BF = weightloss??

[CocktailBubba]

I have no idea how to do a poll so maybe someone could add one- yes, no, other?

But I was wondering how many mums BF and put their weight loss down to it entirely?

I couldn't BF due to attachment issues bit I expressed for 10 weeks giving up after I ended up in emergency with mastitis but that 10 of BF did nothing for my weight lol.

I also know of mums who did t BF at all by choice and snapped back into shape really quickly after they had their babies. And then I know another mum who BF for 11 months and only lost her weight when she stopped BFing as she found she wad constantly hungry and eating while she was BFing.

So in the last 2 weeks 3 mums from work have brought in their newborns and they are already so teeny tiny and they all put it down to BFing....

Sooo after all that does BFing actually do anything for your weight or is it just like most things where it depends on the individual, their lifestyle a d their metabolism??

[amnic]

I think it is an individual thing, I didn't really lose much weight while BFing, but my step-sister faded away to nothing! Very frustrating to watch when we where both going through it at the same time & I have an oh so subtle mother saying to me, oh but look how good A**** looks, why haven't you slimmed up yet??? she can be a monster sometimes!

[puddinpie]

So in the last 2 weeks 3 mums from work have brought in their newborns and they are already so teeny tiny and they all put it down to BFing....

Sooo after all that does BFing actually do anything for your weight or is it just like most things where it depends on the individual, their lifestyle a d their metabolism??

I think it's a little bit of everything really. BF definitely helps the majority of women lose their baby weight but it definitely depends on lifestyle and metaolism.

I don't know about being teeny tiny when you still have a newborn though - that's a little unrealistic for the majority of us!

The women in my mother's group who exclusively BF got back into shape quicker than those who FF though.

I had lost about half of my babyweight by the time DS was 8 weeks and then it was nearly all gone by the time he was 5 months. That is all down to breastfeeding because I haven't been exercising or eating particularly well. It may have taken longer for me because of my C-sect - takes ages to get your strength back and to feel normal again after that. I haven't lost all of the baby weight (still have 2 kilos to go) but I can't bring myself to care.

[CocktailBubba]

Aw amnic that's harsh as lol. My dad suggested that I start going to the gym when DS wad a few months old the jackass haha

no seriously one of the mums was skinnier than she was before she fell pregnant and it was her 2nd child and her DD was like 5-6 weeks old... And the mum from my mothers group exclusively bottle fed and her DD was 6 weeks old when we met and u couldn't even tell that she had had a baby, her tummy was completely flat!

[amnic]

My step-sister was at her pre-baby (tiny size 8) at her 6 week check-up after a c/s! and then got skinnier!! But she was the only one that stood by me & said Am, tell them all to get stuffed! We are all different, it's just my crazy body obsessed mother.

Can't believe they can be so insensitive sometimes... go to the gym! pfft!

[becster05]

I think it will differ for each person depending on their individual circustances. I got up to 124kg full term but then lost 25kg in the 6 months following, I think in part to breastfeeding, but I also suffered reasonably badly from oedema. So once I was rid of the excess fluid, this also improved things for me. But it only helped to a point. As with any weight loss, it will always come down to finding the balance between kilojoules in (i.e. being consumed/eaten) vs kilojoules out (i.e. being burnt/used) IYKWIM?? Having bub breasfeeding will always help you burn some of the kilojoules, but if you are eating more to compensate because it is making you hungry, then you wont burn excess fat because you are consuming what you need.

I'm not saying that people that lose their weight quicker arent eating properly or anything, I'm just saying that perhaps their particular diet (for example if it really super healthy, low in saturated fats) may lose quicker than someones who's diet isnt. If they are exercising as well, well this will help them also.

For me, I got to 99kg and then needed more help to find that balance so went to weight watchers for assistance. They helped provide the info I needed to help find that balance whilst taking into account the fact that I was breastfeeding. Somebody elses circustances may have already been ideal for weight loss though thus getting them there quicker!!

I'm down to 77.6kg now though!! YAY!! almost there!!

[babybabycakes]

I can definitely attribute my weight loss to breastfeeding as i dont really exercise at all ( i mean to- but aside from a walk with bub about ever 2nd day for 30 mins max- i sit a lot)

I have lost 15kgs since DS was born- he is 4 mths. I exclusively breastfeed. I should eat better (more fruit and veg- but its hard to cook with bub) poor excuse i know.

I think its important to mention that for bubs health breastfeeders shouldnt calorie cut too much and a bit more fat in the diet is good for the bub as long as its not excessive. Eg drinking full cream milk for a while instead of skim, or not cutting all the fat off your meat. like i said- within reason.

[peanutbutter&jelly]

Sometimes. With my DS, one year ago tomorrow I weighed 81kg. It was 2 days before my DS's 1st birthday, still BFing and I found out I was pregnant. I started my 1st pregnancy at around 75kg, was at 86kg the day before I had him.
I lost weight while I was pregnant (nausea and loss of appetite) and was 83kg the day before I had my DD 15 weeks ago.
I am currently BFing fully, demand feeding and weigh 65.4kg. I walk almost every day though and am trying to keep my fluids up. Hard when you don't really like the taste of water

So while I don't attribute it ALL to BFing, a lot of it I do this time around.
Last time I gained weight though, DS was quite a difficult bub and I grabbed whatever I could eat, whenever I was hungry with no care for the ramifications of my food choices on my body. Bad move for me, I love my fast food in a big way

[babybabycakes]

...am trying to keep my fluids up. Hard when you don't really like the taste of water

me too! makes it hard to drink. i have weak cordial instead as i throw up at the taste of water.

To the OP.... sorry for that short hijack of the thread

[Ffrenchknickers]

I exercise alot and eat very well but I still contribute weight loss to breastfeeding. I get really skinny when breastfeeding - which I have been doing for nearly 6 years straight now