I've posted before. I'm pregnant and very worried about losing weight after the baby is born. Mostly b/c I have never weighed this much before (not even while pg with my first) and I feel the extra weight I put on before becoming pg this time combined w/ my pregnancy weight gain has really put a strain on my body not to mention it's caused problems in my marriage which is very upsetting to me. I still have not decided on whether or not I'm going to breast-feed. I do not feel completely devoted to trying and I'm also returning to work after 8 weeks so I hate to get started and then interupt the baby's schedule to start supplementing or formula feeding all the time. Pumping is just not an option for me. I ended up formula feeding my son after trying to breast feed him for a while but it just didn't work out so he was formula fed and I think it worked out fine. This time I'm still not sure what I'll end up doing. A previous poster and also some friends of mine that have expereinced this have said that while breastfeeding helped get their uterus back to it's normal size faster, they really didn't loose much weight until after they weaned and stopped lactating b/c their bobies just would not release fat stores b/c it was producting milk. After they stopped b/f their butts and legs etc... started slimming. Yet, articles online suggest the opposite. Who's Correct?
Weight Loss After Weaning
- Thread starter pawab
- Start date
Hi! I don't know the answer to your question--I'm sure that Cathy or Shelia will answer it...I, too, have read conflicting information about this, so I am curious...
I'm sort of in the same place as you are about breastfeeding. I will be going back to work after about 10 weeks and pumping is not an option for me. My plan is to breastfeed at least 8 weeks...we'll see how it goes.
Please don't feel badly about your weight gain--remember, you WILL get the weight off after the baby--it just may take some time--be kind to yourself and your body right now. I have found that working out throughout my pregnancy ( I am 23 weeks) has helped me TREMENDOUSLY with body image. I thought that when I got pregnant (this is my first) that I would be depressed about gaining weight and not being able to work out at the level I was accustomed to. I did struggle with this a bit early in my pregnancy, but now I have adjusted workout routines and schedules and feel pretty good. I do worry about getting the weight off after the baby comes. I have thought alot about how I will incorporate working out into my life after the baby comes. Of course, until that bundle of joy comes, I have no idea what it will REALLY be like to find the time to exercise, but, it helps me to think about it and have an action plan (one that has to be flexible). Do things that make you feel comfortable with your body--exercise, read, shop, meditate, relax, etc.
I'm sort of in the same place as you are about breastfeeding. I will be going back to work after about 10 weeks and pumping is not an option for me. My plan is to breastfeed at least 8 weeks...we'll see how it goes.
Please don't feel badly about your weight gain--remember, you WILL get the weight off after the baby--it just may take some time--be kind to yourself and your body right now. I have found that working out throughout my pregnancy ( I am 23 weeks) has helped me TREMENDOUSLY with body image. I thought that when I got pregnant (this is my first) that I would be depressed about gaining weight and not being able to work out at the level I was accustomed to. I did struggle with this a bit early in my pregnancy, but now I have adjusted workout routines and schedules and feel pretty good. I do worry about getting the weight off after the baby comes. I have thought alot about how I will incorporate working out into my life after the baby comes. Of course, until that bundle of joy comes, I have no idea what it will REALLY be like to find the time to exercise, but, it helps me to think about it and have an action plan (one that has to be flexible). Do things that make you feel comfortable with your body--exercise, read, shop, meditate, relax, etc.
A
Andrea
Guest
I have a 3 mo. old baby and bf for 9 weeks. I lost all but 10 lbs in the first couple weeks after delivery. I haven't bf for 3 weeks now and still have a little milk, but my jeans are slowly getting less tight. I think everyone is different though. I've had friends who lost weight easier while bf and those who couldn't lose any until they stopped. Just don't let guilt push you into bfing if you don't want to do it. You want to enjoy those precious 8 weeks with your little angel!
Andrea
Andrea
I bf'd for 6 mos (would have gone longer - but had supply problems from the get-go due to her being in NICU for her first week of life, and then the regular special care nursery for another 2 wks. Pumping doesn't work the same way a baby does when you are trying to est. a milk supply.)
I found that breast feeding did cause me to lose a lot of weight, but that I didn't lose the last "10 pounds" until after I stopped making milk.
