Question by Its_Dee: Breastfeeding & losing weight?
Okay so…I’ve heard that mommies who breastfeed lose weight faster. How true is this? I’m breastfeeding my newborn after c-section and I just can’t wait until I lose weight. Has any of you guys lost weight while breastfeeding? And does thw uterus contraction hurt like cramps?
Thanks in advance.
Share your success story with me. =) LOL
What I mean with the uterus contracting…when it contracts to get back to it’s normal size.
Best answer:
Answer by ray
i gain weight when i Breastfeed but i was a baby lol
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What your feeling in your uterus is actually a good sign that it is shrinking… the more cramps you feel the better. But you will not always feel it contracting… it is only for the first few days.
I gave natural birth 7 weeks ago. I was 178 when I went into the hospital and now I am down to 149. my pre-pregnancy was 155. So it IS true that breastfeeding helps you lose weight. about 600 calories a day. thats why when you breastfeed you have to eat more calories. Losing weight is one of the main reasons I chose to breastfeed, not to mention all the other benefits!
Some do, some don’t. Breastfeeding does burn calories, but if you eat way more than you burn….you won’t lose weight.
I lose weight easily after I give birth. My daughter is 2 months old and I’m down around 35 lbs. Seeing how I gained 18 lbs during my pregnancy, I’m pretty pleased!! :)
Nurse on demand, drink tons of water, eat a balanced diet, and try to stay active; you should lose the weight just fine.
Regarding the uterine contractions, I didn’t notice them too much. My first was via C-section, so that caused me plenty of pain; LOL I didn’t notice any new pain with nursing. This baby was a VBAC, and I had a few cramps while nursing at first, but they were nothing compared to labor, ha ha!
**Wearing your baby in a wrap or sling is great weight-bearing exercise! That’s what I do! ;)
Not everyone loses weight like magic when they breastfeed exclusively. I wouldn’t say it’s a myth, necessarily, but it’s certainly not the case for everyone. Breastfeeding moms should consume about 300-500 *extra* calories a day. Not all women can lose weight while consuming those extra calories. Breastfeeding does burn a lot of calories, but breastfeeding mothers are supposed to be consuming extra calories to make up for it. I think a lot of breastfeeding advocacy articles and websites tout the weight loss benefits of breastfeeding as a big pro for moms, but breastfeeding moms really shouldn’t try to lose weight rapidly while breastfeeding. Weight loss at a rate of 1-2lbs a week is considered safe, although not all moms can do it while consuming those extra calories. It depends on the woman.
A lot of women lose weight rapidly immediately after their baby is born, but this really isn’t due to breastfeeding, necessarily. Pregnant women put on a lot of fluid during the last few weeks of their pregnancy (they put on extra fluid during the entire pregnancy, actually, but the last few weeks, this is especially noticeable). This extra fluid ensures that the baby will remain well hydrated in the womb, and it helps provide extra hydration for the mother’s body when she starts making milk, just in case there’s a drought. It’s a protective mechanism of sorts. If all of that extra fluid isn’t needed, the mother’s body eliminates it by sweating profusely and urinating frequently. This is why women often sweat excessively after giving birth, and it’s how many mothers lose weight very quickly after their baby is born, regardless of whether or not they breastfeed, usually.
I had preeclampsia with my oldest, and almost all of the weight I put on was fluid. Within 3 weeks of his birth, I lost 40lbs – 10lbs 8oz of which was my baby, and the rest was fluid. I was sweating like a hog and peeing constantly. I was eating like a hog as well. I was still losing weight because all that fluid was just pouring out of my body. Granted, not all women lose that much that quickly, but fluid comes off fast. My point is that if a mother loses weight quickly after giving birth, it’s almost certainly fluid. Fluid comes off very quickly. Fat takes a little bit longer to burn.
There’s a theory about women who don’t lose weight while breastfeeding, and I think it has some validity. Some women actually hold onto an extra 10-20lbs when they’re breastfeeding because their body wants to have some extra stores of fat and fluid in case of a famine or drought. It’s actually a protective mechanism that our bodies naturally have. I’m actually familiar with more women who have trouble losing weight while breastfeeding than women who lose weight quickly while nursing.
it all depends on you diet, yes brestfeeding uses a lot of calories but you wont lose weight if your eating a bunch of calories. also on average it will take a year to lose the baby weight, this is with a normal diet . i have noticed weight loss but nothing dramatic. truthfull i thing it is your metabolism and lifestyle. also the uterus contracting shouldnt hurt, i never noticed anything.
hope this helps
I didn’t lose any weight. As a matter of fact, I started gaining lately, and I’ve been BF for over 6 months now.
As far the contractions, they don’t hurt. You might feel some cramps when BF at the beginning, but then you don’t feel a thing. Your uterus should be back to its pre-pregnancy size by your 6 week check up.
Not every woman will lose weight with breastfeeding. Many actually gain weight! I’m not sure if it is simply due to poor food choices or genetics. The uterine cramps can be uncomfortable, but nothing unbearable.
I have lost an unhealthy amount of weight after both of my babies from breastfeeding.
First baby (March 2007) – prepregnancy weight 122lbs, gained 18lbs (140lbs). Lost it all in 3 weeks, and by the time my baby was 6 months old I weighed 100lbs.
Second baby (June 2009) – I weighed 115lbs prepregnancy, gained 25lbs (up to 140 again). Lost it all in 3 weeks again, and then lost about 2lbs a week for a long time. I now weigh 110, my baby is 6 months old and I am still exclusively breastfeeding.