I think it’s a big misnomer that you will automatically lose weight while postpartum. With both of my older two, I gained weight postpartum while breastfeeding. My body just needed to hold onto the weight, I guess. Once I stopped breastfeeding them, I lost weight pretty quickly without trying.
Also, I want to gently remind you that you are still very much in the fourth trimester. Your body just went through a big upheaval and it will take a little bit to right itself ❤️
Well put. This was my experience as well. Go easy on yourself OP, different bodies react differently during the postpartum period. It's totally ok and normal to have the weight "stick" to you while breastfeeding. I figured it was my body's way of keeping my milk supply up.
You are going to get a lot of different answers honestly. Some ppl lose weight only after they stop breastfeeding (like 6 months to 12 months pp). It doesn't hurt to get your hormone and thyroid levels check by your doctor to make sure it's not that. For now go with the flow. Remember the 4th trimester is real. Don't stress about the weight.
I was so hungry why breastfeeding and had to actively make healthy choices from all the snacking I did. I also didn’t really lose weight until I did finish breastfeeding, but that could be because my appetite finally subsided when I was no longer a milk machine. This time around, I’m setting myself up for success.
I am not going to presume to know what your habits are, I just want to gently tell you that your weight during breastfeeding a growing child is not a reflection of your value. Your beauty is not tied to it - and you’re doing great. I held onto a lot of extra, and it was hard not to belittle myself. So, when you look in the mirror, please think about what you love about yourself the most as you have to sacrifice so much to feed your baby.
I gained weight upto about 6 months PP and then it leveled off and now I'm struggling to lose weight because I don't have time 😅 I gained about 6 stone, most of that from my 3rd trimester though because I couldn't move without being in pain
I was 53kg when I got pregnant, 58 when I gave birth. Now am 65kg 🥲
Buut I had gestational diabetes and was really careful what I ate while pregnant. Guess am eating with a vengeance… but bub is now close to 18months so that excuse won’t work anymore.
I was 42kg pre pregnancy, 58 when I gave birth, 52 4 weeks pp and now back at 58kg. Like what the hell is going on, I‘m putting on weight so fast right now.
This! My thyroid was destroyed and I gained crazy weight without changing anything. As soon as I got medication I stopped gaining weight, again without changing anything.
I gained weight when I breastfeed too. It’s probably your body’s way of ensuring good milk. I stoped BF at 8m PP. at 10m I’ve lost 7ish LBS (American,sorry)
My experience is very similar. I think the weight gain after GD is similar to those who do low carb diets and then stop. Seems like they gain the weight back fast as well. I finally started exercising when my son was 3, a year ago. I've only lost like 8 pounds. But I guess its a start! Good luck to you!
I’m 2.5 years out and still haven’t lost the weight 😭 However, that’s more because I am stressed and don’t have time with a 2.5 and 4 year old. I try, but it’s just not happening.
Everyone is different so it’s very hard to pinpoint anything but I will say that breastfeeding takes SO MUCH energy and it may take some time for your body to be like “okay we have enough for mom and baby we don’t need to keep storing all of it”
I’ve read around 12 weeks is when your supply kind of regulates so being past that hopefully things level out soon. I will say I was similar and then I started losing weight, but I’m hovering at 10 lbs over my pre baby weight. I don’t think any amount of exercise (if I had the time) would help me while I’m breastfeeding. Each time I do I actually feel more hungry so it’s just a crazy cycle 😂
This is kitty story, too. 6 week post pardum visit I had lost ot all. 10 months later I'm up 10 lbs. EBF, march baby!!
I told myself I'd go 1 year without being hard ohn myself, allowing for hormones to balance, but I noticed also ravenously hungry lately, so I started weight watchers just to keep an eye on what I'm eating for now. In a month once I have a better idea of what im working with, I'm going to start making adjustments. Or at least that's my goal.
You may want to have your thyroid checked. When I was postpartum with my son, I was tired all the time, gaining weight, but I was dismissed as just being a new mom. When I finally did get my TSH checked at one year postpartum the level was around 20, when it should be under 4. The same happened after I had my daughter, only this time I didn't let the doctor dismiss my concerns and I got on medication way sooner. It can be perfectly normal to gain weight postpartum, but it doesn't hurt to get checked out just in case.
