Breastfeeding and weight retention

[jrossi]

Hi there. I have a five year old and a nine month old. I am still breastfeeding my nine month old and I still have about 15 pounds to lose. It is really hard for me to get these pounds off. It seems that maybe I lose about 1 pound every 2-3 weeks.

I was wondering....Any of you ladies out there who nursed....did you think it was harder to lose the weight?

I am eating and drinking to hunger and thirst. I generally watch what I eat. It just seems like this fat around my mid-section won't go away.

I nursed my five year old until he was 15 months. However, I started my period at about 6 months postpartum, after he started solids. So I think my supply dropped quickly and my son got most of his nourishment from what we were giving him at the table. I think my milk supply dropped dramatically looking back. And I lost all the weight by 7-8 months PP then.

Now I nurse about 30 min to an hour before I offer my son meals. I have not started my period again yet.

Thanks,
Jennifer

 

[MSJ]

I have not found that nursing prevents me from losing post partum weight, but a lot of women do complain of this.

I have found that aging has made it harder to lose weight and I have to be much more careful to watch what I eat.

If you lose 1 lb every 2-3 weeks, you'll have lost it all within a year and that's not bad--hang in there.

Maggie

 

[nspaulding3]

For me the last 10 pounds hung on for dear life until I stopped nursing. Once I stopped it seemed to me like it came off pretty easily. I just figured that maybe my body wanted to hang on to a little extra fat during that time.

 

[melanalyus]

I didn't have any problems, breastfeeding burns mega calories!

However, I have heard from women that they hung onto 5-7lbs that finally disappeared after weaning.

I nursed #2 for 15 months & #3 for 24 months (just bedtime for last 6mos or so). I found with #3 I GAINED weight after nursing. I believe it was due to less calorie burn.

I encourage you to nurse to 12 month mark. It's only 3 months away,...

~Melanie~

Jadon born 11/23/05
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94

 

[jrossi]

Thanks for your responses. I went through a lot of stress the first year after my first child was born. My in-laws divorced after infidelity and family was taking sides (we decided not to take sides). So the weight flew off plus some more from all that stress!

So with this baby we are so much more relaxed and happy. The weight just isn't budging as quickly. I will definitely try to nurse past 12 months and be very patient. Plus, I am five years older as well. Hmm.

Cathe's board here has been quite a blessing. Thank you.
Jennifer

 

[Manmohini]

Jennifer,
I have had the opposite experience. I am a first time mom at 43 with a nine-week old. I am already back to pre-pregnancy weight, and I did this without exercising and with eating too many cookies. Being 43 and having heard mega-horror stories from women about post-partum weight, I was bracing for the worst. I have been pleasantly surprised by the quick weight loss, and I attribute it to the fact that my son is a vigorous and frequent feeder at the breast. I gained 27 pounds with this pregancy, and it is all gone. I have been astounded by this because I expected to have to struggle with weight post partum, especially given my age.

So I guess we're all different when it comes to BF and weight loss.
Manmohini

 

[kristan]

I've always gained about 30 pounds and lose 23 of it within weeks. The last 7 pounds won't budge until I wean, usually at 9 months. Good luck.