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October 2015 Moms
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Breastfeeding perks?

megancopeland91megancopeland91 member
in October 2015 Moms
is breastfeeding as great for weight loss as they say?? Just curious on what you all have to say about it.
I'm 5 ft tall at 31 weeks and have only gained about 22-25 (it fluctuates day to day) which I don't feel like is that much but with my legs being so short(and where all my weight goes) I feel as if it looks like a lot more
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Re: Breastfeeding perks?

  • NukkeNukke member
    edited August 2015
    Not for me.  I breast fed exclusively until my daughter was 15 1/2 months old.  And it wasn't until we started to cut back on the breastfeeding when I went back to work when she was 11 months, that my body finally stopped holding onto those extra pounds.  For me at least then, when I was giving up those extra calories to her, my body desperately clung onto the fat stores that I had.  My metabolism slowed and everything.  

    But it was only temporary.  And the other benefits were awesome.  Especially all the lovey dovey hormones you feel while feeding baby.  
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  • satori15satori15 member
    I lost weight like it was my job! I was down to what I weighed in high school by the time the little guy was 15 months old and we stopped. Also, I second the lovey hormones and the convenience was great. No water and formula to carry around. No dirty bottles. Just lift up your shirt and instant meal for your baby. It isn't easy to get started and pumping is a whole other challenge but it is so worth the work!
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  • ameares721ameares721 member
    I've read there is a small percentage of women who breastfeed and hold onto the weight, but for most people it "melts off". I'm not sure how quickly they lose the weight, but it does burn about 500 calories a day!
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  • MamaOwl15MamaOwl15 member
    edited August 2015
    . . .

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  • smlowe9311smlowe9311 member
    As pp's have said it varies woman to woman.
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  • CocoR04CocoR04 member
    I breastfed DS a little over 2 years. I lost about 20 lbs the first few weeks PP, but then my weight hit huge plateau until DS started eating more real food around age 1 and I nursed only 2 times a day after that. I lost the rest of the weight then. I wished I was one of those lucky women who could eat more and still lose the weight while BFing, but it didn't work for me. I'm mentally preparing myself for that pattern to happen again!
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  • NukkeNukke member
    CocoR04 said:
    I breastfed DS a little over 2 years. I lost about 20 lbs the first few weeks PP, but then my weight hit huge plateau until DS started eating more real food around age 1 and I nursed only 2 times a day after that. I lost the rest of the weight then. I wished I was one of those lucky women who could eat more and still lose the weight while BFing, but it didn't work for me. I'm mentally preparing myself for that pattern to happen again!
    yeah, I'm fully prepared to have it happen again.  I'm totally OK with it, since I know it *will* come off once baby starts weaning (like you).  I remember being so jealous of the ladies who had it just melt off without doing anything.  I was doing the Bikini Body Mommy videos (which I love, and highly recommend btw), but gave up around 10 months PP.  Then when she started weaning at 11months PP (and I was pumping twice a day, and nursing once) the weight started falling off!  It definitely helped that I started a high intensity physically active job at the time, too.   
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  • CupcakesandquiltsCupcakesandquilts member
    I really had to eat a lot to keep my supply going last time. Any time I tried to go back to eating a normal amount, my supply dropped. I stopped nursing when DD was about 15 months old and I got pregnant again. I don't know how quickly I would have lost weight if I hadn't gotten pregnant.
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  • silly514silly514 member
    I was under my pre pregnant weight by my 6 week check. Before we were done at about 21 months I was the thinnest I've been in my adult life...it was awesome. I was already about halfway through this pregnancy when we stopped so I don't know what would have happened then. I also out ate my husband at every meal... I was seriously sick of eating. I know it's not true for everyone but there's a chance! :)

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  • CrissyGeeCrissyGee member
    Adding exercise to it definitely helps! By the time my first kiddo was 8 months I had shed all of the 25 pounds gained and my milk supply stayed the same. You can't expect to just breast feed and the weight just comes off. However everyone's body is different. Don't give up!
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  • kayway85kayway85 member
    When my baby was exclusively breastfeding, I was so hungry- I snacked often and I couldn't believe how quickly I lost weight. By six months I weighed less than I did pre pregnancy.

    In addition to the enormous benefits to your child, there are great health benefits to you as well- including lowering your risks for uterine and breast cancer, natural contraception (while you're are exclusively nursing and not supplementing with formula) and weight loss. Plus I've always found breastfeeding to be tremendously convenient compared to bottle feeding.
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  • jenn2132jenn2132 member
    For me breast feeding helped tremendously with getting the baby weight off although once I stopped the weight started creeping up again. I also agree I was very hungry while breastfeeding
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  • weaselwhiskersweaselwhiskers member

    I was only able to breastfeed (actually, mostly pump) for about 4 months, but I lost all of my pregnancy weight (around 30lbs) plus 10 extra pounds in that time without trying to lose weight.  However, I was also under a lot of stress because my husband deployed when our DS was only about 8 weeks old, so that may have played a role too. 

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  • krae771krae771 member

    All but 5 lbs melted off within 2-3 months and I lost it all by 5 months.  I also exercised a lot but I didn't diet...just tried to eat healthy. Although I lost the weight, I felt like my body held on to some extra fat stores until I weaned at one year (on stomach particularly).  You do burn a lot of calories but I was HUNGRY all of the time when I breastfed.  I had to eat snacks between meals or I started feeling sick.

    Unrelated, but I also kept the linea nigra until I weaned, which I didn't know would happen.

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  • BingjBingj member
    I too lost all the weight without trying. I breastfed my first son for a year. My second son I breastfed and eventually exclusively pumped till he was 10 months. I was so hungry all the time and could eat anything I wanted with the pounds still coming off. I also noticed that I was super hot all the time! I have a pretty fast metabolism so I'm sure that plays a part in it all. 
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  • glilleyglilley member

    So I may be the exception to the rule, but I actually GAINED weight when I was breastfeeding my first. I was told by so many that the pounds would just melt off, and they didn't. Granted, I had some other things going on that likely helped prevent me from losing weight, but I don't think all the extra pounds came from the added stress I had in my life at the time.

    Some of the other perks were great though. I loved that time with my son (even when he nursed ALL night long), and we certainly saved a decent amount of money when I was able to breastfeed.

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  • maiatenemaiatene member
    Not for me! I bf and pumped for a year and not only did I not lose tons of weight I got my period 7 or 8 weeks post-partum. Needless to say I was pissed off lol. The only advantage I had was spending time with the baby and saving money on formula.

    If you want to lose weight you have to eat right exercise, which you can't really do bc you need the extra calories to produce milk. So if anything you can maintain weight but bf is not a great weight loss trick
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