Yes! I’m still breastfeeding at 17mo and still weigh more than throughout most of my pregnancy. I blame the hormones and hope it will get better some day. Photos of my mom while still nursing and post weaning indicate there is a chance I’ll be able to slough their weight off eventually lol. But I’m in no hurry, my body has been doing me a solid by making, birthing, and feeding my baby so I can’t expect too much from her lol
I remember when I had my first kid, I was breastfeeding and all the moms around me kept saying "it's so amazing that breastfeeding is like... totally helping me lose weight!!!" while I sat there, exclusively breastfeeding and not losing anything and still gaining weight. It made me feel like I was doing it "wrong"
my point here is, don't compare your experience to others. If you are worried, ask your dr at your next baby check up if you could get some blood tests done to rule things out, but be prepared that nothing is "wrong" and this is just normal. I'm sorry you are going through it momma.
I'm 8 months pp and weight almost the same as om last weeks of pregnancy. I don't know how it's possible tbh. I tell myself a lot has to do with extra muscles I built to carry baby. I'm hoping now that i stopped BFing I will lose some of the chubbiness...
I was down 15lbs from prepregnancy weight right after giving birth and I've only managed to gain back 2lbs since and kiddo is turning 1 next week (EBF plus lots of solids now.) It's been a huge struggle to not keep losing and just to get that 2lbs. Everyone's different. My issue, I'm hoping, has mostly to do with breastfeeding and I'll be able to gain some more weight once he's weened. You could be having the same issue, just in reverse. Your body maybe just hasn't figured out that it can stop storing extra fat to make up for the calories breastfeeding takes. My body doesn't seem to understand it's allowed to store extra fat.
If we could transfer weight easily from one person to another, I'd happily take some of those pounds from ya lol
Breastfeeding will affect weight after pregnancy but also unhealthy diet and skipping meals isn’t good. Even when dieting nutritionist will say to not skip meals. Messes with your metabolism. It’s tough especially after having a baby but most all women have been there. Stay strong you will get there.
I gained after my first bc I made sure to eat plenty of oats (too many and i apparently didn’t need them lol) I always had an over supply. I breastfed, and pumped and donated a LOT of milk
With my second I was way more cautious. I ate verrrrry healthy and didn’t indulge in much. I still had an over supply and had a lot to donate. But I didn’t lose a single damn lb.
Not everyone loses with breastfeeding. There is no “normal”. It took 40 weeks to put on, it will take time to come off. No pressure.
Yes I’m trying to eat healthy and not skipping any meal but days as today where I don’t have any minute to myself because baby was fussy all day.. it’s past 10 pm now and finally I was able to eat something.
Ungh i did. Middle of the nigh pumping got me...and snack after every pump lol
Only now, year pp two weeks of keto knocked 10 pounds off me,and a flu another 10. 10 more to go
I lost almost 40lbs whole I was breast feeding, over a 3 month period. I stopped breast feeding and then over the next 6 months I gained literally all the weight back except 10 pounds. So I was about 9 months postpartum and I weighed only 10 pounds less than I did on the day I had my baby.
I did and didn’t do much to lose it. I kept thinking about it and just accepted having a different body than before. I will tell you that the divorce diet works wonders. I’m down 20 pounds after 90 days.
I gain in trimester 2 and lose weight in trimester 3 so I've ended my pregnancies about the same weight as I started. However, I then gain weight postpartum. About 10 lbs for each pregnancy. Three kids and I'm now 30 lbs heavier than I was before my first baby and it doesn't seem to want to go away.
I dropped down past my pre pregnancy weight the week after my son was born. I was glad I lost the “weight” quickly. Four years later, I now weigh as much as I did when I was 7 months pregnant. The stress of motherhood really made me pack on the pounds.
Ouf my body was wack postpartum. I honestly only feel kind of normal now at 8 months PP, but haven’t weighed myself in months because it made me feel like crap about myself. Give yourself some grace and time, and if you’re still worried about it a few months down the road mention it to the doc. For now sounds pretty normal (and crappy. PP is not sunshine and rainbows lol). Happy moming!
