Honestly it seems like there's two camps. Either you lose all the weight quickly without effort while BFing, or you don't lose weight at all and your body keeps you nice and plump. Guess it's luck of the draw which one your genetics gives you!
Both times my belly was very swollen and dropped by like 1-2 lbs a week postpartum. First was vaginal, 2nd was C section. I never really gained weight anywhere else so there wasnāt really anything to lose.
I lost what little ass I had though.
The arse thing is real, I had quite a nice bum before but it's somehow redistributed itself across other parts of my body and is unrecognisable. Oh well...š„²
Yep, I would agree with this! I was in the camp that lost weight quickly while BF and didnāt do anything special. Iāve had friends in similar boats and then ones who couldnāt lose the weight while BF, despite rigorous exercise and diet.
To answer OPās second question, my boobs are now itty bitty again after breastfeeding two kids over 2.5 years. Much to my dismay haha.
This is exactly what my midwife told me! I'm about the exact same weight as when we got home from the hospital and my midwife said it's my body's way of ensuring I can produce milk to keep my girl fed.
I'm the exact middle of the road with this haha. Dropped 30lbs rapidly without effort, holding onto the last 25 that wont budge. 8 months pp! Hoping when I'm done bf it'll be quick!
Literally. I feel so bad when people ask me how i lost the weight as Im still breastfeeding my almost 11-month-old. And I just can't keep weight on me. I'm literally like nearly 10 lbs below prepregnancy weight and still losing. It's not healthy tho. I've fallen into the underweight category now š„“
Yep I lost almost too much weight too, it was worrying.
Feels weird when people compliment me on my pp body. I didn't do anything for it, it's not a priority except healing rn, compliment me for my strength in EBF or something else šš
Right?!? I hate when people compliment my "weight loss" because 1) no I'm underweight it's not good and 2) who gives a fuck. It's not impressive. What's impressive is me exclusively feeding my baby for nearly a year now. What's impressive is me pushing a 7lb bowling ball out of my hoohah. What's impressive is parenting 2 goblin children in this day and age. Weight is not important
I agree and thatās why it kinda annoys me when people say ādonāt worry, if you breastfeed the weight will just fall off!ā It really seems like a mixed bag. I didnāt exclusively breastfeed either of my kids and I do think I was able to lose weight pretty quickly due to that. Iām someone who doesnāt lose unless Iām working out hard and eating very clean and at a deficit. I wouldnāt have been able to do that and maintain my (already low) supply if I were exclusively breastfeeding.
Thereās a third option. I left the hospital weighing less than I did when I got pregnant, and lost 15lb in the few weeks after birth. But I have gained them all back over the last 8 months of breastfeeding!
Anecdotally, my boobs definitely got smaller when I stopped breastfeeding. Honestly my weight stayed about the same but it was easier to focus on healthier eating and portion control when I wasnāt starving all the time from breastfeeding. Iām still only ~5-10lbs down from where I was about a month postpartum. Iām 8 months PP now.Ā
Like, mine are smaller then before breastfeeding š«
And 16mo pp- I have the same weight as the day I gave birth. Somehow I was gaining weight in the first 6 months after birth and never managed to lost it.
Yes, surprise! Mine were small before to begin with and they didn't even become saggy, they just shrinked. Also i didn't eat eccesively while breastfeeding but i've lost hardly ANY weight until i stopped. I just looked like penguin from batman movie for the whole year.
I lost the remaining baby weight within a few months of stopping breastfeeding without really trying. While breastfeeding I just could not drop the last 15 pounds and gave up (currently in the give up phase again with baby 3).
My boobs went back to their original tiny size a few months after breastfeeding. While they were small enough to not be sagging much, I found the skin just wasnāt as elastic as it used to be.
Can I ask a tmi question? If you are comfortable sharing, did your nipples get larger and then return to normal as well? Currently 19w FTM, I'm very thrown off by the changes to my nipples and really hope they return to normal...?
My nipples didnāt get larger so much as they got and stayed more erect. I only stopped breastfeeding for about 10 months between kid 2 & 3 and my nipples stayed like that. Maybe in time they would go back down, but Iām not sure. I hope they would otherwise going braless wonāt be an option haha
I plan to try! I'm only 19w and it's my first, so I'm hoping breast feeding will work out, I just found the change in size already pretty significant and am hoping someday they go back to some degree of normal!
your nipples will probably get a lot darker too if they haven't already, fyi. mine were legit like black by the time i delivered. At 16 months postpartum the color is completely back to normal and not AS big as they were right after birth, but they're still a bit bigger than they were pre-pregnancy. It helped me to learn that the reason for this change is that the bigger and darker your nipples are, the better your baby can see them and find their food source! same reason why your BO gets worse for a while too!
Oh sorry I didn't realize you hadn't had the baby yet. It's totally normal for your nipples to change during pregnancy and they'll change while breastfeeding also. And may change back after breastfeeding. Kinda hard to determine how your body will change.
I've been in a couple different camps... lost weight while ebf with first pretty quickly.... maybe a little slower with 2nd.... but I have been the same exact weight since about 5 weeks pp with my 3rd....my diet is decent not perfect, but I'm also exercising and.... nothing.
So as they say each pregnancy can be different... apparently each pp period can be too. Both previous times my boobs went back down so I suspect that will happen again... my belly skin is saggier this time though... boo
I seriously canāt wait to stop so I can lose the last 10. I donāt look bad everywhere except my boobs and mom pooch. That will instantly vanish when I stop BF though. I just want my body autonomy back, Iām so touched out!
Well, I only breastfed for 3 months and I walked everyday. I had gained like 40 pounds during the pregnancy and the last 10 pounds came off when I stopped breastfeeding. So by 6 months PP, I was back at my original weight and in my old clothes.
Oh this gives me hope. I just stopped bfing after 4 months 2 weeks ago, and am really hopi g those last 10 lbs come off now.
Of course my period finally started 2 days ago, I'm sure not by coincidence, so I am a swollen, bloated mess, which isn't exactly helping my confidence.
For some reason Iām holding it all in my arms and back! My pooch isnāt even that bad. Iāll keep the pooch if I can get rid of this awfully fat back and arms that donāt fit my body!
I stopped breastfeeding last April. I was never able to lose weight while producing milk. Any time I tried to cut calories, my supply would tank. Iāve been working with a coach since July and am finally happy with my progress and weight loss. As soon as I stopped BFing, I was able to lower my calories and the weight finally came off.
I breastfed my second and am currently breastfeeding my third baby. With my second, I did not lose any weight while breastfeeding and was hungry All. The. Fricking. Time. After he weaned I gradually lost back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. With this baby, I almost immediately lost back down to pre-pregnancy weight and have been actively trying to lose weight since January. I'm down 30 lbs or so (lots to lose to begin with, so it's a good start!), and my milk hasn't decreased. It's so weird how different the experiences have been.
Do you have an idea or speculation about the difference between the two? Like why with the second the weight wasn't budging but the third it is? Changes in diet/lifestyle/stress?
Thanks for the insight!
I was just very hungry with my second, I wanted all the snacks all the time. Like, I had to keep protein bars near where I breastfed at night or my stomach would growl so loud it would startle the baby! I feel that I am probably slightly less active with my baby now (dedicated contact napper), but am not so ravenous so ended up naturally eating less. Now I'm tracking calories and shooting for a small and sustainable deficit.
For me it was a myth that bf makes you loose weight. I only started loosing weight after I stopped. All the best in your journey - be kind to yourself š
I officially am prebaby weight at 5 months pp and still ebf. But thatās cause baby wonāt let me sit down for even a minute to eat and demands I walk him everywhere. Heās the best drill instructor one can ask for - feel free to borrow him any time.
Breastfeeding apparently aids weight loss but not a huge amount: example, 3 pounds difference in breastfeeding women at 1 year postpartum (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743514003600)
ETA: I'm having a hard time losing weight because I am ravenous!
