Did you lose weight by breastfeeding your baby?

confusedmummy

Just wondered how many mums lost weight from breastfeeding their babies? Is it a myth or do most women lose weight when breastfeeding?

skylight

Yes I did.

But I started to eat more than enough to balance it out so in the end I lost nothing.

Rule? Breastfeed and leave off the chocolate and crisps.

Guinea_2

Yes, I did lose weight whilst breastfeeding, although I did eat more. When I gave up breastfeeding I didn't stop the extra eating and I think I have put most of the weight back on!! It is only now that I am starting to give up the extra little snacks so I have about another stone to shed before I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight.
My neighbour who breastfed her baby did not lose any weight though so I guess it depends?

Artytarty

Yes , i did, it really uses up the calories.
i didnt compensate enough and ended up thinner than I had ever been when my DD was 3 mths old
Not always a good thing!
Think I was worn out tbh as she never gave me a moment to eat or sleep!

quietheart

I felt breastfeeding made my uterus go back to normal quicker I could almost feel it happening! so my stomach flattened quickly but I definitely carried a good half stone until I stoped feeding each time. the feel good hormone rush you get when it's working is better than any weight loss though!

got-it-spend-it

I lost weight even though I was eating lots and lots. I don't think it's a weight loss miracle, but it certainly does make a difference, although you get hungrier too.

I've just stopped feeding my son, and I weigh less than before I got pregnant.

ladybirdintheuk

I think it helped me loose weight to start with. When Izzy started eating proper food and drinking less milk I carried on eating just as many biscuits though, so now I'm back to weighing what I did part way through my pregnancy. Oops.

zoesmummy_2006

No but my ex was constantly ordering takeaways rather than cook which was my downfall. I breastfed my son for a year and loved it! Am now pre kids size, but mainly cos i gave up the junk when ex left plus stress!

NBirdy

Nope, sadly didn't lose weight at all. I was hungrier but still tried to eat healthily. My weight stayed the same I also got periods back after 8 weeks despite exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months. So in my experience the good stuff that can happen to you as a result of breastfeeding, didn't apply to me! (obviously I realise the benefits for my babies though:))

barbiedoll

I lost loads of weight and I wasn't fat to start with. I never managed to regain my weight and I'm now a dress size smaller than I was in my teens. On the minus side, I'm in my forties and look a bit haggard. There's nothing wrong with having a bit of meat on your bones, I don't know why all you young women want to look so thin. I've got a flat chest and I can never get clothes to fit me unless I want to wear skintight, sparky jeans and crop tops! :rotfl::rotfl:

Don't worry about losing weight, breastfeeding is great for you both, any weight loss is just a bonus. :T

madtrekker

Nope! I didn't have too much to lose though (a stone or so) and I was so flippin' hungry all the time (worse than when I was pregnant). I did find that my stomach flattened out pretty quickly though (due to uterus contracting down) and I was back in my pre-pregnancy jeans 3 weeks after LO was born.

However, once I started weaning, the weight did come off though. I think some people's bodies hang on to the fat while breastfeeding as a spare reserve. Once LO cut down on her milk intake, my body decided that I could get rid of the fat at last!

LO is now 10 months and we're still BF.