So it's been 5 months since I had my 2nd baby. I gained almost 80lbs with this pregnancy!! :( I lost 35lbs the 1st week or so. And I've been going to the gym and trying to eat healthier but have only lost like 3-5 lbs it goes up and down. I am nursing so I thought i would lose pretty fast. With my 1st I gained 60lbs and lost it all in about 3 months!! I also nursed. I understand I was younger and it was easier for me to lose the weight. I am 27 now I didn't think it would b this hard! I have heard from a few ppl they couldn't lose weight while nursing, so I'm thinking I'm having the same problem! I'm wondering Did anyone else have a really hard time losing while nursing??????
A little known fact is that your body will actually HANG ON to the extra weight while you're nursing, to keep your supply up. Seems to be more prevalent after the first child. Most women do not finally drop the extra pounds until they wean.
Each person is different. I have PCOS. I am overweight because of it (no metabolism, somewhat insulin resistant). I only gained 10-15 pounds with each of my pregancies and was the healthiest I could be (my body righted itself during pregnancies). I breastfed both my babes for over a year each. I GAINED weight during each of those years while breastfeeding. I even tried taking metformin (that regulates blood sugar - and what I took to get pregnant) to help me curb my NEED to consume sugar. I craved sugary carbs so badly while I nursed. I wanted to eat spoonfuls of sugar (I didn't), but I wanted to.
I didn't stop gaining weight until I weaned each of my kids. And now I still struggle with my weight. I weigh as much as I did at 10 months pregnant with my last one. I'm also an older mom. Had my 2nd at age 36 -- now 38.
Keep working at it, but don't beat yourself up over it. I have a feeling your body will bounce back after you wean baby. If you suspect an actual medical issue, get your blood work done to check your thyroid levels, and sugar levels.
Best of luck to you!
I didn't lose that last 10 lbs until after I stopped nursing. It makes sense- your body stores fat to feed the baby.
80lbs is a lot, took 9 mos to put it on, give yourself 9 to take it off.
Step up your cardio and muscle training some.
Nursing is your friend unless you are way over eating.
I got really skinny really fast while nursing my youngest, but I was only 24 and chasing a toddler as well.
It's all about calories in vs calories burned.
You're burning calories while nursing so it should have the opposite effect. Having said that, give yourself a break it will come off slowly and steadily, just keep working at it! Good luck.
ETA: 2 responses and 2 completely different thoughts....I guess it really is individual and I was on the lucky side of the coin!
I have never lost weight due to nursing. Perhaps because nursing makes me hungry? Or because my breasts are too sore to be bouncing around exercising? I think the most likely culprit is my thyroid condition. Have you had your thyroid checked before?
Your appetite is hefty while nursing so for many of us, unless you deliberately eat less than you really want to eat, your weight won't budge. After 5 months postpartum I had not lost a pound (minus the initial loss of water weight). So I went to 1800 cal. still did not loose a lb, so went to 1500 cal and then the weight came off very nicely. In fact I even dipped below my prepregancy weight by about 5 lbs. while nursing. I exercised about 2 x week for 20 -30 min. Yes it can be done, you just need to make sure your milk is well established.
I have not been able to lose weight while nursing any of my 4 kids. (and I have nursed 15months, two for 2 years and still nursing the youngest) Usually right around the year mark I can drop 10lbs pretty quickly and then work off the rest with just excercise. My youngest is now 15months and I still have about 20lbs to lose and I am just starting to get to it! I have friends that lose weight like crazy when they are nursing and others like me who don't/can't lose it till they are done. Habits, metabolism and diet and excercise all play a role and for some certain ones are stronger than others. Just start cutting out all the extra sweets and breads and that will help a lot when you are ready to excercise more.
I was concerned about this as well but someone told me: "it took you 9 months to gain the weight, give yourself at least that to lose the weight". Good luck!
I did not nurse, but I know sometimes it takes a little longer. I gained 120pds with my first and lost most of it pretty fast (except that last ten pds) I my second child 4mnths ago (by the way I am also 27) and gained 47 pds. I lost 17 pds in the first week, then nothing, nothing and more nothing. Then this past month I lost 20 pds, and I have not been doing anything diffferent then I did in the month prior.
I have the exact same problem. I have a calorie counter app on my phone, I plug in everything I eat, I should be losing but Im not. I m also nursing. I had a really hard time losing last time also while I was nursing, when my dd started eating try food and I was nursing more part time thats when the weight started coming off. It really sucks, especially since people all have the idiot idea that your baby weight will.all fly off since you are breastfeeding.