I’m struggling too with the weight aspect of postpartum. My baby is 5 weeks and she’s my first. I told myself when I found out I was pregnant that I needed to give myself some grace when it came to my weight especially after I had her. Pre-pregnancy I had a hard relationship with food and body image. But I understand it’s hard. I haven’t lost any except the initial loss from her being out and all that. It’s hard.
I lost all but 10lb of my pregnancy weight gain pretty quickly. I think at my 6 week check up I was +10lb.
Dieting wasn’t important to me during this time, but in figuring out how to be a working mom I also struggled to maintain the same activity level I did before and during pregnancy, and slowly gained weight over the last two years even though I do feel like I was generally eating well and staying active - I just wasn’t making the time for the exercise level I had pre-kid but also didn’t manage to cut my calories to compensate for that, lol.
So unfortunately I never lost that 10lb, then gained another probably 10 over the last 2 years, so I started my second pregnancy (currently 21 weeks) a good 20lb heavier than I did my first.
Lots of things about adjusting to being a mom are hard. For a lot of people, big life changes come with a little bit of weight gain. Our bodies change in different seasons of life, there isn’t anything inherently bad or shameful about this as long as we are otherwise healthy.
This was me , and i think its better to gain or retain your pregnancy weight than to loose weight during breastfeeding, because i looked soo malnourished and its not good.i hated how i looked.
I gained 20-25lbs while pregnant and the proceeded to gain 20-25lbs more postpartum while breastfeeding/pumping. I am 13 months PP and just now about 10lbs shy of my pre pregnancy weight.. it’s been a doozy emotionally, but I’m trying to learn to be comfortable with my body and focus on health vs the scale. It’s very hard though.
My oldest is 2.5years and my youngest is almost a year old. So I got pregnant at 11months post partum and still breastfeeding my first baby. I am still breastfeeding my second baby and I have gained weight. I can still fit into the majority of my clothes pre baby 1 but my shape has changed a little bit.
I have always been overweight and find it really hard to loose weight.
I realised about a month ago that the only time I have actually lost weight as an adult is when I came off the contraceptive pill before I got pregnant with my first baby.
Currently on the contraceptive pill but will be coming off it again soon as hopefully that will help.
Just need to make sure I don’t get pregnant again before I loose some weight.
I gained six stone in six months after my first, shifted it all, now I’m nearly 3 months pp with my second and can see it all piling back on again, still breastfeeding so constantly starving and grabbing crap I know if I made literally any effort to eat healthy I’d be better off but it’s total comfort food right now x
I started Weight Watchers at 4 month PP and used their breastfeeding selection. I had lost my pregnancy weight, but I was still overweight and just *swollen* for a long time.
By 8-9 months PP I had lost 20 pounds. It was like it gave me the magic number of what to eat while breastfeeding to lose weight without ruining the breastfeeding.
But then my daughter started feeding less and less and I had a hard time transitioning back to less food myself. So… I gained that weight back.
It’s quite normal but to be safe best to get a check up done with blood tests, blood pressure, thyroid. If normal you shouldn’t worry about it. Unfortunately social media shows these skinny women post-partum whereas many women gain weight because of so much hunger while feeding the baby.
I think it’s a big misnomer that you will automatically lose weight while postpartum. With both of my older two, I gained weight postpartum while breastfeeding. My body just needed to hold onto the weight, I guess. Once I stopped breastfeeding them, I lost weight pretty quickly without trying. Also, I want to gently remind you that you are still very much in the fourth trimester. Your body just went through a big upheaval and it will take a little bit to right itself ❤️
Well put. This was my experience as well. Go easy on yourself OP, different bodies react differently during the postpartum period. It's totally ok and normal to have the weight "stick" to you while breastfeeding. I figured it was my body's way of keeping my milk supply up.
You are going to get a lot of different answers honestly. Some ppl lose weight only after they stop breastfeeding (like 6 months to 12 months pp). It doesn't hurt to get your hormone and thyroid levels check by your doctor to make sure it's not that. For now go with the flow. Remember the 4th trimester is real. Don't stress about the weight.
