# "weight falls off breastfeeding" - How??!!



## mishelly (Dec 2, 2005)

For those of you who had your weight "Fall off" breastfeeding - how did this happen??!! I want to know your secret!

How many calories a day do you think you are/were eating? I know we are supposed to eat 300-500 calories more than pre-preg, but I have no idea what pre-preg calories for me was! I never figured it out, so I have no idea what I should be eating now!

If I want the weight to "melt off", how many calories do I need to eat a day?

Any exercise?

How long did it take for the weight to "melt off"?

Any comments would be appreciated!! Thanks!


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## kalirush (Jun 14, 2005)

I ate tons early on (I don't know how many calories) and I definitely didn't start exercising until maybe four months on. I was below my pre-preg weight at 6 weeks, and my weight has stayed low. I definitely need as many calories as when I was pregnant now, I'm hungry all the time.

I don't think there's a secret, I think it just happens. Sorry I can't be more helpful...

Julia


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## mama_at_home (Apr 27, 2004)

I am nursing 3 kids-my newborn twins and my toddler, so I figured the weight would come melting off. Wrong! I actually started GAINING weight. I am slowly losing weight now, but only because I am eating less. I don't get those women who lose weight breastfeeding, either.


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## BurgundyElephant (Feb 17, 2006)

I just talked to my Doctor about this yesterday, as I also had no idea how many calories I should be eating.

Now, keep in mind that I have no intention of actually counting calories... just more of a guideline, really. I also know that I need to exercise so that I can tone up and work on my aerobic capabilities.

Anyway, I currently weigh 165 pounds. To lose weight and get to my goal of 130 pounds, I need to be eating between 800-1000 calories a day... PLUS since I'm nursing I need to add 400 calories to that. Now, my Doctor also said that I should work down to this amount, and if I start feeling too tired of my milk supply drops to up a little and stay at that level, perhaps increasing my exercise. Keep in mind I lost about 30 pounds the first month I had the baby (fluid, most of it), and haven't lost any weight for the last two months... because I'm eating too much.

The weight with the first two wasn't really a problem. I just didn't snack as much and was more busy. I'm more sedentiary now, and that's a problem.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

The women who had babies this past year in dh's family (note, while it seems like I'm judging them or something, I'm actually only noticing their weight so much because I'm concerned with my own.):

Woman 1: Slightly overweight before pregnancy, ended up exclusively pumping to 9 months. Lost most of the pregnancy weight within a month or so mainly from having a baby who wanted to be walked and bounced all the time. Since switching to formula and her baby becoming more complacent about not being carried everywhere, she's put on a bit of weight

Woman 2: Obese before pregnancy. Lost most of the pregnancy weight within a few months, probably from nursing as exercising was difficult. Seems to be maintaining about the same weight.

Woman 3: Slender before pregnancy. Lost all of the pregnancy weight nearly instantly. Is now too thin because she's too busy to make herself food and she just did not like how she looked when she was heavy. Her previous response to feeling too heavy was to eat less until she was back to a reasonable weight, but she knew she couldn't do that during pregnancy and as a result she's let herself overshoot the usual point where she starts eating more. Baby is highly active, which makes her get lots of excercise without trying. Due to her work schedule, baby ends up with quite a bit of pumped milk, but no formula.

Basically, it looks like breastfeeding helps your body get back to it's usual pre-pregnancy state. It won't actually help you become more fit.


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## bri276 (Mar 24, 2005)

yeah it all depends on the person. I weigh 10 lbs less than I did pre-pregnancy but I don't feel healthy because of it- I often forget breakfast and dont' eat anything until 2 pm, plus by pumping I make more than DD consumes, so while I do think bf'ing has helped, I don't get nearly as many calories as I should. I tend to eat a snack, a lunch, and a big dinner and that's it.


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## Bartock (Feb 2, 2006)

I really don't know how I lost so much weight so far it just as you put it fell off LOL. I lost 20lbs after the birth been 6 month now and I am almost at my pre preg weight from my 1st preg over 5 years ago. I don't exercise(I should) and don't have a special diet, just eat what I want when I want. Sorry can't help ya there, but I hope things will go how you want them to.


