Argh!! desperate to lose lots of weight; and I'm nursing!!!

[aliceinwonderland]

What's the deal with diets and milk supply?? I gained way too much weight during my pregnancy, and despite having a 8lb6oz baby, the vast majority is still there!! I seem to be one of those women that DO NOT lose weight fast while breastfeeding. Basically I have to lose 30 pounds to feel normal again, and now I look and feel horrible. It REALLY affects me ( a recent haircut gone wrong does not help, either) . DS is little over 5 weeks old, gaining lots of weight.

I almost never eat junk food (even pizza is pretty rare), but I love food, so I cook and eat a lot. The only way I have lost weight in the past was *my* way, so a meal plan or set diet wouldn't work for me. I usually do it by either skipping breakfast (or just having some fruit/youghurt) then a salad or one of those 100% juice fruit smoothies at lunch. I then eat a full dinner with the family (home cooked, but a full meal nonetheless). This may not be the healthiest, but it's the only way that has ever worked for me.
Would this plan compromise my milk supply (which is plentiful right now)???

Any help is appreciated, as I cry (really) when I think of my upcoming vacation (when I will see people I only see every few years, the beach is involved, and of course lots of pics due to the baby!!)

[redhookmom]

When ds was about 4 weeks old I started WW. I added 12 points for nursing. The plan calls for 10 but I found my body needed 12 to keep my milk supply up.

For the most part WW was good for me b/c it really made me aware of what I was eating. You can eat anything you want so it would work with the "my way" mentality.

[aliceinwonderland]

Thanks--May I ask how much you lost (I don't need specifics, just the "rate" of loss...Can you tell I'm desperate??)

[egoldber]

Well they say that the safest and healthiest rate at which to lose weight is around 1-2 pounds a week. I would not try to lose more quickly than when breastfeedding, because there is the potential to de-rail your supply. Your body responds to crash weight loss by shutting down "unnecessary" functions, and lactation is one of them.

Weight loss is a function of consuming fewer calories that you expend. You can either reduce calories (not necessarily FOOD consumption, but calorie intake) or increase calorie expenditure (exercise). Eating more vegetables as opposed to other types of foods (since they have fewer calories per ounce, so to speak) is a good way to maintain quantity of food consumed while at the same time reducing calories.

If I were you, I would check out a healthy eating plan like Weight Watchers (I also consider South Beach Diet to be in this category, but that is my opinion) and a moderate exercise program.

Good luck!

[lizamann]

Cut yourself a break, mama! You are 5 weeks post-partum - still in the blurry, crisis, crazy early days. I think that if a woman has her pre-baby body back 9 months to a year after delivery, they are doing well. That said, I still have 10 pounds to go, one year into motherhood. But I didn't have the energy, stamina, mental wherewithal, or baby-free arms to to consider weightloss or exercise until 6-7 months after the baby was born, so I got a late start. But I know that I am well on my way to a healthy, slim rest-of-my-life.

I've read that a nursing mother needs at least 1800 calories to maintain supply, but I have no idea how that number was obtained, so you could look into that.

Try not to freak out about the beach. If your fellow vacationers are true friends, they will cut you some mommy slack. Be sure to get a bathing suit that's flattering for your shape - it makes a huge difference! And hold baby up next to your face when you pose for pictures, encouraging tight shots. They will be really cute, and you won't see your body!

Here a few from the last year, with various people...

http://share.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=EeANGjVq3bMWrCDA

Best of luck. Slow, healthy weightloss is the way to go for permanent success!

[aliceinwonderland]

Thanks, you are very nice. I need to get reconciled to my new body and image, as there's no way I can lose as much weight as I want by when I want to lose it...

Thanks for posting the pics. You (and your baby) look great!

[JulieL]

Two years ago this entry would have looked exactly like one I would have written. After I had DS I didn't look into working out or changing my eating habbits until DS was 4 months old. Yeah it was the summer and I to was forced on the beach with family members, much to my horror. I was trying desperately to think of a million reasons to tell my in-laws way I couldn't swim with everyone on this great mini-vacation they were paying for. So I wore a wrap as much as possible and didn't really swim that much. After that I swore I was going to get my body back!

