh)

[MrsFabuloso]

You are only 6 weeks post partum, give yourself a break!

I agree. 6 weeks isn't long enough to be worrying about your weight! Bub is still sorting out feeding and when to wake/sleep. You're probably not getting alot of sleep either with 3 little ones to run around after. I am just now begining to be able to really focus on myself and my eating and I am nearly 7months post partum. I have never lost weight whilst bfing either. If you want some inspiration, come and join us in the weightloss thread!

[Ginger]

i didn't lose any weight while breastfeeding, but did lose some when i stopped. so go easy on yourself hun and just try to eat healthily and get some exercise.

[MummaSue]

You are only 6 weeks post partum, give yourself a break!

What's my excuse then?

[PumpkinZulu]

Unfortunately I don't think there *are* any tips or pointers...I think it just depends on the person. I put on about 14kg during preg and had lost it all by a week post partum. I lost an extra 4kg in the next week, so I'm actually lighter than pre preg. I think it depends on lots of factors including diet, exercise, stress, and just different types of people.

[Butterfly Dawn]

Hey PZ, how you goin hun? Thats a huge amount of weight! But u been under huge stress too. Hope things are looking up for you

[Sterla]

Breastfeeding hasn't made me lose weight - however, in the past few weeks I have started eating better and doing a little bit of exercise and I am noticing the weight coming off quite easily. I think breastfeeding is just helping it come off a little quicker than it usually would. Everyone is different of course.

I agree with the others though - 6 weeks is very early to be worrying about losing weight. Give yourself some time . I started when DD was about 12 weeks.

[Heaven]

I seem to lose lots while BFing but I am only around 50kg normally and put on almost 20kg when pregnant so I have a lot to lose that's not normally there. But I also find it doensn't come off that quickly. I really start to lose more when baby is around 5-6 months old. Maybe because they're getting bigger and hungrier and drinking more. I am always starving when BFing! So I think it must take a lot out of me.

Don't worry, it will happen, there's no rush. It took 9 months to put it on, give yourself at least that to get it off!

[krystals]

I've lost a heap of weight over the last year and I'm not sure any of it is due to breastfeeding!!! The problem with 'relying' on BFing to lose weight is that you don't count all the extra hours you have sitting on your behind when your bub is still so tiny. You simply might not be moving as much as you did pre=pregnancy. I found I started losing weight when I started exercising, but DS was at least 4 months old (I think) by then. Let you body heal before you strain it hun xxxx Enjoy the newborn cuddles and watching bubba grow, that's your biggest job right now, not to lose weight xxxx *hugs*

Oh, I just wanted to clarify that the weightlosss has been slooooooow. Less than 3kgs a month. Some weeks I put on weight.... remember you BBs weigh a fair bit now too! LOL

[kelebek]

I actually put it on while bf (I don't think it as due to bf as I bf until DS was 33 mnths old) but I have lost 10+ kg and realised recently that I lost most of it after I weaned. When I was bf, especially when DS was feeding regularly, I was always hungry and I just don't seem as hungry as I was.

I remember reading that it takes 9 mnths to have a bub and that we should be gentle on ourselves and give ourselves at least 9 mnths before we even begin to worry about that. I think adjusting to life with a newborn plus other kids (or not as was my case) is enough in those early mnths

[Boo Boo]

Gosh, I am five months down the track and wondering when it is going to happen. I am normally about 53 kg, put on 20 kg pregnant, lost 10 kg right away and still have another 10 to go, but I just feel like it will never happen. I have this theory, that it is mother natures way of making sure we have enough fat on us to feed our babies???? Anyway, I am so envious of all those ladies who it just drops off while bf'ing. It usually happens when I stop bf'ing and I have more energy to exercise, etc. At the moment, I am just hungry for carbs and sugar! It will happen...