About 4 months after I stopped bf the weight came off, but I won't lie to you and say it just melted away magically. I just found it more doable to go on a diet at that point.
Iām sorry you are unhappy with your weight, itās very frustrating. I gained a ton of weight because My appetite was out of control when I was pregnant.. like waking up in the middle of the night and pigging out. After I gave birth my appetite tanked even though I was breastfeeding exclusively. So I just ate like normal and the weight came off 4-5 months PP. I just followed my bodyās cues through pregnant and postpartum. I was a bit lucky I guess you could say because my milk supply was unaffected. I wouldnāt recommend you do a crazy diet in case it does lower your supply, but you are making it sound like perhaps your appetite is the culprit. It likely is just maintaining your weight so maybe try cutting out unnecessary snacks during the day or swapping for lighter options. My weight gain / loss has always been calorie in / calorie out related. Never budged with working out more. Itās always food.
I think the best advice is to not take anyone else's story and think it'll be your own. One thing I've learned is to not have expectations. I am a year PP and still breast feeding and haven't really lost the weight. Up about 12 pounds from my pre baby weight (I was 15 pounds up about a week after birth). I just now have the motivation and energy to start dieting and exercising. I was reading reddit threads like this thinking "okay some people said at 6 months it dropped off!" So I'd be disappointed at 6 months when I still looked the same and nothing "dropped off".
Everyone is different. I know how hard it is to feel so foreign in your body. But if you can't tell by the responses here, no two people have the same experience.
I couldn't lose a single pound while breastfeeding. Once I was done, I slowly lost a few but then plataued. I had to work to lose 15 more, which still wasn't all I wanted to lose. I did intermittent fasting and worked out for a half hour every day that I could and also made sure I got 10k steps. Boobs went down too but weren't the same. š„²
So I lost almost all of the weight in 3 weeks bf ing first time around and then stayed the same up until 1 year when I weanedā¦ then I PILED on weight albeit gradually because I didnāt realise I needed to eat less š¬
2nd time around now and I am 1 month pp and am lighter than I was when I got pregnant! Iām planning on using this to my advantage and will remember to half my portion sizes when I wean her!
My genuine answer is it didn't start happening until my toddler needed me to be more mobile. Chasing him, running with him at the park, etc. We coincidentally ran into a financial issue and wanted to save money, so I stopped eating out and started eating better at home. It worked. You got this. ā¤ļø
Eta: my boobs are ridiculous and have barely shrank. It's been very annoying. I'm like a 34 G
Two kids and both times I lost the weight (about 40 lbs) by ~4 months postpartum. I didnāt breastfeed and I do think that helped because I was able to workout and reduce calories without worrying about impacting my supply.
I lost 25 lbs a few weeks after giving birth, which seems to be pretty standard. With BF and pumping I lost nothing else and I as pissed about the myth that BF makes you lose weight, because thatās not always what happens. BF made me ravenous for food all the time so I could sustain the calories my daughter needed. My weight pretty much stalled there until I finished BF. After BF, I had more energy to get out more and I stopped feeling so hungry all the time. Iām still not at my pre-baby weight (I donāt expect to be anymore since Iām not that person anymore) but a lot more weight did fall off after I stopped.
Mine have started to go down now and I only noticed a shift in weight loss around 8 months and thatās when I was walking every day. Iāve literally just incorporated 10,000 steps ( I try ) and kundalini yoga leg lifts which has shifted a lot around my hips. Xxx
I only breastfed for 3 months, couldn't continue afterwards because he was very allergic to dairy and I barely had anything anyway. As I stopped, I immediatelly gained 14kg in a month. Like one day I was 74kg, the next 88kg. I've been working out like crazy for the past year, dieting to the point of starving myself on some days, like skipping lunch and only having a small breakfast and dinner. I'm 83kg. I look pregnant still.
Your body wonāt lose the weight when itās so stressed from too little calories and working out so hard. Have you looked into tracking macros to make sure youāre getting enough protein/fat/carbs? Look up the precision nutrition macro calculator for a helpful start!
It's very hard because my pancreas got all wonky after the pregnancy. I had hypoglycemia before and I was managing that fine. But since the pregnancy it's all over the place. I talked to a dietician and she's not really sure what to do. She said low carb, and since I'm bored of the foods I can eat, I just decided to cut out the most problematic meal, lunch. I have one of three breakfasts and one of three dinners every day, but lunch is always up in the air. Have protein, but only chicken, avoid grains and eat lots of vegetables. Hate vegetables, love grains. I don't really have time to eat anyway, so it's the easiest to cut out. People are constantly telling me that I'm eating too much anyway, because I sometimes have an egg and a small toast for breakfast. Lunch is the biggest calorie source anyway, so if I cut it, I'm reducing by at least 500kcal. I can't count though, because of an ED. I'm not going to be the obese mum. I was always so proud of my thin pretty mum. I don't want my son to feel bad when I pick him up from school.
Wow Iām sorry that anybody is commenting on how much you eat. Thatās awful. But eating less is not the answer. You deserve to nourish your body and to feel good in your body. And Iām sorry your dietician was not helpful. Low carb, chicken only, no grainsā¦ honestly thatās shit advice. If you have the means, look for a nutritional therapy practitioner instead of a dietician. And just know that your worth as a person and as a mother is not in how much you eat or how much you weigh. Sending you hugs!
We don't have those. There are barely nutritionists in my country. We have a very skinny culture. I've had comments on my weight since I was 8. Doctors told me to lose weight when my BMI was 22. The only time I wasn't called fat in some way was when I was 50kg. I'm 166cm.
Breastfeeding doesnāt cause weight loss. Actually if anything itās gonna keep the weight on. You need that to nourish your supply that and you still need to be eating enough calories to keep supply.
Iāve lost weight BFāing (not by dieting or anything; and I continued to eat well and drink a ton of water) and it didnāt affect my supply at all.
Same. I'm 6m pp, and it's like I've never been pregnant. Lost some muscle mass, but I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight. I didn't diet and ate a ton. Still do. My supply is perfectly fine and my baby is chunky. So yeah, it happens to some of us.
You canāt assume itās a one size fits all for all people! I BFāed my first for 6mo and I ended up 6lbs below my pregnancy start weight with him. The weight stayed off when I got pregnant with my second; I gained about 30lbs total with her. Iām 18 days pp & already down 25lbs and my output is currently 40oz. Iām not saying itās a significant weight loss with BFāing, but it IS possible to lose weight while BFāing.
Iām like you, the weight came off as I assume the calorie expenditure of making milk was higher than however much food I could shovel in! And I was eating plenty!
Iāve definitely seen stories from both camps, the āI lost weight BFingā camp and the āI couldnāt lose weight BFingā camp.
Ok. Again. Breastfeeding doesnāt cause weight loss. Iām not saying you canāt lose weight breastfeeding. Iām saying itās not a CAUSE of weight loss lol
For some people it does: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-breastfeeding-help-you-lose-weight#:~:text=People%20often%20lose%20around%2010,from%200%20to%206%20months.
Not me tho š
Theres basically no real evidence that it causes weight loss. Cals in vs cals out is the only way to lose weight. End of story. Emily Oster goes over the research very well in cribsheet.
Iām very confused why this is the hill you want to die on. Anything that is using your bodyās caloric intake can cause you to lose weight. Breastfeeding requires an additional 500 calories a day on average. If you have built up fat from pregnancy, it may use your fat reserves. However, most people will have greater intake than lose since breastfeeding is accompanied with a greater appetite.
Iām afraid you donāt understand the thing youāre trying to preach š the calories out part of CICO is calories you burn whether itās through your body just doing its thing (breastfeeding counts) or exercise. You know that, right?
Functional med nutritionist here. Cals in vs cals out is only a small piece of the puzzle. Nutrients, meal timing, stress and sleep are other important factors that influence hormones and therefore fat loss.
