Longer Breastfeeding = more weight loss??? (crossposted in "weight management")

[aaahmyeye]

I was reading somewhere that women who didn't lose pregnancy weight initially with breastfeeding lost it effortlessly when they nursed their babies into the second year.  In your experience, is this true?  I lost most of my prego weight within the first 5 months of nursing DD (just by breastfeeding, no other changes) but the scale hasn't really budged the last 2 months.  I'm only about 5 lbs over pre-prego weight, but was hoping to be back to The Number by 9 mos pp.  I'm not sure if will happen now, but maybe the longer I nurse her the more I'll lose??? I hope it works like that... Did it for any of you?

[fruitfulmomma]

I think so...my babies have nursed between 2 and 4 years and spacing was 2 years up to 3 1/2 Yrs, so a min. of 15mo. before next pregnancy and I've always ben back down to pre-pregnancy weight, but it takes time. I usualy gain about 50, was 80 with my newest who was born last week.

[aaahmyeye]

Yay! Good to know!

[jenerationx]

Well, that's exciting!  I weighed less when I delivered than before getting pregnant (gestational diabetes) and kept losing weight for the first 2-3 months.  After that, I'm just stuck.  I haven't really changed eating habits, etc, so I'm wondering why.  Maybe I'll just lose it later.  :)

[annaknitsspock]

Ugh, I wish it had worked like that for me! I lost all of my preggo weight in only a couple of months, I think, but I was a little overweight to begin with and have been unable to get under my pre-pregnancy weight. Then, last month (20 months postpartum), I had gained 5 pounds! I've been exercising more and eating more healthily, and yet here I am gaining weight. I read in What to Expect (EVERYTHING I read in there I took with a grain of salt, but I have heard this from other sources as well) that sometimes nursing leads your body to retain weight, so I'm actually hoping that when I wean my attempts to lose weight will be more successful. But I think it's different for everyone. 

[etsdtm99]

I always lose gradually in the first 6 months, stall, then lost a little bit more around 9-12 months - then stall, then the weight starts melting off at about 18 months!  generally, i get pregnant shortly after that - but with my last 2 pregnancies i started out weighing less than i did when i got pregnant with my first baby

[aaahmyeye]

Thanks ladies, I guess I will just wait and see.  It seems I've lost a bit more since I wrote this, but I'm also trying to eat fewer carbs so that may have played a role as well.  annaknitsspock -  yes, I heard that too.  I think there was a study and it said 1/5 women didn't find breastfeeding to speed weight loss.  Bleah. :-( 

[sraplayas]

just to add my 2c--IME, I've lost almost all the weight in about 10 months, with usually 5 lbs to spare. Then after about 14 months I am back to pre-preggers weight. I really think it has to do with EBF, for me. with both kiddos I've EBF until 13 months, and then to 3+years

BTW, I've heard other moms comment about those 5lbs that seem to just hang on for a while. No fun, but I think it's natural and besides, baby can enjoy a softer mama that way. :)

[fruitfulmomma]

Weight loss so far - 13lbs. @ 3 days after birth and an additional 12lbs. @ 6 week check-up yesterday, so 25 total out of the 80 I gained.