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## IansMommy (Jun 14, 2005)

mishelly...I could have written your post. Postpartum I was 165, and that's after the initial 30 lbs of water weight that came off in the first 2 weeks. Then I was just stuck at 165. I am doing weight watchers now (with an extra 10 points for nursing, and it is working. I am finally down to 145, and just need to lose 10 more. I did realize (after starting the program) that I do a lot of snacking. However, I also know that my body holds onto weight when I nurse. After weaning, I seem to lose it more quickly.


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## elmh23 (Jul 1, 2004)

Give it some more time. I lost 20lbs at the beginning (baby, baby home, blood, etc) and then stalled. Some how by the time dd was 10 months, I was back at my pre-pregnancy weight. I'd love to say I ate healthy and excerised, but I didn't do a thing. I ate what I wanted and chased after my baby (she crawled at 5 months and was walking at 9) and that's it. Oh and I gained 50lbs during my pregnancy, just so you know.

Also, some womans bodies like to hold onto the weight and there is nothing you can do about it. After you wean, it should be easier to get off if your body is one that does that. Good luck!


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## Marlet (Sep 9, 2004)

It took some time for me. DD is 11 months and the weight is just barely "melting" off me. It took about 6 months to get back to my prepreg weight (that was without exercise and eating when I was hungry in amounts that satisifed me). By 9 months it was starting to look tighter and not just like excess/looser skin.


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## RiverSky (Jun 26, 2005)

I think the trick is to eat healthful food, nutritious food, vitamin and nutrient enriched food and leave out most everything else. Also, when nursing I found that I needed to eat 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks, always healthy. And I made sure to have at least 3 food groups represented per meal and 2 or 3 per snack. I lost the 35 lbs I gained with my first child in 6 weeks and the 33 lbs I gained with my second child in 4 or 6 days (I can't remember which). It took a while before my belly looked the same (both were c-sections and it took time for the muscles to heal and hold my stomach in the same way) but I guess the weight just melted off, since I wasn't doing any exercise, besides walking with a stroller occasionally and daily household tasks.

Perhaps it had to do with how much you gained during pregnancy?


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

I lost a huge chunk of weight in the first two months, then stayed at ~20 heavier than I was pre-baby without doing anything specifically diet/exercise related. By nine months post-partum (thinking along the lines of nine months on nine months off) I was ~10lbs above my pre-baby weight without chaning my diet or exercise.

At 9 months I overhauled my diet to make it a bit more healthy and added 20 minutes of exercise to my nightly routine (usually a "rubber band" program while watching a little night time TV). At a year post partum I weigh ~10lbs less than I did pre-baby and my milk supply has remained constant throughout.

I think weight loss while nursing is really genetic...and if your weight isn't falling off, then a slow and sensible approach to altering your diet and getting more exercise is the way to go!


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## zjande (Nov 4, 2002)

When I had my 1st baby, I lost all my pregnancy weight by 3 weeks PP. It just "fell off"! With my 2nd, I exercised a lot, but never lost all the weight until I stopped breastfeeding. Now, with my 3rd, I'm just stuck at 20lbs. over my pre-pg weight & I WISH bfeeding would make it melt off!!







I want to diet but don't feel comfortable doing so while bfeeding. So, I eat very healthily, exercise (not nearly as much as I wish I were), & don't expect to lose every pound until after I'm bfeeding.







: Darn pregnancy chub.


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## krizty (Dec 31, 2005)

I eat the same as I did prepregnancy. I lose on average 5 lbs a week. It doesnt look like it because I just resumed my prepregnancy workout.

My hips are still bigger and my tummy still has quite a bit of flab. Otherwise, my face and arms and legs are the same as they were prepregnancy. Yet I only have 7 lbs to go to reach my before weight.

I think you can keep losing weight as long as you start off taking it easy and just bf. Then if you add in some running and situps, pushups etc. at about 6 weeks pp you will do just fine losing your weight.

My average food intake is something like this since I am a working mom..

Dunkin donuts for breakfast - Blueberry muffin and extra large coffee
Burger King salad or Salad from Taco Bell
Something of my choice for dinner... Usually its Steak, mac n cheese, spaghetti or chicken.