So I knew diets weren't my way and never could be. But instead of a "diet" I changed my eating habbits. Because I was BFing I of course could eat like a 200 lb man, :P So instead of worrying about calorie counting, carb counting I watched what I ate much closer. I tried to stay away from large amounts of any food, especially pasta and bread rolls }( . I ate all three meals (don't skip meals that it bad for your energy levels, which we all know mommies desperately need!) but cooked much cleaner. Here is my hands down favorite cook book by Better Homes and Gardens. I am not a great cook, but an ok one. But somehow almost all of the receipes come out yummy! Don't be fooled by the title of the book, it's not a diet. It's normal food: beef, chicken, pork, pasta, bread, dessert, but made with lower calorie amounts.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0696217112/qid=1086534834/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-7205480-3122257

I also takes receipes from Cooking Light. I think it's all about the food you eat, how it's prepared and how much you eat of it. Lean towards what you know are ok to eat a ton of: fruits and veggies. If you like smoothies add one to each lunch meal. I did that for a while. The fruit makes you feel very full and they can be made quite healthy.

You can lose weight and BF. I did but it takes a lot of work. I am not going to sugar coat this to you. It's hard work but SO WORTH IT! When you eat right and exercise you feel better about yourself, it helps increase engery and when you feel up to it again it increases sexual urges. It's good for you and your family. You need to do this with the idea that it is a life change you are doing for you and your family. Not just a way to lose weight right now.

I worked out 3 to 4 times a week. Often I would jog about 1.5 miles, of course I worked up to this. I did the Firm workouts about 2 months after I started working out and found weight lifting to be the key for my loss of fat. After working out for four months I lost 8 lbs and 1.5 inches in the waist and 1.5 inches in the hips. I went from about a size 12 to a size 8 in four months! Here is a sizing chart if you are interested in keeping tabs on yourself. Over time it really does become an enourager instead of your dreaded enemy.
http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/help/0,,1_36877_36880_36947_,00.html?sid=68630236165451 84170

Ok about you, give yourself a break like the others have said, you haven't even had your 6 week post partum checkup! Your body still has changes to make, even if you didn't do a darn thing. I am not going to say you will lose a ton of weight quickly cause most likely you won't and that is a good thing, see what Beth said, 1 lb a week. Go to your check up see what your doc says than ease yourself into working out. Start with walking, then add something more intense in cardio. Add weight training when you feel up to it and before you know it you WILL BE LOSING weight. When working out and BFing you need to eat 100 calories after the workout I did and still lost weight. By the way I am fitter now than I was before I got pregnant, now I call that a life change! Keep your chin up you can do this and hug your baby!

[lukkykatt]

Eri, you are being WAY too hard on yourself! You haven't even had your 6 week pp checkup yet! When you are there, why don't you talk to your doctor about suggestions to lose weight while nursing.

Just my own thoughts, but I don't think skipping any meals is a good idea right now. I would plan on having at least 3 healthy meals, plus a healthy snack or two during the day, or night while you are nursing. You need to eat well to be able to keep up your strength and nurse your baby. You can still eat well and lose weight - just make healthy choices.

Also, once you get the ok from your doc, you can start working out. Plan on starting out slow - take your baby for walks in the stroller, etc. I was in really good shape when I had my first son, yet I was still surprised when I started walking after giving birth by how winded I would get at first. So start slow, and build up from there. When DS was 6 months old, I started working out with a trainer, and was probably in the best shape of my life AND I was still nursing - it can be done!

Any real friends will understand that you have just had a baby and will not give a second thought to your weight.

[COElizabeth]

Eri,

At my post-partum appointment I was still 25 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I did lose all the weight (plus a few more pounds) by the time James was about 9 months old, though. Don't despair - it's still very early!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02
EDD #2, 10-30-04

[aliceinwonderland]

so there is hope, huh?? :) I am surrounded ither by formula-feeding moms who can crash-diet, or by breastfeeding moms that you can't tell had a baby because they lost the weight so fast. then there's me...

[alkagift]

Eri, don't worry, it'll come off. I was at my pre-preg weight about 4 months after my son was born--I gained about 35 pounds--and I think the breastfeeding was the only reason since I've not had an easy time of losing weight before. Before that I had success with WW as other people have mentioned. Definitely check with your OB when you go in, I bet that the doctor will have some ideas for you!

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[COElizabeth]

LOL! Trust me, you're not alone. I know lots of moms who took many months to be close to their pre-pregnancy weight. Yes, it's disheartening to see moms who lose weight so quickly they are back in their jeans at a month post-partum, but I don't think it's the norm. And as for the moms who are crash-dieting, well, that just doesn't sound fun or healthy at all. Being a new mom requires a lot of energy, no matter how you feed!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02
EDD #2, 10-30-04