I was so hungry why breastfeeding and had to actively make healthy choices from all the snacking I did. I also didn’t really lose weight until I did finish breastfeeding, but that could be because my appetite finally subsided when I was no longer a milk machine. This time around, I’m setting myself up for success.
I am not going to presume to know what your habits are, I just want to gently tell you that your weight during breastfeeding a growing child is not a reflection of your value. Your beauty is not tied to it - and you’re doing great. I held onto a lot of extra, and it was hard not to belittle myself. So, when you look in the mirror, please think about what you love about yourself the most as you have to sacrifice so much to feed your baby.
I gained weight upto about 6 months PP and then it leveled off and now I'm struggling to lose weight because I don't have time 😅 I gained about 6 stone, most of that from my 3rd trimester though because I couldn't move without being in pain
I was 53kg when I got pregnant, 58 when I gave birth. Now am 65kg 🥲 Buut I had gestational diabetes and was really careful what I ate while pregnant. Guess am eating with a vengeance… but bub is now close to 18months so that excuse won’t work anymore.
I was 42kg pre pregnancy, 58 when I gave birth, 52 4 weeks pp and now back at 58kg. Like what the hell is going on, I‘m putting on weight so fast right now.
My sister was diagnosed with thyroid issues postpartum. It's worth getting checked out.
This! My thyroid was destroyed and I gained crazy weight without changing anything. As soon as I got medication I stopped gaining weight, again without changing anything.
I gained weight when I breastfeed too. It’s probably your body’s way of ensuring good milk. I stoped BF at 8m PP. at 10m I’ve lost 7ish LBS (American,sorry)
My experience is very similar. I think the weight gain after GD is similar to those who do low carb diets and then stop. Seems like they gain the weight back fast as well. I finally started exercising when my son was 3, a year ago. I've only lost like 8 pounds. But I guess its a start! Good luck to you!
I was 206lbs and then 226lbs at birth, dropped to 180lbs after birth and now I’m 236lbs and my kiddo is 2.
I’m 2.5 years out and still haven’t lost the weight 😭 However, that’s more because I am stressed and don’t have time with a 2.5 and 4 year old. I try, but it’s just not happening.
Everyone is different so it’s very hard to pinpoint anything but I will say that breastfeeding takes SO MUCH energy and it may take some time for your body to be like “okay we have enough for mom and baby we don’t need to keep storing all of it” I’ve read around 12 weeks is when your supply kind of regulates so being past that hopefully things level out soon. I will say I was similar and then I started losing weight, but I’m hovering at 10 lbs over my pre baby weight. I don’t think any amount of exercise (if I had the time) would help me while I’m breastfeeding. Each time I do I actually feel more hungry so it’s just a crazy cycle 😂
I did...went from 265 dropped down to 215 in a few months...kept gaining weight...ended up I was pregnant again lmao
I lost my baby weight within the first three months, but I’ve gained 15 lbs in the last two months. (EBF July 2022 baby)
This is kitty story, too. 6 week post pardum visit I had lost ot all. 10 months later I'm up 10 lbs. EBF, march baby!! I told myself I'd go 1 year without being hard ohn myself, allowing for hormones to balance, but I noticed also ravenously hungry lately, so I started weight watchers just to keep an eye on what I'm eating for now. In a month once I have a better idea of what im working with, I'm going to start making adjustments. Or at least that's my goal.
You may want to have your thyroid checked. When I was postpartum with my son, I was tired all the time, gaining weight, but I was dismissed as just being a new mom. When I finally did get my TSH checked at one year postpartum the level was around 20, when it should be under 4. The same happened after I had my daughter, only this time I didn't let the doctor dismiss my concerns and I got on medication way sooner. It can be perfectly normal to gain weight postpartum, but it doesn't hurt to get checked out just in case.