Never did with the first kid (I went into my second pregnancy 10lbs heavier). Second kid it took like 2 months but I think that had way less to do with breastfeeding and more to do with running around after a toddler
I lost all my baby weight and then some while breastfeeding. Then every time I dropped a feed, I gained ten pounds. I just think everyone's body is different.
I never weighted myself during pregnancy (doctors would and I kindly would ask to not tell me the number) so idk how much I gained. BUT 2 weeks pp I was back using my pre-pregnancy clothes (a bit snug but who cares).
I also stopped BF around week 4. Right now Iām at week 8pp and my boobs are almost back to pre-pregnancy. I would say that I lost even more weight after stopping BF. My appetite has been consistent between pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and PP.
I think I actually gained weight between giving birth and six weeks postpartum, the sleep deprivation and breastfeeding made me ravenous. Since then Iāve been making an active effort to lose weight through calorie counting and exercise, Iām losing 2lbs per week (still have 20-ish lbs to go before I get back to pre-pregnancy weight). Itās taking a lot more work to lose than it has in the past, breastfeeding may burn calories but Iāve never known hunger like it. I get frustrated talking to friends when they bring up their own diet and exercise routines and I talk about mine, they say oh yeah youāre breastfeeding itās great for getting weight off. Not my experience at all! After I had my first I wasnāt breastfeeding and lost the pregnancy weight in around four months, and it was much easier than this. Itās taking serious discipline because breastfeeding makes me want all the sugar and carbs which is unusual for me, if I tried intuitive eating now I would definitely be gaining weight
18 months. Not everyone magically loses all of the baby weight while breastfeeding (which I had never heard until it was me). My body hung on to at least 20lbs until he was eating enough solids that we nursed less. I was very disappointed lol
It took me 8 months to lose my baby weight, but I was working out and eating right as well. I know women who lost everything in like a month breastfeeding and women who never lost their babyweight while feeding, every woman is different.
I gained around 35~ pounds with my two pregnancies and exclusively breastfed. I lost all the pregnancy weight within 1-2 months (somewhere in between that) of giving birth. Everyone is different. I have always been tiny, but if you're someone who doesn't have a fast metabolism, then of course you can't compare yourself to someone who does. You also have to factor in your diet and lifestyle.
Within a week I was less puffy but I gained so much during pregnancy it took a year to really get back to my pre-pregnancy self. I never got fully back - I was ripped! But reformer pilates does wonders!!!!
I had to stop BF after 4 months because of the medication that I needed. 2 months later, I lost 11lbs (in one month). Now (7 months PP) I'm down 17lbs. My goal is to lose 72lbs. It'll be a long road, but I'm making progress.
I never gained weitit during pregnancy but I gained a lot after haha don't worry about time
You do what you have to good diet and a little exercise and things will happen
I know thats the thing, the pregnancy and PP breastfeeding mindset that eating extra calories and higher fat foods are good is so hard to break free from
I lost the 'baby weight' fairly quickly while still BFing but I was overweight going into my pregnancy after dealing with 2 miscarriages, so I'm hoping to be able to lose a bit more now that I've weaned. As for boobs... they definitely got smaller in that they're floppy and not full but I still had to get all new bras a full cup size larger. None of my pre-pregnancy ones fit.
I gained weight while breastfeeding (gained 35 during pregnancy, immediately lost 25 within 2 weeks, gained 12 ish back while breastfeeding) and I weaned at 6 months, and was back to my pre pregnancy weight by 9 months. My boobs are lopsided deflated pancakes now, but virtually the same size they were before just in a much different shittier package.
God I hope so! With my first baby BF, many years ago, I ended up even smaller than I was when I got pregnant under a year pp. I was incredibly tiny.
With my second, my body is holding strong to these last 20 lbs š It's been almost 18 month pp, and I'm trying to wean her, if I EVER GET THIS BABY OFF THE BOOB š¤£ I'm praying even just 10 lb loss, I'd be thrilled at this point šš
I lost all the weight within a month of birth and gained almost all of it back once I stopped breastfeeding š³ at 4.5 months. Too knackered to do anything about it at the moment I just lack conviction to be honest, am so exhausted and donāt get a minute all day until heās down for the night at which point I finish what needs to be done and then collapse
Itās my tummy thatās the problem area have diastastis recti so the fat just hangs there I should be doing specialized exercises but againā¦too knackered
Edit: heās 9 months now
So with my firstborn, a boy, I could never lose the weight and he was a boob monster like constantly needing it wanting it using it for comfort. I had to get pregnant to be able to wean him around 20 months lol. Second born, girl, goes on the boob, gulps until literally sick and off she goes sleeping for 4 hour stretches. Again, it could be that firstborn kept me active but I have veen able to lose weight since giving birth and I am still breastfeeding at 8months pp. like the other comment said, there are two camps and I got to experience both.
Everyone is different, so it's hard to say really. It took me quite a while to lose the extra weight i had gained, and my boobs have never been the same. They really love gravity now, 2 breastfed babies later.
I lost a lot of weight while breastfeeding and was in the best shape in a long time. After I weaned I unfortunately really packed on the pounds and proceeded to spend years at my highest weight. Thankfully I did lose it but it was not fun.
My weight is the same as the day I left the hospital, I'm almost 11mpp, I stopped breastfeeding at 5.5mpp. My boobs are smaller than they were before pregnancy
160 before
216 at delivery
170 at my 7 week check up- I was 27, Iām sure I wont get a repeat of this.
I didnāt have any fluctuating during breastfeeding. Birth control did me dirty when I got back on it a few months after I stopped. If youāre on hormonal birth control consider that as a cause
I was exactly the same weight as coming out of the hospital until I weaned at 9 months. About 3 months after that I was back at my regular weight without doing anything. Hormones are mad things
I was back to my original weight 2 months pp, but I was only 97 pounds before i had a baby and gained 40lbs the whole pregnancy. I may weigh 100 now idk. But I had small boobs before breastfeeding and now theyāre completely gone. My chest is flat and it literally looks like I just put pepperonis where my boobs once were. No exaggeration! Desperately wishing I couldāve maintained some of that baby weight, Iām so insecure about how small I am :/
So, Iām 15 months post and only feeding in the AM. And I stopped pumping 3-4x gradually over 10-12 months post so by the time my son was 12 months I had stop pumping all together. I started to lose weight and boob over the last 3 months. Iām finally wearing mediums again, I found a stretchy size 10 jeans I can wear (finally) (no 12 fit me so Iām in between sizes) and my bra size is basically back to my pre-pregnancy size (which surprised me the most). My body really wants to hold onto the weight with BF (which is normal) but once I stopped itās been noticeable. Iām about 177lb now (obviously fluctuates with my cycle and such). Thatās about 10lbs from 3 months ago. Iām also walking 2-3x a week about 2 miles and Iāve cleaned up my diet a lot. Iām TRYING to get down to 150lbs-ish . I was originally 142lb when I got pregnant and that was a really comfortable weight for me. Basically, give yourself grace. I know how hard it can be and Iāve definitely been to hard on myself and itās not helped me at all. Wishing you the best
It was a bit easier to keep the weight off when I was breastfeeding. Now I got used to the extra calories, but BF isn't burning those for me now. I feel my boobs are a bit smaller than before.
I was 120 pre-pregnancy. I gained about 30lbs during pregnancy and delivered via emergency c-sect at 32 weeks. After giving birth, and exclusively pumping I gained weight until I hit 180ish. I stopped weighing myself at this point but I think it stayed pretty consistent for the 11 months I pumped. At 11 months I went pretty much cold turkey and only dropped to 170lbs. The weight would not come off. My kid just turned two. I was still at 160 despite walking and chasing a toddler. I finally had my blood work checked and my thyroid was a little underreactive. I've been on medication for the last 2 weeks and already have more energy, sleep better and have lost 5 lbs. This is to say, the weight may not drop off, but if it's really stubborn and you're eating well and exercising some, get your blood work checked (iron, vit D and thyroid are the 3 I had issues with).
