Breastfeeding Does Not Equal Losing Weight For Everyone

I’m currently snuggling with my littlest as she naps on me and nurses in her sleep. I absolutely love watching her suckle as she dreams away in slumber right at my side. It’s the best feeling in the world.

However for the past few weeks… ok, months… I’ve been doing what I can to eat clean, get more active, and try and lose the weight I put on before I got pregnant (about 20 pounds). Within a few weeks after I had her, I already lost the 20 pound I gained during my third pregnancy. She was a 10 pound baby so most of it was her and the placenta. But the 20 pounds I gained before I was pregnant has been bugging me. As has the shelf I have over my c-section scar. It kind of disgusts me.

Now I’m not one to hate my body. I love my curves, love that I grew three babies with this body, and love that I’ve been able to breastfeed each one without any issues. However with each breastfeeding journey, I’ve found that dropping the weight after pregnancy has been hard work. So much so that I laugh when people tell me how quickly the pounds will drop while I breastfeed.

Breastfeeding DOES NOT equal losing weight for everyone. And especially not me.

I’ve seen the opposite happen. Even if I’m watching the types of foods I eat, counting calories, or even doing programs like Weight Watchers (with added points for breastfeeding moms), I’ve found that especially in the first year I have been unable to lose weight successfully. In fact I’ve found the opposite. All of my hard work is fending off the weight that I would be gaining while breastfeeding had I not been conscious of what I’m eating and drinking.

The same is happening right now. Since Norah turned 3 months old I’ve been watching the foods I eat, staying aware of added calories, removed sugars from my diet, and have limited carbs (my trigger food). And I’ve lost a total of two pounds. Two. One each month to be exact.

I’ve been reading Why We Get Fat: And What To Do About It after the advice from my friend, Summer (You can read her story here) and while I really want to jump on board, I’m nervous. Nervous about taking my love of food out of the equation. Nervous about any change in my supply. And nervous that it won’t work while I’m breastfeeding.

I refuse to not breastfeed just to lose weight. Just not worth it.

So I’ve come to a decision that I’m jumping in at the end of the month. I still need to finish the book and don’t want to jump in without doing so. And I need time to come up with a game plan. I need to write out what I’m going to eat and prepare. As well as have shopping lists on hand so I don’t get thrown off track while at the grocery store.

Not everyone can lose weight while breastfeeding, but I’m sure going to try! I miss feeling like myself. I miss fitting into my jeans and not looking like a sausage. And I miss my energy. So on August 1st it’s on. That’s not to say that I won’t be continuing to try and eat clean up until then. And lets hope I can finish the book by then. Trying to read with an infant is near impossible! Might also be the fact that I work AND have 2 other kids but that’s another post…