Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
I hope I'm posting this question in the right forum. I'll be in my 9th month of pregnancy soon and am planning on breastfeeding the baby (provided I have sufficient milk). I have heard that breastfeeding requires an additional 500 calories to be burnt by day and that it helps with postpartum weight loss. At the same time, I have also heard that breastfeeding inhibits fat loss and that some women are able to start losing weight only after they stop nursing.
Now, given the health benefits of breastfeeding, I'm definitely planning on nursing for as long as I'm able to, but I would still like to know what the verdict is as far as weight loss is concerned.
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
i breastfed my daughter for 22 months..yes 22 MONTHS!!lol...and I never started to loose the excess weight until i stopped breastfeeding..but I think its different for every mother...it might help and it might not help, but think of it this way..at least your giving your lil one a good start with breastfeeding..my daughter is 7 years old now, but my son 5 and my new baby boy 1 1/2 months did not get the opportunity to be breastfed, due to i found it very time consuming with my daughter when i was breastfeeding her, and being so busy now, I decided to bottle feed my sons. My weight after my third child went back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I feel I am stretched in certain areas which a bit of excercising will help:-)...So dont worry eventually you will fall back into place!!:-)
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
I was only able to b/f for 5 months then my milk supply went down too much. I gained 25lbs when I was pregnant, and I lost it all in 2 wks. Now, there are other factors that went along, such as thyroid medication. I have heard both sides for the weight loss factor tho.
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Angel Baby: December 28, 2007
Liam: December 8, 2008
David & Abby: December 8, 2010
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
For me, I wasn't able to lose a good amount until after I was done. But I wasn't able to nurse for very long.....so it might be different for the person who is able to nurse for the entire first year or something like that. In addition however, and I mean absolutely no disrespect to bottle feeding momma's out there because I too was one and my children all turned out absolutely perfect, I think that breastfeedng provides benefits that outweigh the risk of keeping on a few pounds for a while. I loved the closeness of it, and I allways felt so much closer to my children then I did when I bottle fed. I am hoping to be able to breastfeed this time exclusively, even if it means I stay a bit portly for that first year. Good luck!
Melissa
The following user gives a hug of support to justmel30: thaliak (05-15-2011)
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
i breastfed my daughter for 10 months and lost weight very fast. in fact, i lost too much. i was having a very hard time keeping weight on me. i'm sure it's different for everyone, but for me it was a great thing. i gained 40 pounds during my pregnancy and lost it all within 3-6 months. good luck and stick with it!!
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
I too breastfed for 22 months (my last child) and not only did the weight not budge but I gained weight. I did not even begin to lose weight until at least 9 months after I stopped nursing and even then I only lost 30 of the 65lbs I needed.
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
Hi you all!
I have read all the replies. The jusry isn't out yet as to the definite outsome of breast feeding and weight loss. Logically it should help the mother lose the weight since it uses extra calories, but on the other hand, the body has to preserve energy to breast feed. So, what is the result? I think it depends on the woman and how active she also is. I have lost all the weight I put on during my first pregnancy even before I left the clinic. I had a c section.
With my second baby, I started losing only after I stopped breast feeding after three months, and only after I took up exercise.
Either way, breast feeding adds something precious to the mother-child bond, which nothing else does. Whether the weight will come off immediately or afterwards becomes of a minor importance when you hold your new baby in your arms!!!
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
According to me breast feeding is not only single reason of overweighting..
Generally women take rest on the bed for a long time after delivery and involve in small exercises. It is also a reason of overweighting..
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
With breastfeeding my first two kids I gained weight and stayed at about my full term pregnancy weight until I stopped breastfeeding. There wasn't much time of not breast feeding and not being pregnant between the first two as there was a pregnancy between the those two that I lost in the second trimester. But after I stopped breast feeding my son with in about 3 months I had dropped 30 lbs. I am now breastfeeding my 3rd child ( 10 yrs later) while I was down to below my prepregnancy weight at my 6 wk postpartum follow up I am now once again back up to my full term pregnancy weight. She is now 15 months and still nursing every 3-4 hrs. I magically gained 10 lbs (and one dress size ) in the last couple of weeks with out increasing my calories. ( I aim to eat 1800-22 cals a day, and do Zumba 3 times a week, hike once a week and do water aerobics,so it's not inactivity) So I am hoping that once she weans I can get some of this excess weight off. And since this is now 3 out of 3...I am assuming that weight gain while breasfeeding is normal for my body.
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth?
It is different for any mother. But it is true every mother loose their weight by breastfeeding. It work very early. Maximum time new mom loose weight in a huge .
Re: Breastfeeding - weight loss inhibitor or accelerator after birth? 
) in the last couple of weeks with out increasing my calories. ( I aim to eat 1800-22 cals a day, and do Zumba 3 times a week, hike once a week and do water aerobics,so it's not inactivity) So I am hoping that once she weans I can get some of this excess weight off. And since this is now 3 out of 3...I am assuming that weight gain while breasfeeding is normal for my body.
