BF'ers ...is it true?

katkat74 · November 2010

I'm lurking from second tri and so curious...did you REALLY drop a ton of weight BFing. I have a friend who swears it has actually kept the weight on her.

I'm all for doing what's best for LO but still..I'm very curious...what has your experience been?

Thanks!

hoshicat · November 2010

I don't have an answer to your question, but you might not get any responses, the board really seems to die around this time at night ._. sadly. Maybe try posting this again tomorrow if you don't get any responses tonight

Congrats on your baby!!

BFab11 · November 2010

It really depends on the person. I was below pre-preg weight at around 8-10 weeks PP, but I also have diet restrictions because of LO. Between my diet and BFing I lost it super fast. It depends on the person and how their body reacts to the hormones.

Shortcake2675 · November 2010

I dropped a lot of weight very early. And then gained some of it back, mostly because I don't really watch what I eat.

I am about 5 lbs over my pre pregnancy weight, having dropped 15 lbs from my max during pregnancy. But I'm fitting into my pre-preg jeans.

bakedlaurabean · November 2010

I lost all my preggo weight quickly. I do think BFing helps, but I also think it's because I was in great shape pre preggo and worked out the whole time.

Ivana_Stolichnaya · November 2010

Well, we're all different. I lost my appetite for a whole month after having DD so I lost a lot of weight. Anything with a lot of flavor or salt made me feel sick. It was odd but I eventually got my appetite back, I think it was the whole change of having a baby really knocked me for a loop emotional wise which affected my attitude towards food. I was concerned about not getting enough calories per day so I was drinking Ensure which was an extra 250 calories per bottle.

I gained 18 lbs while pregnant, 10 lbs down after I gave birth and after about 6 months I was down 40 lbs. I stopped breastfeeding in August and I'm maintaining my weight.

mrsjohnny · November 2010

bakedlaurabean:
I lost all my preggo weight quickly. I do think BFing helps, but I also think it's because I was in great shape pre preggo and worked out the whole time.

This.

I was able to fit into my pre-pregnacy jeans a week after giving birth -- granted I had a slight muffin-top, but I was able to zip them up!

Starfish113 · November 2010

I BFd for a month, and during that time dropped weight pretty rapidly. I definitely felt like I hit a wall when I stopped, and it was much harder to drop weight. Could've been a coincidence though! GL

eajanvrin · November 2010

I dropped a lot right after but I was pretty much all baby. I am below pre pregnant weight and fit in clothed but I still have a little tummy.

numeria11 · November 2010

I definitly think it helped me loose the baby weight I was back to my prepregancy weight in about 3-4 weeks after DD was born and was actually 5 lbs under where I started. That said I think as another poster mentioned it has to do also with how active you were pre and post baby (I live in a 3 story walk up apartment so lots of up and down with baby and laundry probably helps too :P). I gained about 20 lbs with DD and am now am back exactly to where I was when I had her so I have gained a bit back but I eat pretty junky food sometimes so overall pretty good considering what I eat.

finsternis · November 2010

BFab11:
It really depends on the person. I was below pre-preg weight at around 8-10 weeks PP, but I also have diet restrictions because of LO. Between my diet and BFing I lost it super fast. It depends on the person and how their body reacts to the hormones.

this. i lost my first 20lb really quick, but the last 10 really stuck until i had to completely cut out dairy. so mine was both bfing and diet. i know a girl though who with all three of her kids lost none of her weight until she weaned. it really depends. so go for it! there's plenty of time for weight loss later, ha ha

eta: also, what pp said about muffin top! i'm now 5 or 10lb below pre-pg, but i have a definite pouch that i don't think will ever go away : P the things we do for love!

misscharlotte04 · November 2010

Everyone is different. I EBF'd until I went back to work when codynwas four months old. I did not start losing weight until I stopped BF'ing even though I was eating well and working out.

melody921 · November 2010

I did not find this to be true. I BFed for four months, so I don't know if maybe that just wasn't long enough to get the weight loss or what.

Ciconrad · November 2010

With DS #1, I dropped all but 5 lbs really quickly. The last 5 lbs stuck around until I finished BFing at 9 months.

With #2, I only BF'd until he was about 9 weeks. I dropped a lot of weight immediately but still have an extra 10-ish lbs, that are a struggle to lose. Whether that's because I'm not BFing or because I'm older or because it's just harder to lose with #2, I don't know.