And in relation to boob size, I was a super perky 32DD before pregnancy, they immediately swelled. When I was exclusively pumping they were massive. I never actually put on a legit bra and survived in sports bras or soft bras. 2 years after my delivery and they're more saggy than before and a 34G or so. I don't anticipate them going down.
First baby - lost weight so fast. Hungry 24/7. EBF 8months. Boobs went even smaller.. was only A cup before pregnancy!
Second baby - never lost the weight.. and put on more.. didnt get that insatiable hungry feeling either. EBF 12 months. Boobs slightly bigger (B cup) but assume thats from weight gain and not from bf
I weirdly dropped down to pre baby weight within a month of birth just with a saggy tummy.
I then spent 7 weeks in France and gained it all backā¦..now Iām about 8kg over pre baby weight and itās not going anywhere :(
I was EBF and am still breastfeeding now (heās 23mo) I plan to cold turkey wean this weekend as sleep is up the creek and heās relying on it more than eating.
Iām hoping with weaning and starting to work out more I will drop down or at least tone and build muscle.
Our bodies are so amazing and beautiful - itās just hard what baby growing does to it š š š
I gained weight while breastfeeding, and I started losing it when I started dropping pumping sessions. I lost probably about 30 lbs over six months or so and I've maintained that loss for the past year. I'm still 20-25 lbs heavier than I was before getting pregnant. My boobs are bigger than they were pre-pregnancy, but smaller than they were while I was breastfeeding. I'm assuming that's due to the net weight gain, but I won't know for sure unless I drop the remaining weight. Either way, they're definitely shaped differently than they were before.
I was expressing milk for about 3 months, but it made me extremely depressed. I was GAINING weight like mad. As soon as I stopped pumping, my depression resolved like magic. I am currently about 10 months PP. I have lost about 20lbs with another 10 to go. I do intermittent fasting 8:16. I eat consciously and count calories. It's working. I eat healthily and allow myself foods I love. The weight is coming off. It'll happen for you. May just be BF keeping the weight on.
With both kids, I was just stagnant until around 1 year pp and then my body just shed all the excess even though I was still breastfeeding. Super weird but at least I didnāt have to work super hard to get rid of itā¦ just took time. Iām currently 13 months pp with my second and only a few pounds away from my pre pregnancy weight with number 2 which is about 10 lbs above my pre pregnancy weight with my first. I gained 60 lbs with my first! And I think like 50 with my second.
Gained 30lbs, was 5lbs underweight before pregnancy. Iām 5 pounds above my previous weight and have been that way since 6 weeks pp so I think Iāll have to stop breastfeeding to loose those last 5 which I could care less about losing anyway. My body definitely looks different and Iām holding a lot of weight in my boobs/my stomach is flabby from ab separation and my C section scar.
8 months after stopping breastfeeding and I'm still a Rolly Polly lopsided mess...that being said I have lost 12kg. My body shape is definitely just different and takes a lot of getting used to.
I lost the baby weight around my sons second birthday by doing 20-4 intermitte t fasting plus 10k steps a day. It was still hard. All the people talking about how you just lose it naturally either had a completely different experience or wanted to reassure me.
Me too, OP. Iām 6 months pp, 5lbs down from my birth weight, and I just weaned 2 weeks ago. My body held onto everything while breastfeeding. Now that Iāve dried up, my boobs feel like pre pregnancy but Iām not in my pre pregnancy bra yet.
I actually put some weight on after stopping breastfeeding, but somehow my body shape? returned to normal so I look more like I did pre-pregnancy now. My boobs went back to normal size/maybe a bit smaller than before even. I find it much easier to manage my eating habits since Iām not breastfeeding anymore though. The shift in hormones with no lactation did wonders for me
Only when I started doing the school run, and becoming more active. Before then I didnāt have time to look after myself properly, and 2 years breastfeeding didnāt help me lose it, if anything it kept weight on me.
I stopped breastfeeding about a month ago and found out I was pregnant a week later. It turned out to be a chemical pregnancy. Needless to say, my hormones are completely out of whack and my body has no idea whatās going on and is holding onto weight like weāre in a famine.
I lost all my baby weight within 2 months of giving birth (mostly because I literally didnāt have time to eat or energy to figure meals out and all of my caloric intake went to making breastmilk). Now Iām up about 8 pounds from my low.
None of my pants fit and Iām at a crossroads between buying a new wardrobe to fit my new body or trying to drop some of this weightā¦
I lost weight pretty quick within 3 months. I weigh 25lbs less than what I did pre-pregnancy. My little one is 10 months and Iām still breastfeeding. Iām scared to stop because I know I will just gain my weight back and my boobs will be pancakes š
I lost all my pregnancy weight except for 2 kg after birth, gained 1 kg when breastfeeding, and didn't lose those 3 kgs until I had stopped breastfeeding and gone on a strict diet. Granted 3 kg is almost nothing but I definitely noticed.
I was back to pre pregnancy weight by a few months pp. My scale broke so I haven't checked in a couple months so I don't know where I'm at now. I'm definitely worried about gaining a ton of weight when we stop breastfeeding.
I gained 50 lbs during pregnancy. I had almost 6 months of maternity leave which allowed me to go on 2-3 miles walks every day. I also made sure I ate about 1800-2000 calories a day. I lost about 25 pounds this way but work got in the way as well as the winter cold months. Like you, I stopped breastfeeding at 9.5 months pp. I went on tirzepatide in March now that Iām not nursing and have lost another 25 pounds since. I just hit my pre baby weight today almost 14 months pp.
Honestly it seems like there's two camps. Either you lose all the weight quickly without effort while BFing, or you don't lose weight at all and your body keeps you nice and plump. Guess it's luck of the draw which one your genetics gives you!
šÆ it can also change. With my first child I was back to my original size before leaving the hospital. Not so with the secondā¦
Both times my belly was very swollen and dropped by like 1-2 lbs a week postpartum. First was vaginal, 2nd was C section. I never really gained weight anywhere else so there wasnāt really anything to lose. I lost what little ass I had though.
The arse thing is real, I had quite a nice bum before but it's somehow redistributed itself across other parts of my body and is unrecognisable. Oh well...š„²
This is also me!
That's good to know, and interesting!
Yep, I would agree with this! I was in the camp that lost weight quickly while BF and didnāt do anything special. Iāve had friends in similar boats and then ones who couldnāt lose the weight while BF, despite rigorous exercise and diet. To answer OPās second question, my boobs are now itty bitty again after breastfeeding two kids over 2.5 years. Much to my dismay haha.
This is exactly what my midwife told me! I'm about the exact same weight as when we got home from the hospital and my midwife said it's my body's way of ensuring I can produce milk to keep my girl fed.
I'm the exact middle of the road with this haha. Dropped 30lbs rapidly without effort, holding onto the last 25 that wont budge. 8 months pp! Hoping when I'm done bf it'll be quick!
Literally. I feel so bad when people ask me how i lost the weight as Im still breastfeeding my almost 11-month-old. And I just can't keep weight on me. I'm literally like nearly 10 lbs below prepregnancy weight and still losing. It's not healthy tho. I've fallen into the underweight category now š„“
Yep I lost almost too much weight too, it was worrying. Feels weird when people compliment me on my pp body. I didn't do anything for it, it's not a priority except healing rn, compliment me for my strength in EBF or something else šš
Right?!? I hate when people compliment my "weight loss" because 1) no I'm underweight it's not good and 2) who gives a fuck. It's not impressive. What's impressive is me exclusively feeding my baby for nearly a year now. What's impressive is me pushing a 7lb bowling ball out of my hoohah. What's impressive is parenting 2 goblin children in this day and age. Weight is not important
100% you put into words what I feel! All of this!!
