weight gain while breast feeding

jenrox2173

i am really concerned about my weight this is the most i have weighed my whole life. my pre-preg weight was at 175 then i reached 235 when i had my son. i lost 45 pounds as soon as i had my son ( most of the weight was water due to Preeclampsia)so from jan to now (july) i am weighing in at 208 so i have gained 13 pounds in 4-6 months. i eat around 2000-2300 cal a day, and workout 3-4 times a week. also i am a stay at home mom, i am 5'8" i guess one of my main questions is who should i see for this a regular doctor, nutritionist, or lactation nurse ? i am worried about my health but i would still like to breast feed

lmjt

I clicked on the wrong board, but felt compelled to answer your question.

I gained weight during breast feeding, and went to a nutritionist for help. From what she told me, many people lose weight while breast feeding, but many people have trouble losing weight and/or gain weight because the body holds onto fat during lactation. I gained additional weight after I stopped breast feeding, because I was still eating the extra calories.

Also, I would check with your internist. Many people have a thyroid slow down after childbirth, and this could also be a reason for your weight gain.

Ok, back to the high risk board for me now.... 

jjoli

When I got pregnant with my daughter I was 180, I gained 45-50 lbs, and barely lost any after having her, I held on to it.  I wasn't overeating or anything, just not enough exercise.  I breastfed for 14 months and I gained weight while breastfeeding and then gained a little bit more after we stopped.  I currently weigh 265 and I am 5 7.  I am trying hard to lose the weight, and all I can say is that you may be like me the unlucky few that actually gain weight when breastfeeding not lose it (my doc says it is way more common today for woman to gain weight).  My hormones are still all over the place and my daughter is less than a month away from being two.  I just hope that I can start shedding the pounds with watching very carefully what I eat and eventually getting down to only eating what I work off, and exercising like crazy!  My goal is 165 so I have 100 lbs to go.  I guess it isn't a lot of advice, but that you are not alone.

st.augbride

You might want to try cutting your calories down a little to maybe 1800 per day. I am pumping BM and find that on days I watch what I eat a little more and move a little more, my weight drops fast. I'm hovering at and slightly above my goal weight now, but the higher days are those I eat a LOT, since I'm always hungry!