Nursing and not losing weight ... Help! page 2

[Tribal Rob]

I'm sure the weight will come off if you just stick to eating good clean primal foods. I totally get where you are coming from with counting calories - it's something I do not want to do either as it just takes over your life IME.

Also something I forgot to add is I wouldn't go to low carb when BFing, I'm not sure on the science, but I know Breast milk has high lactose content - so baby gets nice and chubby, that sugar has got to come from somewhere, and I would think you will need plenty of primal carbs to make it.

[zoebird]

Yes, I wouldn't worry about it overmuch.

And to answer the question about counting calories, I did it for several weeks while nursing, eating no more than about 2100 calories per day (which was 300 more than normal for me at the time). This was *at most* which meant that I was technically sub-caloric. Even so, my body still held onto fat in certain areas, and it took a long time to 'recover' from the pregnancy overall.

Every woman is different. I was shocked that my body didn't just "bounce back" like a model's considering how active I am, my body type, how free of chemicals and processed foods I was, and how I was breastfeeding exclusively. It should have worked like magic in less than 3 months like all of the ladies in magazines! But it didn't.

C'est la vie.

[sbufton]

Hi! I am currently nursing my fourth child who turned 2 two days ago. This has been my experience (and I lknow that every woman is different, but many women I know personally has agreed that this was their experience too)... After my first child, the weight melted away almost literally within 16 weeks, at which point I stopped losing weight which turned out to be because I was pregnant! With my second child the weight didn't begin to come off until he was four months old (and I discovered he was suffering from indigestion and constipation when I ate oats). With my third, he was nearly 18 months before any weight began to shift. Each time it seemed as though I woke up one morning and my body had decided it didn't need the extra weight. I should add also that I had a fair bit to lose each time, around 30 or 40 pounds. With my last child, I still have not started to lose weight and in fact have put on about 15 pounds since she was born, so I am nearly the weight I was just before she was born. I started eating "primally" about a month ago, and lost about 7lbs initially but am now struggling to lose any more. I am not in a hurry because I think it is very likely that my metabolism was changed a lot in her pregnancy (I was nauseous the whole pregnancy and gained only 21lbs, with the others I gained around 40lbs with each). After she was first born, I didn't gain anything for the first few months (or lose any more) but I also still didn't have much of an appetite. Suddenly my appetite came back when she was 3 months old, and I gained 15lbs. :P But my milk supply has always been plentiful, she is beautiful and healthy, and that matters much more than what I weigh (even though I can't wear most of my clothes!). I know you aren't complaining, but I would urge you to consider what someone else suggested, which is to stop weighing yourself for awhile and enjoy your baby, your new way of eating, and hopefully things will begin to sort themselves out over time. Also, it sounds like you have been overweight for some time and your body will need time to heal from the metabolic and hormonal imbalances, which are affected by pregnancy and birth as well. I'd also suggest that you consider breastfeeding longer than a year, because it is really really good for babies! That is up to you of course, but don't be in a hurry because you can't go back and change it later. Babies that nurse for an extended period (2 year+) reap huge benefits including the formation of the oral palette and their teeth positioning as well as lots of other things. Just sayin', we're all concerned on this forum about nutrition, and breastmilk is tremendously superior to any other food (it is a living food) that we can give our babies/toddlers, so why quit so early? Hope you experience some more positive results as you go on. I've noticed that although I haven't lost much so far, my fat has been redistributed in a way that makes me think I look thinner than I did! lol Wishing you all the best. x x Sarah

[blissfull]

After I quit nursing the weight started to fall off. However, I do warn you that if you are consuming more calories than usual
because you are nursing it can be difficult to break the habit of snacking and eating larger than normal amounts of food.
Just something to be aware of.
My advice in the mean time is to just keep moving and drink lots of water so you aren't retaining water weight and so the milk
keeps flowing.

[sbufton]

Another interesting thing I noticed, I had to be away from my baby for 3 days for my brother's wedding and in that time my appetite disappeared! I imagine it will be easier to lose weight once I'm not nursing... I wouldn't know yet as I've been breastfeeding and/or pregnant for 7.5 years running.

[AMonkey]

Going primal does not guarantee weight loss. And the idea that men lose weight faster than woman is untrue. You need to look at how many calories you are eating relative to your weight.

[Unicorn]

Your body is in a different physiological role right now: providing nutrition for you and the baby. For me, 9 months was the hardest time with my second child. He did not sleep worth a damn, and I was stuck at 10 lbs over prepregnancy weight. Once he began sleeping through the night, the majority of that weight came off. However, I stayed about 3-5 lbs over prepregnancy until he weaned at 18 months. Same with my first. Once they weaned, then the weight came off.

Be patient with yourself. I would eat to satiety with healthy foods, and stay away from the junk, including the paleo baking/nut flour stuff. Your body will take what it needs, and over time you will gradually shift.

And yes, men do lose weight faster. Particularly compared to a woman who is postpartum and nursing. Women's hormones are all over the place, prolactin is high, estrogen/progesterone may or may not have returned to pre-pregnancy levels, cycles are absent or irregular, and many women need an increased fat percentage to maintain healthy milk supply.

Also, FYI even though my weight went down to prepregnancy, my build is different. Particularly, I have the oh so attractive fat deposits on shoulders, upper back, arms. I am having to work diligently to get rid of those.

[zoebird]

Unicorn: that's how mine was! Bizarre, right?

[mommy2may]

"amiana I've actually heard that breast feeding is supposed to help you lose the pregnancy weight, have you been tracking your calories?"

This is a common misconception, perhaps it helps a little in the beginning, but from what I have read and my experience with extended nursing it is not true for everyone. Every woman is different and a mix of hormonal issues, sleep deprivation and actually not getting enough calories can make you store extra fat to make sure you have enough fuel to properly nourish your baby. My daughter will be 2 this month and breastfeeds for about 50% of her daily food intake (she also wakes every 2 hours throughout the night). I have been paleo/primal for 2 years (gluten and dairy free before that) and have not been able to lose they baby weight at all. I am confident that when she self weans, it will be easier to shed some pounds. Like OP said, "I just want to be healthy for my son (daughter) and myself. As long as I have started on this path, when the nursing is all said and done I will already be in the habit."

[cartere]

Sorry for your frustrations! And kudos to you for nursing your little one. I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to obsess about counting calories. Having the freedom to EAT is what works for me, not limiting myself. That's why eating primally works for me, among all the other health benefits.

My nurse practitioner shared with me that most of the studies that say that women lose more weight while breastfeeding are based on the typical American woman who breast feeds for three months or less, and that most women who breastfeed longer can tend to hold on to weight. So don't feel bad if you aren't shedding the pounds like crazy.

Also, you are sleep deprived, and as you know, lack of adequate sleep can be a biggie. I second cosleeping and napping while the baby does if you can!

Lastly, pregnancy and lactacting can really reduce vitamin D stores. Have you had your levels checked? You may need to boost your supplementation as I know winter time is not the best to lay out in the sun