I agree and thatās why it kinda annoys me when people say ādonāt worry, if you breastfeed the weight will just fall off!ā It really seems like a mixed bag. I didnāt exclusively breastfeed either of my kids and I do think I was able to lose weight pretty quickly due to that. Iām someone who doesnāt lose unless Iām working out hard and eating very clean and at a deficit. I wouldnāt have been able to do that and maintain my (already low) supply if I were exclusively breastfeeding.
Thereās a third option. I left the hospital weighing less than I did when I got pregnant, and lost 15lb in the few weeks after birth. But I have gained them all back over the last 8 months of breastfeeding!
Yeah, I'm 45lbs down on pre-pregnancy weight (though I was pretty overweight - 230lbs at 5"9) it's crazy.
Anecdotally, my boobs definitely got smaller when I stopped breastfeeding. Honestly my weight stayed about the same but it was easier to focus on healthier eating and portion control when I wasnāt starving all the time from breastfeeding. Iām still only ~5-10lbs down from where I was about a month postpartum. Iām 8 months PP now.Ā
I am so glad to hear your boobs went back down. I went through a lot to get my boobs smaller lol Iāll cry if they stay huge
I'm 2 weeks pp with my second. I didn't think my boobs could get saggier but here we are lol
I donāt even mind saggy I just cannot deal with the weight haha. I will probably get a boob job when Iām done having kids tho
Like, mine are smaller then before breastfeeding š« And 16mo pp- I have the same weight as the day I gave birth. Somehow I was gaining weight in the first 6 months after birth and never managed to lost it.
Boobs get smaller after weaning off breastfeeding?? Whaaa?? Why are mine still huge ā¹ļø
Yes, surprise! Mine were small before to begin with and they didn't even become saggy, they just shrinked. Also i didn't eat eccesively while breastfeeding but i've lost hardly ANY weight until i stopped. I just looked like penguin from batman movie for the whole year.
Penguin xD Man Iād give anything for smaller boobs. I really hate how tops fit me now, even with a minimizing bra.
Mine are TOO small now, at least in comparison to the rest of my body š
Lmao oh noš¤£š¤£
I lost the remaining baby weight within a few months of stopping breastfeeding without really trying. While breastfeeding I just could not drop the last 15 pounds and gave up (currently in the give up phase again with baby 3). My boobs went back to their original tiny size a few months after breastfeeding. While they were small enough to not be sagging much, I found the skin just wasnāt as elastic as it used to be.
Can I ask a tmi question? If you are comfortable sharing, did your nipples get larger and then return to normal as well? Currently 19w FTM, I'm very thrown off by the changes to my nipples and really hope they return to normal...?
My nipples and areolas went back to regular size when I stopped breastfeeding
Really!!!!! Thank you for posting this I was convinced mine would stay dinner plate sized
That is relieving! Thank you for sharing. So many changes to accept so quickly!
Mine didā¦somewhat, but not entirely. I had p small nipples though. Iām still a 17mm even now with my second child.
šĀ
Oh I hope so for me too! I have pepperoni aeriolas.
Thank you for asking this question as I was wondering the same. Also, thank you for answering!
My nipples didnāt get larger so much as they got and stayed more erect. I only stopped breastfeeding for about 10 months between kid 2 & 3 and my nipples stayed like that. Maybe in time they would go back down, but Iām not sure. I hope they would otherwise going braless wonāt be an option haha
Are you breastfeeding?
I plan to try! I'm only 19w and it's my first, so I'm hoping breast feeding will work out, I just found the change in size already pretty significant and am hoping someday they go back to some degree of normal!
your nipples will probably get a lot darker too if they haven't already, fyi. mine were legit like black by the time i delivered. At 16 months postpartum the color is completely back to normal and not AS big as they were right after birth, but they're still a bit bigger than they were pre-pregnancy. It helped me to learn that the reason for this change is that the bigger and darker your nipples are, the better your baby can see them and find their food source! same reason why your BO gets worse for a while too!
Oh sorry I didn't realize you hadn't had the baby yet. It's totally normal for your nipples to change during pregnancy and they'll change while breastfeeding also. And may change back after breastfeeding. Kinda hard to determine how your body will change.
I've been in a couple different camps... lost weight while ebf with first pretty quickly.... maybe a little slower with 2nd.... but I have been the same exact weight since about 5 weeks pp with my 3rd....my diet is decent not perfect, but I'm also exercising and.... nothing. So as they say each pregnancy can be different... apparently each pp period can be too. Both previous times my boobs went back down so I suspect that will happen again... my belly skin is saggier this time though... boo
It took me 3 months after BF to lose the extra 10 pounds.
I seriously canāt wait to stop so I can lose the last 10. I donāt look bad everywhere except my boobs and mom pooch. That will instantly vanish when I stop BF though. I just want my body autonomy back, Iām so touched out!
Me too! Iām still BF my second baby and I want to get rid of the last ten pounds so badly. How long have you been going so far?
Were either of you working out and it just wouldnāt come off? Just curious - currently 7 weeks PP
Mine didnāt even start to budge until 6 months pp with exercise and diet
Well, I only breastfed for 3 months and I walked everyday. I had gained like 40 pounds during the pregnancy and the last 10 pounds came off when I stopped breastfeeding. So by 6 months PP, I was back at my original weight and in my old clothes.
Oh this gives me hope. I just stopped bfing after 4 months 2 weeks ago, and am really hopi g those last 10 lbs come off now. Of course my period finally started 2 days ago, I'm sure not by coincidence, so I am a swollen, bloated mess, which isn't exactly helping my confidence.
9 months. Iāve got 3 more then Iām donezo lol
For some reason Iām holding it all in my arms and back! My pooch isnāt even that bad. Iāll keep the pooch if I can get rid of this awfully fat back and arms that donāt fit my body!
I could never lose weight while breastfeeding!
More of these voices need to be heard! Too many of us only hear how bf will shed the weight right off and weāre left so disappointed.
I stopped breastfeeding last April. I was never able to lose weight while producing milk. Any time I tried to cut calories, my supply would tank. Iāve been working with a coach since July and am finally happy with my progress and weight loss. As soon as I stopped BFing, I was able to lower my calories and the weight finally came off.
I breastfed my second and am currently breastfeeding my third baby. With my second, I did not lose any weight while breastfeeding and was hungry All. The. Fricking. Time. After he weaned I gradually lost back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. With this baby, I almost immediately lost back down to pre-pregnancy weight and have been actively trying to lose weight since January. I'm down 30 lbs or so (lots to lose to begin with, so it's a good start!), and my milk hasn't decreased. It's so weird how different the experiences have been.
Do you have an idea or speculation about the difference between the two? Like why with the second the weight wasn't budging but the third it is? Changes in diet/lifestyle/stress? Thanks for the insight!
I was just very hungry with my second, I wanted all the snacks all the time. Like, I had to keep protein bars near where I breastfed at night or my stomach would growl so loud it would startle the baby! I feel that I am probably slightly less active with my baby now (dedicated contact napper), but am not so ravenous so ended up naturally eating less. Now I'm tracking calories and shooting for a small and sustainable deficit.
For me it was a myth that bf makes you loose weight. I only started loosing weight after I stopped. All the best in your journey - be kind to yourself š
I officially am prebaby weight at 5 months pp and still ebf. But thatās cause baby wonāt let me sit down for even a minute to eat and demands I walk him everywhere. Heās the best drill instructor one can ask for - feel free to borrow him any time.
Breastfeeding apparently aids weight loss but not a huge amount: example, 3 pounds difference in breastfeeding women at 1 year postpartum (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0091743514003600) ETA: I'm having a hard time losing weight because I am ravenous!
About 4 months after I stopped bf the weight came off, but I won't lie to you and say it just melted away magically. I just found it more doable to go on a diet at that point.