In my case, this isn't a big deal - I'm going to BF this child and hopefully be ablet o make enough milk until she wants to wean - i'll hopefully have better luck pumping this time, since my milk will already be established when I go back to work (after 3 mos - taking 3 mos w/o pay).
I found that breast feeding did cause me to lose a lot of weight, but that I didn't lose the last "10 pounds" until after I stopped making milk.
In my case, this isn't a big deal - I'm going to BF this child and hopefully be ablet o make enough milk until she wants to wean - i'll hopefully have better luck pumping this time, since my milk will already be established when I go back to work (after 3 mos - taking 3 mos w/o pay).
To answer your specific question about weight loss, I found that nursing helped me to lose ALL of my pregnancy weight, PLUS SOME. Very quickly! I actually had to actively try to eat much more than I was used to, because I was looking downright sickly I was so skinny. Seriously. So, you won't necessarily hold on to any baby weight just because you are nursing - different people respond differently. A number of my friends had the same response to nursing that I had, so I'm not some bizarre freak of nature or something. 
As a side note, I would *highly* recommend that you start off nursing. I'm sure you've already read this a million times, but the health benefits are just *so* great. Even if it can only be full-time for a short while, you may be able to nurse in the mornings and evenings after you return to work. It would be such a nice way to reconnect with your baby after you get home as well. If you can't do that, those first weeks would do your baby SO much good.
As someone who is still nursing an 18 month old (who has never had a drop of formula, and I work full time), this is a subject very near and dear. Sorry if it sounded preachy at all - I just really feel strongly that babies deserve their mother's milk, even if it has to be for a short period of time.
m.
As a side note, I would *highly* recommend that you start off nursing. I'm sure you've already read this a million times, but the health benefits are just *so* great. Even if it can only be full-time for a short while, you may be able to nurse in the mornings and evenings after you return to work. It would be such a nice way to reconnect with your baby after you get home as well. If you can't do that, those first weeks would do your baby SO much good.
As someone who is still nursing an 18 month old (who has never had a drop of formula, and I work full time), this is a subject very near and dear. Sorry if it sounded preachy at all - I just really feel strongly that babies deserve their mother's milk, even if it has to be for a short period of time.
m.
Just wanted to say that I have lost all 23 pounds I gained plus 6 more sine my baby was born 9 weeks ago. I also am having to try to make myself eat enough so I don't lose any more. It's been the greatest confidence booster that my pre-pregnancy clothes are looser than ever. I guess it's different for everyone, though.
Emily
Emily
mogambo
Cathlete
I nursed my baby for 24 months. She went from breast to cup. I lost all the weight in the first 2 or 3 months and had to eat a lot to keep breastfeeding. I was starving! Especially the first 6 months when she ate no solid foods. After that, my periods returned, I nursed less and everything stabilized. Eat quality food in moderate quantities, whatever you decide to do, and exercise as soon as you safely can. Take care of yourself, it'll be fine.
kristieschultz
Cathlete
I think this does work differently for different people. I have been nursing my daughter for 18 months. For the first year I exercised on a very inconsistent basis. The nursing clearly helped me to lose weight, but I was still about 10 pounds heavier than before I became pregnant. Then, about 4 months ago, (still nursing) I decided to get back in shape and started doing Cathe's weight training and cardio tapes (also tae bo). I'm still about 5 pounds over my normal weight and I think it may be the fat stores, but I've also thought that it could be water weight because I drink so much water when I work out now.
Please don't let the possibility that nursing may cause you to keep on several extra pounds dissuade you from nursing. Honestly, I would be more worried about fitting exercise into your life with work and the new baby. Getting back into shape is going to be tough. Especially because you had on extra weight before you got pregnant. Nursing for the first couple of months will probably actually help you start losing some of that weight before you start getting back into a work out routine. Plus, it's the best food for your new little baby.
Please don't let the possibility that nursing may cause you to keep on several extra pounds dissuade you from nursing. Honestly, I would be more worried about fitting exercise into your life with work and the new baby. Getting back into shape is going to be tough. Especially because you had on extra weight before you got pregnant. Nursing for the first couple of months will probably actually help you start losing some of that weight before you start getting back into a work out routine. Plus, it's the best food for your new little baby.