Is it reasonable to expect to loose those last 10 pounds while breastfeeding?

[Bena]

I gained 50 pounds during my pregnancy, and lost 40 of them fairly easily, though 10 of those were lost during a 2 month period of pretty intense training for a 10k run. I have held on to the last 10 lbs for over two months now. I have slowed down my running and exercice, as the heat is craaaaazy, but I am wondering if it's reasonable to expect to loose the weight while bfing? Some people have told me no matter what I do, my body will hold on to the weight in order to produce milk...it makes sense, but I am far from underweight!!!! I am pretty sure even without those 10 lbs, I will have plenty to produce milk with!!!

[mum4boys]

I have breast fed 5 children and with all 5 children I have retained 15 pounds. Within 1 month of no longer breast feeding the weight has vanished with no effort on my part. BTW it does not matter what I do...I never loose the last 15.

[greenemami]

I was wondering this too-I just weighed myself and at 4 months pp I am about 15 lb above my "goal/ideal" weight. I gained about 40-45 lbs while pregnant.

I remember with dd I hung onto maybe 5-10 lbs while nursing, but I wasn't really exercising either (although I generally do eat a fairly good diet). I never weighed myself (no scale in the house) so I am not sure of the exact numbers. I got pregnant again while still nursing (dd was 2-1/2), so not sure what will happen thist ime.

Here is hope that some of it will come off for both of us! I am hoping to lose at least another 10 lbs. Going to post about exercise plans now

[Ann15]

I've heard that about the last 10 pounds too. With my DS I got down to my pre-pregnancy weight while training for my first 5k when he was about 15 months. It was still about 5-8lbs above my ideal weight though. I found out I was pregnant with DD two days after the race, so I didn't stay at that weight very long. DD is now 19 months and I'm not sure what I weigh, but from how my clothes fit, I don't think I've lost all the pregnancy weight yet. I haven't been working out as hard as I was after DS though.

[e.naomisandoval]

The last 10 pounds is a totally different animal. It's not easy to lose and the reason they don't recommend weight loss during breastfeeding (besides keeping a fat buffer for calories) is that you detox when you get rid of this last bit of stubborn fat. So definitely take it slow. Of course, I nursed both my girls for years so at some point, I figured that didn't really apply any more.

It's a funny thing about the last 10 pounds. I thought I only had 10 to lose. That was 15 pounds ago and I'm not quite done. I'm not sure when I will be "done"!

[june'smom]

I lost it, but it was way way harder than the rest. Part of it was extreme stress at work, so I didn't really eat or sleep for a while but the rest of it was running and resistance.

I never thought I would lose it, but dd2 was also over 1 yo and didn't nurse nearly as much as she did.

Good luck!

[rootzdawta]

Well, I'm a firm believer that the key to weight loss is diet and exercise. As a matter of fact, I think diet is 75% and exercise 25%. That has been my experience. To lose those last 10 lbs. in a healthy way, you have to really know what you are eating. Really track it. I'm biased and recommend Weight Watchers because that is how I lost all my weight. I didn't even have a moment when I was thinking "How can I get these last 10 pounds off?" By eating well and in a disciplined way, the weight came of steadily.

If you don't want to pay for WW there are other food trackers like Calorie Count. Like WW, when you do the questionnaire, they will take into account the fact that you are breastfeeding and allocate extra food points/calories.

[rootzdawta]

Oh, and if you lose weight in a healthy way, it will not negatively affect your milk production. You don't need extra weight on you to keep your milk production up!

[crunchy_mama]

I think it is individual, some women do and some don't. I did with #1 and #2- I am currently a few pds over my pp weight after #3 but my breasts are about 3 sizes bigger- so I am in my regular clothes.

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by rootzdawta

Well, I'm a firm believer that the key to weight loss is diet and exercise. As a matter of fact, I think diet is 75% and exercise 25%. That has been my experience. To lose those last 10 lbs. in a healthy way, you have to really know what you are eating. Really track it. I'm biased and recommend Weight Watchers because that is how I lost all my weight. I didn't even have a moment when I was thinking "How can I get these last 10 pounds off?" By eating well and in a disciplined way, the weight came of steadily.

If you don't want to pay for WW there are other food trackers like Calorie Count. Like WW, when you do the questionnaire, they will take into account the fact that you are breastfeeding and allocate extra food points/calories.

I agree with that- you don't have to be overweight to have milk. I don't do weight watchers- I eat paleo myself- which is lower carb- I am gluten, dairy and soy free due to intolerances and such and grainfree- and sugar very low. Personally, I don't track precisely as I can be too obsessive about it but while I was still losing I would vaguely guesstimate carbs. I lost my weight by 4 months- did exercise as well. Never any issue w/ milk production except when the babe was in the hospital(for pneumonia- at 2 months- she recovered amazingly fast and well) and I had little food + lots of stress+ no sleep- but even then it wasn't something that required anything but more nursing by the babe for a few days.

[Amanda L]

I'm still holding on to 15 pounds . . . But I much prefer to use the excuse of "I'm still breastfeeding" instead of the reality of "I'm not eating right or getting exercise other than chasing toddlers" . . . So I refuse to contemplate anything different!

[columbusmomma]

I was able to lose the last 10 with both my kids. It took awhile but what worked for me was increasing my exercise to sometimes twice a day. In other words, more activity, especially of the aerobic type. For example I would run with the baby jogger and then at another time maybe an exercise video or vigorous walking.

[Annie Mac]

I'm also having a hard time losing the last 10 -- or in my case, 20 -- pounds. My LO is just 3 months, so I guess I should give myself time, but it's frustrating. In the last couple of days I've given up the whole calorie counting thing and have gone back to eating avocados and olives and not berating myself for the chocolate that I love. Because it doesn't matter either way. I don't lose or gain. I am exercising a fair bit (walking), which has got to be good for me regardless of weight loss. It will happen when it happens.