breastfeeding vegetarian moms

[berrykat]

hi any breastfeeding veggie moms out there? i have a question. Is it harder to lose weight while breastfeeding? I am not eating alot but the pounds aren't coming off. Help!

[Eva-bo-beva]

Im not a mom, but a friend of mine who just had a baby told me that it is actually a lot harder to lose weight if you don't breastfeed...it burns a lot of calories.

[kristadb]

I know lots of breastfeeders and none lost weight until after they stopped. I've read a number of stories about it and it seems to boil down to this:

medically, your body does not want to give up that extra 'fat'; you are breastfeeding; you are still giving to another being. Just like in a famine, your body is going to hold on to as much as it can.

Often, there is some weight loss at the beginning, more so then non-breastfeeders, but then it evens out.

As a side note, the breastfeeders of my peer group really hate the "breastfeed to lose weight" ads, because it is a lie in their minds.

You said you aren't eating lot; make sure you're eating enough to breastfeed!! That will slow down the weight loss more then anything.

And, in the end, it took you ~9 months to have that baby, give it at least that to take it off. And, for a lot of women, their bodies aren't quite the same after childbirth - ever. Their hips get bigger. Permanently. Their breasts change shape. etc. So give yourself some time, look after yourself and don't be too hard on yourself.

But, I'm sure you know all this already :)

[veggiegalwriter]

hi any breastfeeding veggie moms out there? i have a question. Is it harder to lose weight while breastfeeding? I am not eating alot but the pounds aren't coming off. Help!

I've been breastfeeding for 5.5 years straight. I gained a lot of weight during my first pregancy and still have a lot of it on. When I exercise and eat fewer processed foods and more natural foods, I can drop some of the weight. I think, however, there is truth in the idea that your body keeps fat to continue making breastmilk. Many of my friends dropped the initial baby weight very quickly after birth. They got the final slim down after they stopped nursing.

I also think your body may hold on to more if you're not eating regularly and meeting your caloric needs for breastfeeding. I've found if I eat small, frequent meals, it makes a huge difference in my feeling of *bulk* and I don't get ravenous. Sadly, I don't practice what I preach all the time. lol

Lucy

[VeggieMama]

I breastfeed both my kids.With both of them,I lost all my pregnancy weight and then some.It was great!But,I was hungry alot.I had to eat like every 2 hours and drink a ton of water.
I do know that while breastfeeding,you need additional calories,but it gets burned off in the process of making milk.

VM

[dvmarie]

whew! - for a second there I thought there was some new trend - all vegetarian moms are supposed to breastfeed (sounds interesting - but what do you do - ask someone if they have an extra pint?) :p

[Kreeli]

i think the official word is that you shouldn't really be trying to lose weight while breastfeeding. your body's function right now is to keep your baby nourished. actively trying to drop pounds through limiting caloric intake, etc. could deprive your baby of important nutrients.

the la leche league website: www.lalecheleague.org is a very good resource to check for all your breastfeeding questions.

[kristadb]

what do you do - ask someone if they have an extra pint?) :p

That's what they did in the oldin' days :lol:

[mushroom]

I breastfed all 5 of my children and was back to pre-baby weight from 6 weeks - 6 months. The older I got, the longer it took. However, I have no idea how fast I would have lost the weight, if I wasn't breastfeeding.

[Alec Eiffel]

how cool would it be if vegetarian mothers produced soymilk? Berrykat, I pray for you tonight.

[shewolf]

From what I have read on my baby site I go to most women found it easier to shed weight when breastfeeding. But there are of course exceptions to the rule. Having a vaginal birth rather than a caesar also helps shed weight quicker...

[mushroom]

"Having a vaginal birth rather than a caesar also helps shed weight quicker..."

Really? I've never heard this. I wonder why...

[Kreeli]

"Having a vaginal birth rather than a caesar also helps shed weight quicker..."

Really? I've never heard this. I wonder why...


that's weird. i've never heard this either. the only thing i can think of is that women who've had caesarians have to spend a longer time in bed recuperating. less activity?

[kristadb]

I've heard of it; they told my SIL that after her C-section. I believe it had something to do with chemicals released during vaginal birth, but she thought it was all a pile of hooey.

[shewolf]

No, I don't think it had anything to do with chemicals, but I could be wrong. My GP told me this about two months ago. She went through the pros and cons of caesars vs vaginal births. It may only apply to elective caesars rather than emergency caesars (where you do most of the normal labouring anyway) but I thought I'd throw that in there anyway. LOL There must be a reason for that belief; doctors don't generally hold with old wives' tales.