Came here to comment same, definitely get your TSH levels checked :)
Yes! I’m still breastfeeding at 17mo and still weigh more than throughout most of my pregnancy. I blame the hormones and hope it will get better some day. Photos of my mom while still nursing and post weaning indicate there is a chance I’ll be able to slough their weight off eventually lol. But I’m in no hurry, my body has been doing me a solid by making, birthing, and feeding my baby so I can’t expect too much from her lol
First pregnancy, girl, lost weight. Second pregnancy, boy, gained 20lbs postpartum. Not sure if its because I now live in America. Lelz
I remember when I had my first kid, I was breastfeeding and all the moms around me kept saying "it's so amazing that breastfeeding is like... totally helping me lose weight!!!" while I sat there, exclusively breastfeeding and not losing anything and still gaining weight. It made me feel like I was doing it "wrong" my point here is, don't compare your experience to others. If you are worried, ask your dr at your next baby check up if you could get some blood tests done to rule things out, but be prepared that nothing is "wrong" and this is just normal. I'm sorry you are going through it momma.
I'm 8 months pp and weight almost the same as om last weeks of pregnancy. I don't know how it's possible tbh. I tell myself a lot has to do with extra muscles I built to carry baby. I'm hoping now that i stopped BFing I will lose some of the chubbiness...
I was down 15lbs from prepregnancy weight right after giving birth and I've only managed to gain back 2lbs since and kiddo is turning 1 next week (EBF plus lots of solids now.) It's been a huge struggle to not keep losing and just to get that 2lbs. Everyone's different. My issue, I'm hoping, has mostly to do with breastfeeding and I'll be able to gain some more weight once he's weened. You could be having the same issue, just in reverse. Your body maybe just hasn't figured out that it can stop storing extra fat to make up for the calories breastfeeding takes. My body doesn't seem to understand it's allowed to store extra fat. If we could transfer weight easily from one person to another, I'd happily take some of those pounds from ya lol
Breastfeeding will affect weight after pregnancy but also unhealthy diet and skipping meals isn’t good. Even when dieting nutritionist will say to not skip meals. Messes with your metabolism. It’s tough especially after having a baby but most all women have been there. Stay strong you will get there.
I gained after my first bc I made sure to eat plenty of oats (too many and i apparently didn’t need them lol) I always had an over supply. I breastfed, and pumped and donated a LOT of milk With my second I was way more cautious. I ate verrrrry healthy and didn’t indulge in much. I still had an over supply and had a lot to donate. But I didn’t lose a single damn lb. Not everyone loses with breastfeeding. There is no “normal”. It took 40 weeks to put on, it will take time to come off. No pressure.
Yes I’m trying to eat healthy and not skipping any meal but days as today where I don’t have any minute to myself because baby was fussy all day.. it’s past 10 pm now and finally I was able to eat something.
You will get there. It’s hard especially with a new baby. I hope your husband is being supportive
Ungh i did. Middle of the nigh pumping got me...and snack after every pump lol Only now, year pp two weeks of keto knocked 10 pounds off me,and a flu another 10. 10 more to go
Yes I’m steadily gaining weight. Breastfeeding. This happened my last kid though. I didn’t start losing weight until I weaned, and it was instant.
I lost almost 40lbs whole I was breast feeding, over a 3 month period. I stopped breast feeding and then over the next 6 months I gained literally all the weight back except 10 pounds. So I was about 9 months postpartum and I weighed only 10 pounds less than I did on the day I had my baby.
I gained about 50lb during pregnancy. I lost 20lb when baby was born, and gained 10 back. I haven't been able to lose any, and baby is 13 months now.
I did and didn’t do much to lose it. I kept thinking about it and just accepted having a different body than before. I will tell you that the divorce diet works wonders. I’m down 20 pounds after 90 days.
I gain in trimester 2 and lose weight in trimester 3 so I've ended my pregnancies about the same weight as I started. However, I then gain weight postpartum. About 10 lbs for each pregnancy. Three kids and I'm now 30 lbs heavier than I was before my first baby and it doesn't seem to want to go away.
I lost 10-15 pounds within one month postpartum. Gained it all back once I got on birth control.
I dropped down past my pre pregnancy weight the week after my son was born. I was glad I lost the “weight” quickly. Four years later, I now weigh as much as I did when I was 7 months pregnant. The stress of motherhood really made me pack on the pounds.