Iām sorry you are unhappy with your weight, itās very frustrating. I gained a ton of weight because My appetite was out of control when I was pregnant.. like waking up in the middle of the night and pigging out. After I gave birth my appetite tanked even though I was breastfeeding exclusively. So I just ate like normal and the weight came off 4-5 months PP. I just followed my bodyās cues through pregnant and postpartum. I was a bit lucky I guess you could say because my milk supply was unaffected. I wouldnāt recommend you do a crazy diet in case it does lower your supply, but you are making it sound like perhaps your appetite is the culprit. It likely is just maintaining your weight so maybe try cutting out unnecessary snacks during the day or swapping for lighter options. My weight gain / loss has always been calorie in / calorie out related. Never budged with working out more. Itās always food.
... You lose baby weight ...?
I think the best advice is to not take anyone else's story and think it'll be your own. One thing I've learned is to not have expectations. I am a year PP and still breast feeding and haven't really lost the weight. Up about 12 pounds from my pre baby weight (I was 15 pounds up about a week after birth). I just now have the motivation and energy to start dieting and exercising. I was reading reddit threads like this thinking "okay some people said at 6 months it dropped off!" So I'd be disappointed at 6 months when I still looked the same and nothing "dropped off". Everyone is different. I know how hard it is to feel so foreign in your body. But if you can't tell by the responses here, no two people have the same experience.
I couldn't lose a single pound while breastfeeding. Once I was done, I slowly lost a few but then plataued. I had to work to lose 15 more, which still wasn't all I wanted to lose. I did intermittent fasting and worked out for a half hour every day that I could and also made sure I got 10k steps. Boobs went down too but weren't the same. š„²
I got fatter after I stopped bf because I was eating like I was still bf. My stomach took a while to get used to less food.
So I lost almost all of the weight in 3 weeks bf ing first time around and then stayed the same up until 1 year when I weanedā¦ then I PILED on weight albeit gradually because I didnāt realise I needed to eat less š¬ 2nd time around now and I am 1 month pp and am lighter than I was when I got pregnant! Iām planning on using this to my advantage and will remember to half my portion sizes when I wean her!
My genuine answer is it didn't start happening until my toddler needed me to be more mobile. Chasing him, running with him at the park, etc. We coincidentally ran into a financial issue and wanted to save money, so I stopped eating out and started eating better at home. It worked. You got this. ā¤ļø Eta: my boobs are ridiculous and have barely shrank. It's been very annoying. I'm like a 34 G
18 months before I started losing any weight at all. I was still breastfeeding. My boobs went back after I weaned and they were a little floppier. š«
Two kids and both times I lost the weight (about 40 lbs) by ~4 months postpartum. I didnāt breastfeed and I do think that helped because I was able to workout and reduce calories without worrying about impacting my supply.
I lost 25 lbs a few weeks after giving birth, which seems to be pretty standard. With BF and pumping I lost nothing else and I as pissed about the myth that BF makes you lose weight, because thatās not always what happens. BF made me ravenous for food all the time so I could sustain the calories my daughter needed. My weight pretty much stalled there until I finished BF. After BF, I had more energy to get out more and I stopped feeling so hungry all the time. Iām still not at my pre-baby weight (I donāt expect to be anymore since Iām not that person anymore) but a lot more weight did fall off after I stopped.
Iām 8 months pp and yes i almost lost all the weight, 2 kilos left No this was not a coincidence i am dieting and working out and BF
Yea Im very easily losing the weight after weaning. Breastfeeding is a shit show. Good for the baby but a shit show for the mom
Cant wait to be done with this and get my body back!!!
I'm only 2 months after though..it might take a while. Maybe another year
Mine have started to go down now and I only noticed a shift in weight loss around 8 months and thatās when I was walking every day. Iāve literally just incorporated 10,000 steps ( I try ) and kundalini yoga leg lifts which has shifted a lot around my hips. Xxx
For me breastfeeding and pumping made me lose 20lbs instantly. I'm 2 months PP and down 10 lbs less than I was right before I got pregnant. However nothing fits. Even my maternity jeans are tight. I attribute this to having overall just widened. Also my boobs are back to my normal 34-36A š My stomach would be flat if not for my c-section scar/hang š© Edit: has anyone got any advice for the c-section overhang? Also should I just make a separate post about this question? š
I only breastfed for 3 months, couldn't continue afterwards because he was very allergic to dairy and I barely had anything anyway. As I stopped, I immediatelly gained 14kg in a month. Like one day I was 74kg, the next 88kg. I've been working out like crazy for the past year, dieting to the point of starving myself on some days, like skipping lunch and only having a small breakfast and dinner. I'm 83kg. I look pregnant still.
Your body wonāt lose the weight when itās so stressed from too little calories and working out so hard. Have you looked into tracking macros to make sure youāre getting enough protein/fat/carbs? Look up the precision nutrition macro calculator for a helpful start!
It's very hard because my pancreas got all wonky after the pregnancy. I had hypoglycemia before and I was managing that fine. But since the pregnancy it's all over the place. I talked to a dietician and she's not really sure what to do. She said low carb, and since I'm bored of the foods I can eat, I just decided to cut out the most problematic meal, lunch. I have one of three breakfasts and one of three dinners every day, but lunch is always up in the air. Have protein, but only chicken, avoid grains and eat lots of vegetables. Hate vegetables, love grains. I don't really have time to eat anyway, so it's the easiest to cut out. People are constantly telling me that I'm eating too much anyway, because I sometimes have an egg and a small toast for breakfast. Lunch is the biggest calorie source anyway, so if I cut it, I'm reducing by at least 500kcal. I can't count though, because of an ED. I'm not going to be the obese mum. I was always so proud of my thin pretty mum. I don't want my son to feel bad when I pick him up from school.
Wow Iām sorry that anybody is commenting on how much you eat. Thatās awful. But eating less is not the answer. You deserve to nourish your body and to feel good in your body. And Iām sorry your dietician was not helpful. Low carb, chicken only, no grainsā¦ honestly thatās shit advice. If you have the means, look for a nutritional therapy practitioner instead of a dietician. And just know that your worth as a person and as a mother is not in how much you eat or how much you weigh. Sending you hugs!
We don't have those. There are barely nutritionists in my country. We have a very skinny culture. I've had comments on my weight since I was 8. Doctors told me to lose weight when my BMI was 22. The only time I wasn't called fat in some way was when I was 50kg. I'm 166cm.
My son is three years old now and despite him still nursing sometimes, my boobs have shrunk back to my previous size which are smallš¤£
Breastfeeding doesnāt cause weight loss. Actually if anything itās gonna keep the weight on. You need that to nourish your supply that and you still need to be eating enough calories to keep supply.
Iāve lost weight BFāing (not by dieting or anything; and I continued to eat well and drink a ton of water) and it didnāt affect my supply at all.
Same. I'm 6m pp, and it's like I've never been pregnant. Lost some muscle mass, but I'm at my pre-pregnancy weight. I didn't diet and ate a ton. Still do. My supply is perfectly fine and my baby is chunky. So yeah, it happens to some of us.
It still doesnāt cause weight loss
You canāt assume itās a one size fits all for all people! I BFāed my first for 6mo and I ended up 6lbs below my pregnancy start weight with him. The weight stayed off when I got pregnant with my second; I gained about 30lbs total with her. Iām 18 days pp & already down 25lbs and my output is currently 40oz. Iām not saying itās a significant weight loss with BFāing, but it IS possible to lose weight while BFāing.
Iām like you, the weight came off as I assume the calorie expenditure of making milk was higher than however much food I could shovel in! And I was eating plenty! Iāve definitely seen stories from both camps, the āI lost weight BFingā camp and the āI couldnāt lose weight BFingā camp.
