Did you hold onto weight while BFing? - Page 2

[averlee]

I gained 40 pounds during pregnancy, and lost most of that during the birth. (Baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, and at least a gallon of poo, sweat, and tears, lol!) Those last 10-20 pounds hung around until just after my daughter's 2nd birthday. We're still nursing, she's almost 3, and I'm back at my pre-preg weight.

[Inspired007]

At first I thought that I held onto weight while bf’ing but then I realized that it was likely a combination of a lot of different factors. Over the last 3 months (my son is 5 months old) I’ve lost 25 lbs with diet and exercise. What I noticed is that since this was my second baby and I’m now over 30 that I really had to step it up a notch to get the weight off. Prior to my first child, I could do cardio 3-4 times a week for 30 mins a day and the weight would drip off. After my daughter, that maybe went to 4-5 times a week for 30 mins a day. This time, my metabolism was so screwy that it has taken me 5-6 days of cardio a week at 45-50 mins a day PLUS weight training 2-3 days a week for toning. I am now at my goal weight, which is 15 lbs lighter than I was prior to my second baby (and 10 lbs lighter than my first). I stick to a fairly controlled diet of about 1500-1800 cals a day which is a modest reduction in calories for my weight/height (I'm rarely hungry b/c I snack healthily during the day). I burn roughly 400-600 cals a day with cardio and strength training. Once I stepped up the cardio and strength, the weight started dripping off again at a rate of about 1-2 lbs a week depending. I am happy because my body has retained it's shape and I don't look all that different from how I did in college.

I think that the “nursing and holding on to weight” thing can be overcome but you may have to go over and beyond what is usually “normal” for you to find the happy medium. It seems like you're already fairly active, but maybe your body is too used to your fitness regimen. You could try mixing up the type of cardio you do in order to challenge your body a bit more. Our bodies go through so much before, during, and after childbirth and they don’t always respond to the same stimuli the same way as before. Good luck!

[OMWMom]

I definitely retain 5-7 lbs while breastfeeding. The scale will stay still on one number regardless of how much or how little I eat or exercise.

[mamaw/two]

I not only hold onto weight, but actually gain while bfing. I don't eat any differently or any more. My 4th lo is 11 monthes old and I am still 15lbs heavier then a few days after his birth. I was determined not to let it happen again for the fourth time, so when he was 4 weeks old I started working out. I worked out for about 6 weeks, just brisk walking and weight training... I gained 10lbs. I was so frusterated that I quit for a month. I started back up at 4 monthes pp, I went hard core and was doing weights 4x a week, 45 mins of cardio 5-6x a week, 50 min pilates class 2x a week...I gained 10lbs more. After about 4 monthes of that I was exhausted (I had to get up 2 hrs before everyone to get to the gym, then get home, shower, and get 4 kids dressed and ready to drive ODD to school, and of course at night I still went to bed later then everyone with trying to get dinner made, lunches packed, homework done, baths, and bedtime!) I also have low thyroid, so that's part of my problem. I quit working out when he was 8 monthes old and quit dieting, I have lost 5lbs since then and get 2 extra hrs of sleep everynight! I'm going to just try to eat reasonably, go for nice walks and bike rides with my kids and not stress about the weight. When it starts coming off on it's own, then I will go back to my hard core workout.

[ewe+lamb]

Originally Posted by PoppyMama

I can do you one up...I gain weight. I weigh more at 9 months post than I did a couple of days after. Sucks. Really sucks.

This is me as well, I loose weight when pg and put it on while bfing, ds is starting to reduce significantly the bfing and I'm starting to loose now - I shalln't tell you how long this has been going on - that'd be just too depressing!!!

I walk everywhere and do 1 hour of cardio aerobics every day too! I remember feeling really cheated when every.single.doctor.midwife said how much weight I'd loose when breastfeeding - although that wasn't my goal but to actually put it on and eat less than other bfing mothers, I felt like my body was failing me, guess it's just the way we're made differently .... sigh

[bcblondie]

I find that breastfeeding just makes me so dang hungry that I run out of healthy options and start eating junk. I mean. When you've had your 3 (or 4) healthy meals, plus like, yoghurt, fruits and veggies for snacks etc, you start to run out of snack ideas and reach for the chocolate. lol.

