Breastfeeding Weight?

[lazzybee]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

I've been exclusively BFing for 5 months and haven't lost an OUNCE since I gave birth, despite a healthy diet and exercise! I am still at 15 pounds above my regular weight. Here's my question: I've heard that BFing will help shed weight, but that's obviously not happening with me, so is it possible that my body is maintaining this extra weight in order to breastfeed? It's not just water, either--my pants are still too tight!

I'm in no way considering giving up, I'm just curious! Thanks in advance!

[momto4plus4]

This is me for 3 of my 4 ecbf'ing experiences!!!! Have heard the same from several friends as well.

[jump mama jump!]

Same here, but I know my case has more to do with my love of food now that I'm not sick all the time. My pregnancy was downright hellacious and I didn't gain enough weight during it (actually lost a bunch in the first trimester). After giving birth I was back at my weight before getting preggo and now almost 4 months later, I'm back up where I was at the height of pregnancy (actually a startlingly small gain - my preg gain was ALL baby). But that's cause I love food and missed all the things I couldn't eat without throwing up while i was pg, and have to eat a lot to bf. The portions I eat now are probably double what I ate before ever getting preggo, and while i was preggo I couldn't eat anything fried. God I missed food. I'm just loving being able to eat again. I'm trying to get to the gym once a week and take walks most days now, which I'm hoping will help but it's only been a few weeks since i got serious about this. At least prior to pregnancy the more active I was the more I would need to eat anyway so I'm hoping working out will allow me to keep eating like this. At least my weight seems to have stabilized in the last month or two so i'm not too worried about it.

[lalemma]

There's a long series of comments on an old AskMoxie post about this - it sounded really common for many mamas to hold onto those last 10 or so pounds until they weaned.

Frustrating, but from a biological perspective, that kind of makes sense. Sure, we want to fit back into our pants, but Mother Nature wants to be sure you have the reserves to feed that baby.

Also, now that my baby is 7 months old and doesn't really eat solids yet, I've noticed that, um, I'm eating a TON. I get plenty of exercise and eat a healthy diet, but man, the amount of calories I'm taking in has definitely increased recently.