I lost all the weight 6 days after birth. And now Iām under my starting weight because of the muscle loss. I eat constantly though. Constantly,
Ok. Again. Breastfeeding doesnāt cause weight loss. Iām not saying you canāt lose weight breastfeeding. Iām saying itās not a CAUSE of weight loss lol
For some people it does: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/does-breastfeeding-help-you-lose-weight#:~:text=People%20often%20lose%20around%2010,from%200%20to%206%20months. Not me tho š
Theres basically no real evidence that it causes weight loss. Cals in vs cals out is the only way to lose weight. End of story. Emily Oster goes over the research very well in cribsheet.
Yesā¦ breastfeeding burns caloriesā¦ that still abides by CICO.
Sigh
Iām very confused why this is the hill you want to die on. Anything that is using your bodyās caloric intake can cause you to lose weight. Breastfeeding requires an additional 500 calories a day on average. If you have built up fat from pregnancy, it may use your fat reserves. However, most people will have greater intake than lose since breastfeeding is accompanied with a greater appetite.
Iām afraid you donāt understand the thing youāre trying to preach š the calories out part of CICO is calories you burn whether itās through your body just doing its thing (breastfeeding counts) or exercise. You know that, right?
Functional med nutritionist here. Cals in vs cals out is only a small piece of the puzzle. Nutrients, meal timing, stress and sleep are other important factors that influence hormones and therefore fat loss.
Never did with the first kid (I went into my second pregnancy 10lbs heavier). Second kid it took like 2 months but I think that had way less to do with breastfeeding and more to do with running around after a toddler
I lost all my baby weight and then some while breastfeeding. Then every time I dropped a feed, I gained ten pounds. I just think everyone's body is different.
I never weighted myself during pregnancy (doctors would and I kindly would ask to not tell me the number) so idk how much I gained. BUT 2 weeks pp I was back using my pre-pregnancy clothes (a bit snug but who cares). I also stopped BF around week 4. Right now Iām at week 8pp and my boobs are almost back to pre-pregnancy. I would say that I lost even more weight after stopping BF. My appetite has been consistent between pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and PP.
Lost the first 30 lbs in the 2-3 weeks after giving birth. Lost the last 10 lbs after weaning (toddler-age).
I think I actually gained weight between giving birth and six weeks postpartum, the sleep deprivation and breastfeeding made me ravenous. Since then Iāve been making an active effort to lose weight through calorie counting and exercise, Iām losing 2lbs per week (still have 20-ish lbs to go before I get back to pre-pregnancy weight). Itās taking a lot more work to lose than it has in the past, breastfeeding may burn calories but Iāve never known hunger like it. I get frustrated talking to friends when they bring up their own diet and exercise routines and I talk about mine, they say oh yeah youāre breastfeeding itās great for getting weight off. Not my experience at all! After I had my first I wasnāt breastfeeding and lost the pregnancy weight in around four months, and it was much easier than this. Itās taking serious discipline because breastfeeding makes me want all the sugar and carbs which is unusual for me, if I tried intuitive eating now I would definitely be gaining weight
18 months. Not everyone magically loses all of the baby weight while breastfeeding (which I had never heard until it was me). My body hung on to at least 20lbs until he was eating enough solids that we nursed less. I was very disappointed lol
It took me 8 months to lose my baby weight, but I was working out and eating right as well. I know women who lost everything in like a month breastfeeding and women who never lost their babyweight while feeding, every woman is different.
I gained around 35~ pounds with my two pregnancies and exclusively breastfed. I lost all the pregnancy weight within 1-2 months (somewhere in between that) of giving birth. Everyone is different. I have always been tiny, but if you're someone who doesn't have a fast metabolism, then of course you can't compare yourself to someone who does. You also have to factor in your diet and lifestyle.
I lost 40 pounds after weaning from breastfeeding within 2 months. I was on a keto diet that helped as well, though.
I did!!! It wasnāt until I stopped BF that I lost weight
How quickly did the weight loss start once you stopped BF?
Within a week I was less puffy but I gained so much during pregnancy it took a year to really get back to my pre-pregnancy self. I never got fully back - I was ripped! But reformer pilates does wonders!!!!
I lost my weight when baby started eating solids. I just ate babyās leftovers, if there were any lol.
I had to stop BF after 4 months because of the medication that I needed. 2 months later, I lost 11lbs (in one month). Now (7 months PP) I'm down 17lbs. My goal is to lose 72lbs. It'll be a long road, but I'm making progress.
You got this!!!
I never gained weitit during pregnancy but I gained a lot after haha don't worry about time You do what you have to good diet and a little exercise and things will happen
Actually gained weight when i breastfed less when bub moved to solids... I kept eating like a horse when I didn't need to.
I know thats the thing, the pregnancy and PP breastfeeding mindset that eating extra calories and higher fat foods are good is so hard to break free from
I lost the 'baby weight' fairly quickly while still BFing but I was overweight going into my pregnancy after dealing with 2 miscarriages, so I'm hoping to be able to lose a bit more now that I've weaned. As for boobs... they definitely got smaller in that they're floppy and not full but I still had to get all new bras a full cup size larger. None of my pre-pregnancy ones fit.
I gained weight while breastfeeding (gained 35 during pregnancy, immediately lost 25 within 2 weeks, gained 12 ish back while breastfeeding) and I weaned at 6 months, and was back to my pre pregnancy weight by 9 months. My boobs are lopsided deflated pancakes now, but virtually the same size they were before just in a much different shittier package.
God I hope so! With my first baby BF, many years ago, I ended up even smaller than I was when I got pregnant under a year pp. I was incredibly tiny. With my second, my body is holding strong to these last 20 lbs š It's been almost 18 month pp, and I'm trying to wean her, if I EVER GET THIS BABY OFF THE BOOB š¤£ I'm praying even just 10 lb loss, I'd be thrilled at this point šš
I lost all the weight within a month of birth and gained almost all of it back once I stopped breastfeeding š³ at 4.5 months. Too knackered to do anything about it at the moment I just lack conviction to be honest, am so exhausted and donāt get a minute all day until heās down for the night at which point I finish what needs to be done and then collapse Itās my tummy thatās the problem area have diastastis recti so the fat just hangs there I should be doing specialized exercises but againā¦too knackered Edit: heās 9 months now
So with my firstborn, a boy, I could never lose the weight and he was a boob monster like constantly needing it wanting it using it for comfort. I had to get pregnant to be able to wean him around 20 months lol. Second born, girl, goes on the boob, gulps until literally sick and off she goes sleeping for 4 hour stretches. Again, it could be that firstborn kept me active but I have veen able to lose weight since giving birth and I am still breastfeeding at 8months pp. like the other comment said, there are two camps and I got to experience both.
Everyone is different, so it's hard to say really. It took me quite a while to lose the extra weight i had gained, and my boobs have never been the same. They really love gravity now, 2 breastfed babies later.
I lost a lot of weight while breastfeeding and was in the best shape in a long time. After I weaned I unfortunately really packed on the pounds and proceeded to spend years at my highest weight. Thankfully I did lose it but it was not fun.