I did manage to lose the last pound but MAN it took work. I really had to count my calories. I used myfitnesspal.com.
I find exercise is overrated for weightloss, as you burn say, 200 calories in a good walk, but often eat slightly more or (conciously or subconciously) treat youreslf afterwards. A small bowl of icecream runs you 200 cals easily.

[tri31]

If I recall, I was still nursing when I got pregnant, the number on the scale was about 8 pounds more than I usually weigh. However I looked great, I was very focused on diet and exercise. So I look at the pictures at the beach last year and I see my muscles were toned and my clothes fit nicely. So is it muscle vs fat or breastfeeding? Personally I am happy with a higher number as long as I look fit. Best wishes.

[lovepiggie]

I gained 35 lbs while pregnant... I weighed myself when I was 2 days pp and I was already 18 lbs less! I lost the rest of the weight pretty quickly. I'm actually a few lbs lower than my pre pregnancy weight, but I still don't fit some of my clothes because my hips and ribcage are wider!

[mambera]

Originally Posted by lovepiggie

my hips and ribcage are wider!

Me too darnit! (It's not just the extra 7 lbs.) So I guess this is forever? I don't like it.

[noobmom]

I tend to hold onto 10 lbs while nursing, but to be honest, I'm not being that good about eating or exercising. With DS #1 I was the same, but started to lose that last little bit when he wasn't really getting much milk from me anymore. He was still nursing, but it was very sporadic and I think he was purposely avoiding stimulating my milk supply (nursing for comfort only). Of course, I got pregnant again shortly thereafter, so I started this pregnancy about 8-10 lbs heavier than last time.

I'm never hungry when I'm pregnant (I actually lost weight my last few weeks of pregnancy!) but I'm ravenous post-partum.

[karika]

I have 20 lbs more now than pp weight (baby is almost 17 mo). It is a good thing. For some reason it is necessary to produce milk. With dd1 I carried an extra 15 lbs until I started leaving her for 10 hrs a day to go to work at 12 mo... I lost 12 lbs in 2 weeks and my supply went down (many reasons I am sure... solids, work, not having a baby at breast every 4 hrs, though I pumped more than once while there...) I stopped working again when she was 18 mo and ate better and supply went up... But when she was 3.5 yo I had gotten down to 98 lbs (pp weight was 100) and I had no milk. I was beginning to be ill. So, love that extra weight, it is what is intended to help feed babies somehow... I look at all my cool clothes and wish I could fit in them, but I know I will again someday... For now I am content wearing my early pregnancy pants and old shirts... oh, and I have one pair of jeans that I can get on, so that is cool...

[lovepiggie]

Originally Posted by mambera

Me too darnit! (It's not just the extra 7 lbs.) So I guess this is forever? I don't like it.

I hope it's not forever Although I did try on a dress a few days ago that definitely didn't fit last month, and it fit even though I haven't lost anymore weight. So it seems that things are slowly returning...

I also think my face seems chubbier post partum, so I hope that's not forever!

[lkmiscnet]

BFing weight GAIN? I thought BF caused you to lose weight from the additional calories burned???

I gained 24 lbs with my pregancy and was 10 lbs below my PP weight within about 2 months. However, while my weight has stayed there, I have gained fat around my middle and am "fatter". I think I ate more with the knowledge that I was supposedly burning those calories.

I am still BFing at a year. Not sure what to expect when my LO is weaned.

[judybean]

with dd3 I completely held on to weight... until dd3 was nursing just at night (more comfort than food) or every other day until completely weaning at 40 months... and then I was able to easily lost 35 pounds... I think while I was nursing I actually slowly *gained* some weight.

This time around I'm hovering around my pre-preg weight (I gained *very* little during pregnancy so came out about even after birthing dd4).. I'm hoping to just maintain. We'll see though...

[sanguine_speed]

[MommyMad]

I gained 33lbs during pregnancy and today at almost 6 months post, I'm still holding on to 8lbs.

I'll admit to not really doing anything to lose the weight because of fear of my supply tanking and having to formula feed. However, now that 6 months have rolled around, I've tried limiting my intake a bit and I have noticed a decline of about 1 - 2oz. I'm holding steady now because I don't want to lose any add'l supply. I do notice that the days I eat A LOT, the 2oz do reappear.

[Sharlla]

Pretty much. I was the same size 2 years when I weaned seth as I was after I gave birth. There was a point in time where I lost 30 lbs by exercising a lot and eating mostly vegetarian diet but gained it all back LOL