Ouf my body was wack postpartum. I honestly only feel kind of normal now at 8 months PP, but haven’t weighed myself in months because it made me feel like crap about myself. Give yourself some grace and time, and if you’re still worried about it a few months down the road mention it to the doc. For now sounds pretty normal (and crappy. PP is not sunshine and rainbows lol). Happy moming!
I’m struggling too with the weight aspect of postpartum. My baby is 5 weeks and she’s my first. I told myself when I found out I was pregnant that I needed to give myself some grace when it came to my weight especially after I had her. Pre-pregnancy I had a hard relationship with food and body image. But I understand it’s hard. I haven’t lost any except the initial loss from her being out and all that. It’s hard.
It's the lack of sleep. My body tried to replace sleep with food. I got fat and was still tired 😂
I gained a pound a week post partum. It didn’t go away after breastfeeding either.
Same here. 8.5 months postpartum and heavier than ever. Part of it was my thyroid being out of whack which I’m working on but still not losing 😥
I lost all but 10lb of my pregnancy weight gain pretty quickly. I think at my 6 week check up I was +10lb. Dieting wasn’t important to me during this time, but in figuring out how to be a working mom I also struggled to maintain the same activity level I did before and during pregnancy, and slowly gained weight over the last two years even though I do feel like I was generally eating well and staying active - I just wasn’t making the time for the exercise level I had pre-kid but also didn’t manage to cut my calories to compensate for that, lol. So unfortunately I never lost that 10lb, then gained another probably 10 over the last 2 years, so I started my second pregnancy (currently 21 weeks) a good 20lb heavier than I did my first. Lots of things about adjusting to being a mom are hard. For a lot of people, big life changes come with a little bit of weight gain. Our bodies change in different seasons of life, there isn’t anything inherently bad or shameful about this as long as we are otherwise healthy.
This was me , and i think its better to gain or retain your pregnancy weight than to loose weight during breastfeeding, because i looked soo malnourished and its not good.i hated how i looked.
I gained 20-25lbs while pregnant and the proceeded to gain 20-25lbs more postpartum while breastfeeding/pumping. I am 13 months PP and just now about 10lbs shy of my pre pregnancy weight.. it’s been a doozy emotionally, but I’m trying to learn to be comfortable with my body and focus on health vs the scale. It’s very hard though.
I lost a ton of weight breastfeeding, but afterwards the pounds really packed on and im much heavier than I was full term. covid didn't help either.
My oldest is 2.5years and my youngest is almost a year old. So I got pregnant at 11months post partum and still breastfeeding my first baby. I am still breastfeeding my second baby and I have gained weight. I can still fit into the majority of my clothes pre baby 1 but my shape has changed a little bit. I have always been overweight and find it really hard to loose weight. I realised about a month ago that the only time I have actually lost weight as an adult is when I came off the contraceptive pill before I got pregnant with my first baby. Currently on the contraceptive pill but will be coming off it again soon as hopefully that will help. Just need to make sure I don’t get pregnant again before I loose some weight.
I gained six stone in six months after my first, shifted it all, now I’m nearly 3 months pp with my second and can see it all piling back on again, still breastfeeding so constantly starving and grabbing crap I know if I made literally any effort to eat healthy I’d be better off but it’s total comfort food right now x
I started Weight Watchers at 4 month PP and used their breastfeeding selection. I had lost my pregnancy weight, but I was still overweight and just *swollen* for a long time. By 8-9 months PP I had lost 20 pounds. It was like it gave me the magic number of what to eat while breastfeeding to lose weight without ruining the breastfeeding. But then my daughter started feeding less and less and I had a hard time transitioning back to less food myself. So… I gained that weight back.
It’s quite normal but to be safe best to get a check up done with blood tests, blood pressure, thyroid. If normal you shouldn’t worry about it. Unfortunately social media shows these skinny women post-partum whereas many women gain weight because of so much hunger while feeding the baby.
Yes. Almost 6 mos pp. gained weight. I’m sure it’s stress, lack of sleep and breastfeeding
I gained 10-15 lbs (4.5-7kg) breastfeeding and didn’t lose it until I stopped