Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I'm sick of people questioning me on what I plan on doing. The first comment out of their mouth when I saw "I am not 100% sure yet" is "well, it helps you lose the baby weight faster." Is this really so?

My dr when I first got pregnant said everyone's body is different. IMO it should not be a reason to consider doing it. Just sick of hearing people's comments lately

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

You do burn extra calories when BF.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I was overweight prior to getting pregnant. I added 25 lbs during pregnancy, and I did lose all the baby weight in about 3 weeks. But I didn't lose anything after that- it was like my body knew that that was where I'd started.

I was really glad to lose the baby weight, though. I retained so much water in the hospital that I came home weighing only 4 lbs less than before, even though my DD was 8.5 lbs.

As you said, it's not a reason. But it really is hard when you're pregnant and suddenly everyone has a comment/opinion.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

Obviously only speaking from my one child, I pumped six times a day for four months.

I lost all of the baby weight by my 6 week check up, and went on to lose more.

I ate like an animal, and did not exercise at all.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

It's true for me. I weigh less now than I did before I got pregnant. I was at my pre-pregnancy weight in 6 weeks. It was similar with my first too. It came off a little slower, but I gained more weight that time & I had a c-section which brought on more swelling & fluid weight than the VBAC.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I think it is true for me. I lost pretty much all the baby weight by 6 weeks pp. I eat like a pig and do not exercise and have not gained weight.
Making milk uses a lot of calories.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

true for me. once i stopped 10 pounds found me in an instant

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

not true for me, but I do know it has worked for most...I'm an enigma

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I did not breastfeed DS. I lost all 33 pounds I gained during pregnancy within 3 months (the first 25 came off within 3 weeks).

I never dieted or exercised. I now weigh 4 pounds LESS than I did before I had him, and fit into all of my old clothes. He is 19 months old.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

It is an absolute FACT! I gained 30 lbs. while pregnant and I was down 25 lbs. after 3 weeks of nursing! After I stopped nursing at appx. 5 months PP, I immediately gained 5 lbs. So at 5 months PP I was still 10 lbs. over my pre-pregancy weight. It took a serious diet to shed those 10 lbs.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I EBF and still do and am down like 25 lbs from my pre-prego weight with no exercise or diet
I do believe that bf has helped me lose the weight

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I did Not EBF at all. I did both BF and formula and that only lasted a few weeks. Now it's all formula.

BTW... I lost all the baby weight by my 2 week check up for the c-section stiches. DS is 3 months and the weight has stayed off. DS is on formula... I got walking with him when I get home from work. Treadmill sometimes after I put him to sleep and go to kickboxing on Saturdays. I lost the weight b4 working out b/c you're obviously not allowed to and I just keep working out to maintain the weight.

Tell them it's none of their business. I'd be out shopping and someone would ask if I'm BF. What a strange question to ask. When I said No, I got that "Oh"
DS is gaining healthy weight, very strong and doing so well. I was a formula baby as well and fine

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

i lost all my baby weight plus 5 lbs in 2 weeks...

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I EBF my dd & lost all my pregnancy weight & then some. For my ds I BF a few times a day but he was mostly FF. I wanted to EBF my son but he had terrible reflux & the formula seemed to agree with him better. I am struggling to loose the extra lbs.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I tried to BF...and after 2wks..I couldnt do it anymore and felt really guilty.

I wasnt producing enough and I dont think i had enough knowledge to know what to do and make it better.

I know 2wks didnt do anything for me as far as losing weight..Oh well.

I just know that even though I chose to formula feed...my doc said this to me and I will never forget it..cause I was pratically in tears when he asked if I was Bf'ing.

He told me that whether its BF or Formula...my DD will still go to Harvard

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

Posted by Smileyd17

I tried to BF...and after 2wks..I couldnt do it anymore and felt really guilty.

I wasnt producing enough and I dont think i had enough knowledge to know what to do and make it better.

I know 2wks didnt do anything for me as far as losing weight..Oh well.

I just know that even though I chose to formula feed...my doc said this to me and I will never forget it..cause I was pratically in tears when he asked if I was Bf'ing.

He told me that whether its BF or Formula...my DD will still go to Harvard

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

totally true for me! Gained 24lbs and so far have lost 35lbs and i eat like a little piglet!!!

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

It's definitely a little bit of both.

You will burn LOTS of calories BFing. But you're also more ravenous because of that...so you tend to eat more than when you're pregnant (at least I did!)

But there is no way BFing will give you the results that eating healthy and excersizing will.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

True True True...however...once I stopped breastfeeding, the weight piled back on.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

If you are asking if it's myth or fact, I can say I know you don't need to BF to lose the weight quickly. I gained 18 and lost 25 by one week after delivery and never BF once.

I hate when people ask, why do they care?

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

I think it did for me. I didn't exercise at all, but BF for 11 months and am about 6 lbs less than I was pre-pregnancy.

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

A myth for me...

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

Seems to be half and half. As my dr said..depends on the person/body. Thanks ladies

Re: Myth or Fact: Breastfeeding helps you lose weight fast

Seems to be true for me, but I can't say that if I wasn't BF-ing that I wouldn't have lost the same amount of weight... i'm EBF and am down 24 lbs already (was up 32 total) at 3 weeks PP.