I buy watermelon and strawberries to snack on when I get the munchies.


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## swebster (Dec 7, 2004)

I don't know about calories, but I eat _*alot*_! I'm currently 15 or so lbs below my prepregnancy weight and would like to put at least that much back on, so I'm eating lots of avacados, nuts and protein shakes. I'm vegan, so gaining weight is more difficult....not alot of high fat foods in my normal diet. Bea is 9 months old and still what I consider EBF, even though she eats solid food whenever she can wrestle it away from me









I was really surprised how quickly the weight fell off...even with my limited diet I eat whatever and whenever I want and the quantities are pretty astounding sometimes. I don't excercise, per se, but I do walk everywhere and I do carry Bea all the time (my wiggly 20 lb weight), so I'm sure that helps.


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## rmzbm (Jul 8, 2005)

Not sure about calories & anything SPECIFIC as to how it works...but I DO know that my DD isn't even 3 weeks old yet & I weight LESS than I did before conceiving her. And with mega boobs than makes for one kick-arse body!!







BFing is wonderful!!


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## ~Nikki~ (Aug 4, 2004)

With my first child, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by the time she was 6 months old. I had gained 80lbs during the pregnancy. I lost it all with absolutely zero exercise (the c-section caused pain for quite a few months). I have no idea about the calories. I've never paid too much attention to calorie counting.

With my second child, I got on the scale this morning and discovered that I'm finally back to my pre-pregnancy weight. He is 10 months old. I had gained 50lbs during the pregnancy with him. I was having a lot of trouble losing the last 10lbs or so. But a few weeks ago, we started him on solids, and suddenly I found my appetite went down quite a bit. The weight truly did "melt off." I lost the last 10lbs in the span of 2 weeks, and I wasn't doing anything special.


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## justmama (Dec 24, 2002)

I lost literally 50lbs in less than 6months after having dd just by breastfeeding. I was a bit overweight to begin with, didn't gain at all during pregnancy(lost actually) and then lost after giving birth. Currently I weigh 120lbs on a GOOD day that I'm eating well. I struggle keeping weight on. I'm not doing any exercise other than chasing around my own 15month old and the 16month old I watch during the week and my 5year old. So with 3 kids to care for, and a nursing toddler, I have my hands full. I'm constantly running around with the kids playing soccer or chasing the babies around the playground(we have no fenced in playgrounds here) and most times a meal is a quick protein/fruit/yogurt smoothie. I prefer to drink my meals most times because it's all I can grab on the go. I have a very active parenting lifestyle but not a very active lifestyle in going places and doing things. I think just chasing the babies has burned off the food I eat. I am CONSTANTLY snacking but never gain any weight.

Meg


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## bass chick (Sep 7, 2005)

I too wonder how weight can just "fall off". With pg#1 I started at 112 lbs and gained to 138 lbs (26 lbs). I came home from the hospital after giving birth weighing 130. It took a month to get down to 125 (I don't consider 5 lbs in a month to be weight just "falling off") and I very slowly lost to 115 over about 6 months. Mind you, I was eating 3 or 4 nicely stacked sandwiches for lunch and then complaining about being hungry 2 hours later. I'm a bit of a pig I guess. I never did lose all my pregnancy weight and now I am pg again. I have had several people tell me that with some people the weight starts to "fall off" after you are done nursing and that with some people while you are nursing the weight tends to cling more. I don't know if that is true for me, because DS still nurses and soon another little one will be nursing. The thing that has bothered me the most, is that even though I was only 3 lbs more than my pre-preg weight (before I got PG again), my clothes did not fit....I could not even button up some pants that were loose pre-preg!!
I'm crossing my fingers that this next time around, the weight will just fall off. It could happen, right?? lalalalalalalalaaa...


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## dove (Jun 13, 2005)

I'm not sure how this happens, it just did for me...
I lost all of the weight I had gained during the pregnancy by postpartum day 2. (25#) and despite eating upwards of 4000 plus calories per day for months, I was down another 25 pounds by 2 months post partum. So, I was at 110# at 5'7. My baby was (is) a voracious nurser, he nursed so many times in a 24 hour period the first 6-8 months that I lost count of how many times a day he nursed. It was pretty much all I did. He still nurses a lot (15 months) round the clock but nowhere near before. My weight has finally settled down at 120, and I look healthy. I still eat a lot and notice that if I get a lot of exercise I will drop 4-5 pounds like overnight. I have to watch it. I noticed that once my fertility returned at 12 months postpartum the weight started sticking a little more and I could cut back on my calories. (our food bill was unbelieveable!).