IrishBrideND · November 2010

I gained 16 pounds while pregnant. By 6 weeks post partum (so before I started exercising) I was 20 pounds under my starting weight. So I lost 36 pounds

and I ate a TON. I was always hungry in the begining when BFing

Shortycube · November 2010

i EBF and i weigh less then i did before getting pregnant. i dropped all the weight just a few days after having him and the nurses said that my uterus went back to normal at an extrememly fast rate - they said that it was from BF'ing.

danto · November 2010

I've hung onto some pregnancy weight. I work out but am ravenous (worse than when pregnant). The only time I've been able to lose weight is when I'm traveling for work and away from DD (and had a supply drop).

If I limit calories I notice a pretty immediate and significant supply drop. I've still have 15-20 pounds to get to pre-preg weight, but I think that might have to wait till I'm done BF.

mandapie · November 2010

I lost all the preg weight by 4 wks pp, but it's been getting the body back that's been my issue. I'm currently 10lbs down from pre-preg but I regret not working out even just a little while pg... I'm hoping that the last few pounds that I want to lose will come off when I stop bf'ing...

Fuzzy8252 · November 2010

I was pretty much all baby, so after DD was born, I went back to my normal weight. As soon as I started BF'ing, I dropped 20lbs in a few weeks. Of course, my once cute little pouch is nasty and saggy.

soko987 · November 2010

I gained 35lbs while I was pregnant. I was down 25lbs two weeks later ( which makes me think that most of my weight was fluid based). By around 4 weeks postpartum, I was at my prepregnancy weight, but still 15 pounds over what I call my "pre-fat" weight ( the stress of TTC led me to put on a cushion-y 15lbs prior to getting KTFU).

Sadly, I actually had to work for those pounds. It's like my body said "Uh-uh. I'm not taking care of those for you."I lost 5 on my own, and when I weaned at 4 1/2 months, I lost another 5lbs. I still have 5 to go, but I'll take it.

kate930 · November 2010

I was below my pre-pregnancy weight very soon after giving birth, and then quickly gained about 10 back. It has been next to impossible for me to lose those extra pounds, and my doctor said it probably has to do with BFing. I was a bit underweight and normally have a very low fat percentage, so it makes sense I would gain some weight. Plus I am ravenous all the time.

mbear511 · November 2010

BFab11:
It really depends on the person. I was below pre-preg weight at around 8-10 weeks PP, but I also have diet restrictions because of LO. Between my diet and BFing I lost it super fast. It depends on the person and how their body reacts to the hormones.

Same here! I can't have dairy or soy because DS is intolerant to both of them so I think that has helped me lose weight in addition to BFeeding. I gained 38lbs and I have lost 45lbs. Congrats on your baby!

Lyssapee · November 2010

The average BFer will burn 500 calories a day. I eat ALL day long and weigh 10lb less than when I got pregnant. I had lost all the wt by my 6 week pp check.

WildcatPrincess · November 2010

Not true for me at all. I lost 20 lbs right after birth, then gained about 10 back and have sat at this weight no matter how little or much I eat and despite being active 3x a week. I've heard some women don't lose until they wean Sad

Though one of my friends is SUPER skinny and she said she didn't lose one lb until after her son weaned and then it all came off, so here's hoping.

C12H22O11 · November 2010

I did. I'm 5'4" and have weighed 120lbs since I was 14. I dropped to 109lbs when I was at the height of BFing. Truth be told, I was kind of scary skinny.

Now that DS is starting to wean, I'm back up to 116.

blissfully_caffeinated · November 2010

Yes and no. In general I think it helps get off the initial weight but you might have trouble dropping the last few pounds. Your body needs fat to make milk. so it might hold onto a few extra pounds just in case. That wasn't the case for me but I think it's pretty common.

ka2shaz · November 2010

I did not BF, but all my pregnancy weight was gone by day 12 PP. I only gained 18 lbs with the pregnancy, so there wasn't that much to loose. But I know for sure that BF had nothing to do with it and I did not do anything special. The weight loss PP is pretty easy up to about 20lb (according to my OB) BF or not.

