How much weight is normal to lose during breastfeeding?
I had my baby 6 months ago and I have lost all my pregnancy weight plus 10 additional pounds. Before I was pregnant, I tried everythign to lose weight and couldnt lose a pound. Now I have lost all this weight and am at the ideal weight. Is this normal while breastfeeding or is this too much? My family says I’m withering away but I love it and feel great. I eat very well and always have an appetite yet I keep losing weight.
July 5th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
You’re doing fine. As long as you aren’t underweight and you’re still able to keep up with the nursing demands of the baby, do what makes you happy!
From what I’ve heard, you lose an average of 500 calories per day breastfeeding.
I breastfeed, but I was overweight at the start of my pregnancy and was thinner after I had her than before I was pregnant, so I can’t completely relate here. I know a lot of women though who lost all their pregnancy weight and then some when they nursed for 6 months or longer.
Good for you, tell your family to keep their negative comments to yourself,and to celebrate life with you! 🙂
July 5th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
it is very common for nursing moms to lose weight. although i was not one of them lol. i was never able to drop the weight until i quit nursing. everyone is different and each body responds differently. i think the healthy weight loss ratio is abouty 1.5 to 2 punds a week. as long as you are eating the appropriate calories to produce a good healthy milk supply, than i would think it is healthy for you and baby. i would suggest that you talk with your doctor about this, just to be on the safe side though. congrats to you for shedding those pounds, just make sure for your baby’s sake that you are still getting enough calories for him or her.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:03 am
As long as you are eating well and feeling well, then there is no problem. The same thing happened with me. I wasn’t overweight before (size 8), but I dropped a size or two and went down to around the weight I was in high school
You’re probably just eating more healthily than you were before and combined with the breastfeeding and mommy duties, it’s enough to help you lose the weight.
Best of luck!
July 6th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Keep it up! Don’t worry about what others are saying as long as you are eating healthy, getting enough sleep and exercising. With my firstborn, I gained 50 pounds and held on to all of them and gained more after he was born and I finished nursing (I was a teen mom with an absent husband). With my secondborn, I gained the 30 recommended pounds and dropped them all +20 from my son that I was still holding onto (when he was 1, I lost 20 of it, but couldn’t shake the rest for the 2 years between children). I weigh less than I did my senior year of high school and my mom says the same thing to me. But I feel great, I am eating very healthy, exercising, sleeping and my hubby and I are working as a team now.
Nursing typically burns 500-800 calories a day and you need to burn/cut at least 500 per day to lose a healthy 2 pounds per week. That is why God made pregnancy and nursing and the caloric intake fit together so beautifully LOL. You should be losing weight nursing if everything else is running smoothly, just make sure that being a mother and providing enough food for your baby are the number 1 priority and everything else should fall into place!
July 6th, 2010 at 12:28 am
As long as you are EATING and you are at a NORMAL height to weight ratio, I don’t see a problem. Now, if you are cutting calories, exercising, and below your ideal weight…then your family may be right. While it’s nice to be skinny, you need to be healthy also.