anyone lost loads of weight while breastfeeding?

Question

I mean LOADS of weight! I've gone down from a UK size 12-14 to a UK size 6-8! I look way too skinny and don't feel very womanly anymore.

My son is 9 months old - he was exclusively breastfed till 5 months and then started solids at one meal. Right now he's on 3 meals a day plus about 4-6 breastfeeds - usually one when he wakes up, mid morning, mid afternoon and bedtime, but he sometimes has one if he wakes in the night too.

I want to put some weight back on! I am eating OK (I think).

Suze

I have a very small stomach (am an ex anorexic and years of starvation have pretty much obliterated my ability to eat "hearty" meals.) and can't eat large portions (unless I want galloping indigestion and heartburn etc!) I've actually seen a dietician who said in my case I'm going to have to resort to some "junk" in between meals because I am not getting enough calories from a "healthy" diet (good, actually as I love sweet things lol!). I've also been prescribed protein milkshakes to take in between meals to add extra calories. If you are able to eat large meals though I agree its probably better to eat larger portions of healthy foods but I am not a big eater and just can't manage to do this.

Answer 1

I put on 3 stone with my first pregnancy and lost 4 stone from breastfeeding! It was amazing.....I ate loads, whatever I wanted and still lost an incredible amount of weight.

The first few weeks of breastfeeding didn't have no effect on me, everyone kept saying it helped you get back in shape but didnt seem to happen to me!!! Then all of a sudden the weight dropped off people kept telling me I needed to eat more and would believe me when I told them I ate like a horse, I mean takeaways several times a weeks etc!!!

Dont worry though when you stop breastfeeding your weight will return to normal enough.

I have a 2 year old lil boy and am 22 weeks pregnant with 2nd baby, and I know that running around after a lil one also helps with weight lose.

Good luck x

Answer 2

I wish I was experiencing this. My body seems to be stubbornly hanging on to the fat!

It's actually about 500 extra calories you need when breastfeeding. Ideally, this should be taken in the form of 6 meals a day. You don't have to eat junk to get extra calories. Have larger portions, add a banana to your cereal, have an extra potato. Make sure you are having good snacks - it's hard to find time I know, but have yogurts in the fridge, hummus and rice cakes, nuts and avocado are all high in 'good fats'.

It does sound like you are still breastfeeding a lot even though your baby is on solids. Maybe try him on some snacks too.

Answer 3

I didn't lose hardly anything when breastfeeding but as soon as I stopped I lost HEAPS of weight. Actually skinner now than before I had kids (lost about 30kg from end of 1st pregnancy to now)!

If you want to put some weight back on try eating foods high in carbohydrates but not fatty foods as that will just leave you feeling gross. Eat 5 meals a day and drink heaps of water. Consult a dietician or your doctor about a diet to help you put weight on and check your Body Mass Index (BMI), just google it, and see if you are still in the healthy weight range for your measurements.

Answer 4

With my first son I had breast fed him for 5 months and I lost a lot of weight. Before I was pregnant I was 90 pounds. Before I had given birth I was 135 lbs. Then after breast feeding him for 5 months I had lost a lot of weight. I ended being 82lbs. I hated it so much, cause I looked so skinny. I was skinner and I looke anorexic. But with my second child, I had ended up staying in the ninety lbs bracket and working hard to gain some more. I feel I look way better with meat on my body. But everyone is different. So I know what your feeling. As to putting on some weight I have no idea, still trying to figure it out myself.LOL...GooD LucK To YoU ThougH! :)

Answer 5

How funny - we had a conversation about this with friends just yesterday. Most did lose weight, some by a huge amount, but everyone put it back on eventually. Stress can also play a part in keeping weight off. Just concentrate on loving baby and keeping yourself healthy (good food, good sleep, exercise) and you'll even out soon enough.

Answer 6

yup, i lost all my 21/2 stone baby plus some extra. You can use up to 700 calories a day breastfeeding. My midwife asked me to explain my feeding habits, and it turns out that the break between my 12 lunch and 6.30 dinner was too long so she reccomended i eat a cake or something with lots of calories to maintain supply, which of course i do. The point i am trying to make, is that , what once was normal and healthy becomes inadequate once you breastfeed, you need to make sure you eat properly and regularly (with the odd afternoon cake)

Answer 7

I wish I did!!! I put more on and I breast fed till my daughter was 11 months. I think you should go to the doctor and get some tests done to make sure everything is OK. It might just be that your running around more with having a 9 month old and your metabolism might have changed. It does so for some people after having a baby. I hope it all goes well

Answer 8

you need to eat about 800 extra calories a day if you're breastfeeding (and that's just to maintain your weight!) I would suggest you're not eating nearly enough. 800 calories is alot to make up with fruit and veg and healthy stuff, you'd need to eat loads! so you could try sneaking in a chocolate bar a couple of biscuits, some extra bread, cheese, milk. good luck!

Answer 9

My wife lost a lot very quickly, but seems to have stabilised after 10 weeks. She is eating more than normal, but our boy is a BIG feeder. I assume the small excess over her target weight will go when she stops breast feeding.

Answer 10

One or 2 of my friends did exactly the same as you , I never did, I think it depends on your metabolism. And I dont have one.
Maybe you should stop breastfeeding , you have given him the best start in life by doing it for 9 months.
I would see my GP/Health Visitor and ask them for some advice.