KRMac · November 2010

I gained 40 lbs and lost it all 1 month PP. I didn't work out at all (other than walks with the baby) and eat constantly (I'm always starving because of BFing, still)...I attribute all of my weight loss to BFing. I'm about 3 lbs under my pre-PG weight (which I actually need to gain back, hopefully after weaning. I'm underweight.)

I agree with the PP who said that food just didn't taste good to me for awhile after LO was born. I was starving, but I was just eating because I HAD to, not because I wanted to. I was back at work before it changed, so it was at least 3 months. Strange.

LittleBabyC · November 2010

At first yes, but who knows if that was also just related to just giving birth... Anyways, then it evened out, I need to exercise to tone, and even with exercise as I enter into month 8 of EBF my body is holding onto weight. I think it's natural for your body to want to store some fat when BFing and I've heard the same from other mothers.

Plus, when your body is working hard to BF you don't want to deprive yourself of food. So, while I eat mindfully I would never consider limiting intake.

ali_bl-nov05 · November 2010

Shortcake2675:
I dropped a lot of weight very early. And then gained some of it back, mostly because I don't really watch what I eat.

this, I lost ALL the baby weight within a moth, but I've been eating terribly lately, so...

[Deleted User] · November 2010

The user and all related content has been deleted.

jillianz78 · November 2010

Don't know if people are still talking about this... but,

I personally lost all of my baby weight (50 lbs) in the 3 weeks following delivery and I EBF.

I did make sure to go out for a walk EVERY day, even if only around the block once or twice. And when I say every day, I mean we (as our new family, I was SO PROUD!) went out walking before we even went home from the hospital.

I don't limit/watch anything I eat, I just don't believe in it.

So, long in short, I did loose all of my baby weight (plus some I wanted to keep... I was underweight when I found out I was pregnant [down to 95 lbs now]) but I can't say for sure whether it was BFing or walking... I would have to say both helped a whole lot!

valetdecoeur · November 2010

.KRM.:
I gained 40 lbs and lost it all 1 month PP. I didn't work out at all (other than walks with the baby) and eat constantly (I'm always starving because of BFing, still)...I attribute all of my weight loss to BFing. I'm about 3 lbs under my pre-PG weight

This is me pretty spot on. I have always had terrible metabolism, and though I shouldn't have I gained about 42 lbs during pregnancy, and I didn't work out much before or during my pregnancy (I was pretty limited to walking a few miles everyday and doing light yoga). I have not exercised a day yet, and my appetite has not changed, but I am about 8 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight. And I dropped all of that within the first 3 months or so except for the last 10 lbs I have lost. So I lost a total of 50 lbs and know it has everything to do with EBFing for me personally!

MWoodside · November 2010

I am still EBFing. I was bordering on underweight pre-pg. I gained 50 lbs (!) & lost 25 within 4 wks after having DD. I have had to work hard for everything I've lost after that. I was working out hard 4 times a week during my maternity leave & lost all but 5 lbs to get to my goal (which is 5 lbs over my pre-pg). Now that I'm back to work I definitely haven't worked out as much. Once a week is my norm now. I still hover 5 lbs above my goal weight.

KateCupcake976 · November 2010

I probably am out of the ordinary but I have dropped 60 pounds while breastfeeding and have not worked out yet. I lost 20 pounds within the first month of breastfeeding. I weigh less now that I did before I got pregnant. I am honestly still losing weight without working out and I eat plenty.

bobbyme · November 2010

bakedlaurabean:
I lost all my preggo weight quickly. I do think BFing helps, but I also think it's because I was in great shape pre preggo and worked out the whole time.

This, although it took me a good three months to lose it.

wendic22 · November 2010

It took me a while to loose the weight but I am now below my weight. Too skinny if you ask me. I can't fit in any of my clothes and it is annoying. Really! But I am off dairy soy and eggs and that has alot to do with it. I think if you are not indulging yourself after baby you will loose it all(everyone is different tho!) I ate crap but because I was so tired and everything I didn't have energy to eat good. But lost it very fast after I started eating better!

RadicalDreamer143 · November 2010

No, didn't drop any weight. It's keeping me from losing, because as soon as I start exercising more than going for walks, my supply drops.

Edit to add - I was normal weight PP, gained 37 lbs during pregnancy, lost 25 of those, and rather quickly, but I plateaued. I need to exercise to get rid of the rest.

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