Are you one of those moms who loses the weight right away? Do you find that you can eat just about anything while breastfeeding? Or do you find that while you’re breastfeeding the weight slowly lingers until you stop breastfeeding?
The fact of the matter is, that while it requires an extra 500 calories per day to feed a newborn infant, there are numerous factors that contribute to your weight loss after pregnancy while you’re breastfeeding. Certainly adding an ‘exercise’ to your daily routine that consumes 500 calories is effortless (relatively speaking).
However, some women who are breastfeeding report that they can eat whatever they want and not gain weight as long as they’re nursing. Other women don’t really lose weight until they have stopped breastfeeding. Still other women don’t really lose the weight at all.
Women who lose the weight right away. . .
These women tend to have a faster metabolism. They are likely to be more disciplined in how they eat and even exercise. Certainly the breastfeeding gives them a boost, but they were likely on their way to losing the weight anyways.
While I admit I couldn’t find any studies to actually say this, it has been my personal experience that moms that fit into this category are also the moms who were aware of the correlation between their weight and what they ate. My best friend looks the same as she did when I met her at age 18. She is acutely aware of how much exercise she might need to burn off an extra slice of cake. When she’s breastfeeding, she swears she can eat whatever she wants.
Women who lose the weight when they stop. . .
Some women lose the baby weight when they stop breastfeeding. There are several reasons for this. Many women in this category tend to have more than one child. Anyone who has been pregnant more than once can tell you the weight comes off more slowly each time after you give birth. This is true, by-the-way, even if you’re one of those people who fit into their jeans right after giving birth.
Another reason some women lose the weight when they stop is simply because they stop eating as much. Many women think that you can eat whatever you want while you’re breastfeeding. Really, you should think of it as being able to eat an extra meal. Although you’re breastfeeding, sugar and fats will pack on the pounds.
Women who never lose the weight. . .
You may never return to your original shape after giving birth–especially if you’ve had a few babies. And it is true that breastfeeding helps your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size. However, breastfeeding is not a carte blanche to eat whatever you’d like.
So which one are you? Do you lose it quickly, slowly or not at all? Dieting is not recommended while breastfeeding. However, if you eat healthy, get some exercise and don’t go overboard with your new calorie allowance, you should lose the weight within a year of giving birth. If you’re looking for support in your weight loss goals check out the Diary of an Overweight Mom.
Related Articles:
Getting Back Into Shape While Breastfeeding
Preparing Before Birth for Pregnancy Weight Loss