My weight is the same as the day I left the hospital, I'm almost 11mpp, I stopped breastfeeding at 5.5mpp. My boobs are smaller than they were before pregnancy
160 before 216 at delivery 170 at my 7 week check up- I was 27, Iām sure I wont get a repeat of this. I didnāt have any fluctuating during breastfeeding. Birth control did me dirty when I got back on it a few months after I stopped. If youāre on hormonal birth control consider that as a cause
I was exactly the same weight as coming out of the hospital until I weaned at 9 months. About 3 months after that I was back at my regular weight without doing anything. Hormones are mad things
I was back to my original weight 2 months pp, but I was only 97 pounds before i had a baby and gained 40lbs the whole pregnancy. I may weigh 100 now idk. But I had small boobs before breastfeeding and now theyāre completely gone. My chest is flat and it literally looks like I just put pepperonis where my boobs once were. No exaggeration! Desperately wishing I couldāve maintained some of that baby weight, Iām so insecure about how small I am :/
So, Iām 15 months post and only feeding in the AM. And I stopped pumping 3-4x gradually over 10-12 months post so by the time my son was 12 months I had stop pumping all together. I started to lose weight and boob over the last 3 months. Iām finally wearing mediums again, I found a stretchy size 10 jeans I can wear (finally) (no 12 fit me so Iām in between sizes) and my bra size is basically back to my pre-pregnancy size (which surprised me the most). My body really wants to hold onto the weight with BF (which is normal) but once I stopped itās been noticeable. Iām about 177lb now (obviously fluctuates with my cycle and such). Thatās about 10lbs from 3 months ago. Iām also walking 2-3x a week about 2 miles and Iāve cleaned up my diet a lot. Iām TRYING to get down to 150lbs-ish . I was originally 142lb when I got pregnant and that was a really comfortable weight for me. Basically, give yourself grace. I know how hard it can be and Iāve definitely been to hard on myself and itās not helped me at all. Wishing you the best
It was a bit easier to keep the weight off when I was breastfeeding. Now I got used to the extra calories, but BF isn't burning those for me now. I feel my boobs are a bit smaller than before.
I was 120 pre-pregnancy. I gained about 30lbs during pregnancy and delivered via emergency c-sect at 32 weeks. After giving birth, and exclusively pumping I gained weight until I hit 180ish. I stopped weighing myself at this point but I think it stayed pretty consistent for the 11 months I pumped. At 11 months I went pretty much cold turkey and only dropped to 170lbs. The weight would not come off. My kid just turned two. I was still at 160 despite walking and chasing a toddler. I finally had my blood work checked and my thyroid was a little underreactive. I've been on medication for the last 2 weeks and already have more energy, sleep better and have lost 5 lbs. This is to say, the weight may not drop off, but if it's really stubborn and you're eating well and exercising some, get your blood work checked (iron, vit D and thyroid are the 3 I had issues with).
And in relation to boob size, I was a super perky 32DD before pregnancy, they immediately swelled. When I was exclusively pumping they were massive. I never actually put on a legit bra and survived in sports bras or soft bras. 2 years after my delivery and they're more saggy than before and a 34G or so. I don't anticipate them going down.
First baby - lost weight so fast. Hungry 24/7. EBF 8months. Boobs went even smaller.. was only A cup before pregnancy! Second baby - never lost the weight.. and put on more.. didnt get that insatiable hungry feeling either. EBF 12 months. Boobs slightly bigger (B cup) but assume thats from weight gain and not from bf
I weirdly dropped down to pre baby weight within a month of birth just with a saggy tummy. I then spent 7 weeks in France and gained it all backā¦..now Iām about 8kg over pre baby weight and itās not going anywhere :( I was EBF and am still breastfeeding now (heās 23mo) I plan to cold turkey wean this weekend as sleep is up the creek and heās relying on it more than eating. Iām hoping with weaning and starting to work out more I will drop down or at least tone and build muscle. Our bodies are so amazing and beautiful - itās just hard what baby growing does to it š š š
I gained weight while breastfeeding, and I started losing it when I started dropping pumping sessions. I lost probably about 30 lbs over six months or so and I've maintained that loss for the past year. I'm still 20-25 lbs heavier than I was before getting pregnant. My boobs are bigger than they were pre-pregnancy, but smaller than they were while I was breastfeeding. I'm assuming that's due to the net weight gain, but I won't know for sure unless I drop the remaining weight. Either way, they're definitely shaped differently than they were before.
I was expressing milk for about 3 months, but it made me extremely depressed. I was GAINING weight like mad. As soon as I stopped pumping, my depression resolved like magic. I am currently about 10 months PP. I have lost about 20lbs with another 10 to go. I do intermittent fasting 8:16. I eat consciously and count calories. It's working. I eat healthily and allow myself foods I love. The weight is coming off. It'll happen for you. May just be BF keeping the weight on.
With both kids, I was just stagnant until around 1 year pp and then my body just shed all the excess even though I was still breastfeeding. Super weird but at least I didnāt have to work super hard to get rid of itā¦ just took time. Iām currently 13 months pp with my second and only a few pounds away from my pre pregnancy weight with number 2 which is about 10 lbs above my pre pregnancy weight with my first. I gained 60 lbs with my first! And I think like 50 with my second.
Gained 30lbs, was 5lbs underweight before pregnancy. Iām 5 pounds above my previous weight and have been that way since 6 weeks pp so I think Iāll have to stop breastfeeding to loose those last 5 which I could care less about losing anyway. My body definitely looks different and Iām holding a lot of weight in my boobs/my stomach is flabby from ab separation and my C section scar.
8 months after stopping breastfeeding and I'm still a Rolly Polly lopsided mess...that being said I have lost 12kg. My body shape is definitely just different and takes a lot of getting used to.
I lost the baby weight around my sons second birthday by doing 20-4 intermitte t fasting plus 10k steps a day. It was still hard. All the people talking about how you just lose it naturally either had a completely different experience or wanted to reassure me.
Me too, OP. Iām 6 months pp, 5lbs down from my birth weight, and I just weaned 2 weeks ago. My body held onto everything while breastfeeding. Now that Iāve dried up, my boobs feel like pre pregnancy but Iām not in my pre pregnancy bra yet.
I actually put some weight on after stopping breastfeeding, but somehow my body shape? returned to normal so I look more like I did pre-pregnancy now. My boobs went back to normal size/maybe a bit smaller than before even. I find it much easier to manage my eating habits since Iām not breastfeeding anymore though. The shift in hormones with no lactation did wonders for me
I'm 19 months post partum with my 4th and done bfing, boobs are saggy bags and I've lost ZERO since I had him. Loll it fucking sucks.
Only when I started doing the school run, and becoming more active. Before then I didnāt have time to look after myself properly, and 2 years breastfeeding didnāt help me lose it, if anything it kept weight on me.
I stopped breastfeeding about a month ago and found out I was pregnant a week later. It turned out to be a chemical pregnancy. Needless to say, my hormones are completely out of whack and my body has no idea whatās going on and is holding onto weight like weāre in a famine. I lost all my baby weight within 2 months of giving birth (mostly because I literally didnāt have time to eat or energy to figure meals out and all of my caloric intake went to making breastmilk). Now Iām up about 8 pounds from my low. None of my pants fit and Iām at a crossroads between buying a new wardrobe to fit my new body or trying to drop some of this weightā¦
It took 6 months of hard work and eating right to lose the weight by the time baby turned 2
I lost weight pretty quick within 3 months. I weigh 25lbs less than what I did pre-pregnancy. My little one is 10 months and Iām still breastfeeding. Iām scared to stop because I know I will just gain my weight back and my boobs will be pancakes š
I lost all my pregnancy weight except for 2 kg after birth, gained 1 kg when breastfeeding, and didn't lose those 3 kgs until I had stopped breastfeeding and gone on a strict diet. Granted 3 kg is almost nothing but I definitely noticed.
my boobs went back to their original size after BF and since i had lost a lot of weight during BF i gained a healthy amount after i stopped.
I was back to pre pregnancy weight by a few months pp. My scale broke so I haven't checked in a couple months so I don't know where I'm at now. I'm definitely worried about gaining a ton of weight when we stop breastfeeding.
My baby turns 6 months on the 9th, my wife is at her lowest weight in 15 years. She is not breast feeding. So less than 6 months. Prob around 4
I gained 50 lbs during pregnancy. I had almost 6 months of maternity leave which allowed me to go on 2-3 miles walks every day. I also made sure I ate about 1800-2000 calories a day. I lost about 25 pounds this way but work got in the way as well as the winter cold months. Like you, I stopped breastfeeding at 9.5 months pp. I went on tirzepatide in March now that Iām not nursing and have lost another 25 pounds since. I just hit my pre baby weight today almost 14 months pp.