So, I think it is your body type/composition before pregnancy, genetics, weight prepregnancy, how much you gain in the pregnancy, how much baby nurses, etc. Seems there are a lot of factors.


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## dove (Jun 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BurgundyElephant*
I just talked to my Doctor about this yesterday, as I also had no idea how many calories I should be eating.

Now, keep in mind that I have no intention of actually counting calories... just more of a guideline, really. I also know that I need to exercise so that I can tone up and work on my aerobic capabilities.

Anyway, I currently weigh 165 pounds. To lose weight and get to my goal of 130 pounds, I need to be eating between 800-1000 calories a day... PLUS since I'm nursing I need to add 400 calories to that. Now, my Doctor also said that I should work down to this amount, and if I start feeling too tired of my milk supply drops to up a little and stay at that level, perhaps increasing my exercise. Keep in mind I lost about 30 pounds the first month I had the baby (fluid, most of it), and haven't lost any weight for the last two months... because I'm eating too much.

The weight with the first two wasn't really a problem. I just didn't snack as much and was more busy. I'm more sedentiary now, and that's a problem.

I would recommend seeing a nutritionist, not having your doc tell you cals, unless he/she is really skilled in nutrition. This # of cals (800-1000) is super-low, starvation diet low. I would worry that your base # of cals would cause you to lose milk supply (even if you add 400)...
just a friendly suggestion...


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## Persephone (Apr 8, 2004)

Ditto the PP. I read that the LEAST amt of calories to consume when you're bfing is 1800. And if you're consuming such a small amt, then you might actually end up having your body hold onto extra weight, because it thinks its starving.


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## RiverSky (Jun 26, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dove*
I would recommend seeing a nutritionist, not having your doc tell you cals, unless he/she is really skilled in nutrition. This # of cals (800-1000) is super-low, starvation diet low. I would worry that your base # of cals would cause you to lose milk supply (even if you add 400)...
just a friendly suggestion...









That amount of calories sounds really extremely low to me.

Everything I have ever heard talked about it not being safe to diet in the first year of breastfeeding. I do agree with eating healthfully and minimizing foods that aren't highly nutritious, but I don't agree with such a low caloric amount. A nutritionist should be able to give MUCH better advice than a doctor who might or might not know what he/she is talking about.


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## Momma Aimee (Jul 8, 2003)

I only gained 27 pounds while pregant.

my ds is 21 weeks old.

by say week 10 -- first time i weighed --i was at my "getting pregant weight".

I fit my pre-pregncy jeans in the hosptial to come home (didn't wear them, they hurt the tear, but i did fit them and could have).

by week 18 i was below the weight i was at conception.

i have no idea how.

he eats constantly -- he laches on to sleep and sleeps that way.

i eat as much as his mood will allow me to make and eat.

i am always hungery -- so i am always eating.

I made no efforts to loose weight, it just happened.

The only thing i can think of vs pre-pregancy is no soda -- i gave it up when TTC. butttttttttttttt i was drinking diet before anyway.........

the only diet thing i do -- is i TRY (try, not 100% success0 to eat only foods i would actually feed ds if i was putting it in his mouth -- and i am working really hard on more fruits and veggies.

Aimee


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## Ammaarah (May 21, 2005)

I was chatting on another board with some BFing moms about this issue. I said that my appetite is increased while nursing, which I believe is normal, but rather than naturally eating a peanut butter sandwich or a couple pieces of fruit, my appetite is way out of proportion to the calories I use nursing. Like, eat a giant bowl of pasta followed by a burrito out of proportion!







Some of them had this issue as well! Several of us had initially lost and then regained. I don't know if it's old habits creeping back in, the fact that some of us were working outside the home but are now SAHMs and getting less activity that way, or a combination of factors, but it hasn't fallen off! Oh well, it's still wonderful.


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