[gothmom]

just wanted to stand up & be counted as another nursing veggie mama... not sure how to take the comments about breastfeeding vegetarian moms being a "trend." i can't imagine why a vegetarian mother would do anything but (barring very major problems, not as a matter of personal choice)... cows milk is not for babies, & soy milk is not for babies... only mothers milk is for babies!

[missbelgium]

I breastfed my toddler for 26 months. I had a scheduled c/s because of placenta complications. My conclusion is that, as for most things, dropping the weight will depend on the person more than on anything else. I had my kid pretty late in life (at 38) and lost nearly all the pregnancy weight after 2 years (around the same time I stopped breastfeeding). I tend to believe the BF/holding on to fat-theory.

Besides this, all I can say is that your body does change permanently. I gained a cup-size while pregnant and that did not drop. My hips and thighs are broader than before. My belly still has a slight pouch (maybe the cesarian and the age also influenced this). I don't mind any of this, since I am at an acceptable weight now (still working on the few extra pounds I'd like to shed) and my daughter is worth everything in the world to me.

Conclusion: I think if you are under 35 and eating a normal, balanced veggie diet plus exercising regularly (even walking or cycling will do), dropping the last baby weight will not be a problem, but don't force it while you are still breastfeeding.


Good luck !

Kim

[qingchen]

I want to breastfeed my baby but I'm afraid I will not have enough for my baby. I am too thin.

[mushroom]

I am 5' 7" and weighed 112 while breastfeeding my first baby. Before she would nurse every day, my breasts were huge. I used to wake her up, just to get some relief and stop dripping lol.

I don't think it matters how thin you are, so long as you are eating a lot of nutritious food and drinking plenty of water.

[rabid_child]

Man, whenever I see this topic, my first thought is that the mom's are breastfeeding...

I was breastfed for two and a half years. :o I would definitely breastfeed my child. The contents of those formula cans make me nervous.

[SL1031]

I have breastfed two babies..I still have a nursling and she is over a year old now...and I don't see stopping any time soon...

I have also lost 50 lbs in one year (not by breastfeeding alone)...but, that hasn't effected my milk or production any...I just make sure to drink lots of water and nurse often.

Good job all of you breastfeeding moms..I cringe when mothers talk about "formula" (I am the original militant breastfeeding nazi..haha)

-S

:up:

[qingchen]

I am 5' 7" and weighed 112 while breastfeeding my first baby. Before she would nurse every day, my breasts were huge. I used to wake her up, just to get some relief and stop dripping lol.

I don't think it matters how thin you are, so long as you are eating a lot of nutritious food and drinking plenty of water.

Thank you for your support. I'm really appreciated your help.

[mazza1998]

I'm also a slim mum, and i breastfed my daughter successfully for 21 months. The first 6 months exclusively ;)
If you are eating a healthy balanced diet and breastfeeding then it is easier to shift the extra pounds imo. I wouldn't reduce your calorie intake, just eat healthy foods and do moderate excercise. Mine was carrying my chubster around in a sling for almost 2 yrs phew.
My pregnancy weight fell off me, but my babe was 9lb 3oz and took a lot of feeding :lol:

[pickletatertot]

My second daughter was 9lbs 3oz too! (My first was 8lbs 6oz) I breastfed them for well over a year each. With the first I held on to my weight. With the second I lost 70lbs below my prepregnancy weight! I've kept that weight off for over a year now. I attribute the weightloss to eating much healthier and exercise. It was hard with my first to take that time to myself to exercise but it is so worth it...for your physical and your mental health! I, too, ate every 2-3 hours and drank tons of water. Good luck!
Christa

[JohnAengus]

I am a (male) nursing student and we just finished a semster on Maternal Child Health. I think a lot has to do with how much you weighed before pregnancy, how much you gained during pregnancy, and how much you are eating while breast feeding. If you gain a lot of weight during pregnancy, it is harder to get it off.

They taught us that an average sized woman should gain 25-35 lbs during the pregnancy. Many say they are eating for 'two' people, but really need to consume about 300 more calories per day than when non-pregnant. When breastfeeding, you need about 500 calories extra over pre-pregnancy daily intakes.

Keeping in mind that I will never get pregnant... I think it you need to look at the whole picture ... How much did you gain, how much additional calories are you eating now, and how much physical activity to you get.

JohnAengu