I've been pretty OP with my eatng, staying around 2000 cals a day (I'm breastfeeding a 3 month old), but my scale is saying I've gained a pound. I don't want to take my calories any lower because I don't want to damage my milk supply.
I've been eating my first meal around 11 am, and my last meal around 7 pm, occasionally having a snack around 9 pm. Could this timing be why I'm not losing (I haven't lost anything since my 6 wk checkup) and possibly gaining a little? I really want to figure this out and get rid of the chub already.
Thanks for the help.

I do suspect your timing is off.
Eating a good and healthy breakfast "jump starts" your metabolism for the day. Eating late and then going to bed causes your body to store the fat.
I know it is so hard to plan when you have a little one depending on you.
I would definitely try to eat a healthy breakfast early and try not to eat so late-- I try not to eat anything after 6 or 7 pm. If I get hungry later, I have some hot tea.
For breakfast lately I've been eating a yummy yogurt and fruit parfait-- I use non fat yogurt, berries and low fat granola (just a little granola) on top.

Ditto what Michele said and I would add that maybe you need to actually eat more calories. When I started counting calories a few months ago, I was losing weight eating an average of 2000 cal each day and I wasn't nursing a baby. 2000 may just not be enough to keep both of you going and your body may be holding on to whatever it can to keep functioning properly. I'm definitely not an expert though and hopefully some of the more educated members here can give you more info. Congrats on the new little one!

I often eat dinner at 8:30 or 9 and even have a snack after, but then I tend to get up later and eat breakfast later. Even so, I'm skeptical of the whole "don't eat after X p.m." mindset. I honestly don't think that for most people it matters how late you eat, as long as you're eating the right things.

I can say, however, that having something to eat w/in an hour of getting up with help keep your metabolism running steadily. (Or, at least it does with me.)

Which brings me to my next point 2000 calories may be a good level for you, or you may actually need more. I've heard (but have no personal experience here ... so take with a grain of salt) that most doctors / nutritionists recommend an extra 500-700 calories a day for a bf-ing mom.

Also *what* you're eating could figure in here. If you're eating 2000 calories of lean protein, veggies, healthy fats, and complex carbs, that's good. If your 2000 calories are less healthy, then although you're getting ENOUGH calories, you might be starving your body of needed nutrition which is causing it to hold on to weight.

I would imagine that with bf-ing, if you are eating less nutritious foods, that your body probably funnels more of the nutrients into your breast milk, which makes the effects of the diet worse for you.

Obviously I don't know WHAT you're eating, so this is guesswork on my part.

But those are my thoughts.

.

Well, aside from calories, I'd make sure you're eating something within an hour or an hour and a half of waking up. I, too, would like to know a sample of what it is you're using your calories for, as that can make a huge difference.

Booski: listen to the wisdom of these women. Their suggestions will work.
As a midwife and dedicated breastfeeder, I think its important to keep up the bf as long as you and baby can manage and enjoy. And it will help you lose weight in the long run, truly.
NOTHING can mobilize fat burning as well. ( and of note, breastfed babies are less likely to become overweight kids and adults!)
In addition to eating breakfast earlier in your day to jump start your metabolism, make sure you are getting exercise. Unless baby is sick or was quite prem, she (he?) should be able to be bundled up and get out for a walk with you every day. It doesn't have to be long or far, but do it daily.
Check out your community resources too, maybe there is a mummy and baby fit class available. I taught one for a while, it was well attended, and took the pounds off me after my second baby.
Also, I know if you are a busy mum, it is soooo easy to eat a quick cookie, instead of making a fresh salad. Do you have other children? How are you finding time management with your little one? Just becoming a new mum is such a change in your life, and being positive and making good choices to lose weight will do you well as you will need energy to keep up with your tot soon, when crawling starts. (and mine didn't walk til they were 3, they ran full tilt from one to three!)
have fun, and good luck

I breastfed 3 kids...

Your current weight is about 172, correct, and you are nursing a 3 month old, which is using your milk as a primary source of nutrition.

For a mother nursing excusively, you are using about 500 calories a day breastfeeding. This would mean that you eating 2000 calories a day is the exact same as someone weighing 172 who is NOT nursing, eating 1500 calories a day.

Now, in my experience, at 172 pounds when NOT nursing, I have to eat about 1400 calories a day, and combine that with exercise to lose weight.

Since you are nursing, you might actually need to DROP slightly and up your exercise a bit to lose. Why don't you try 1900 a day for a few weeks, and up your exercise a bit?

People tend to think that if you are pregnant or nursing that you must eat, eat, eat...but we are talking a simple 500 calories a day, not massive amounts of food.

You just might need to go below 2000 a day. La Leche League, and many other breastfeeding groups and information suggest, however, that you don't go below 1800 a day while nursing exclusively. (This is only while nursing exclusively for an infant who is using you for most or all of their nutrition...if you are nursing a toddler who is eating a lot of regular foods and just comfort nursing a couple of times a day, then you can obviously go lower.)

Thank you for all your responses. Now to answer your questions....

What I'm eating - (Yes I know this needs work, and a lot of it, but this is my norm at the moment... I've been going for fast and easy).

breakfast - Yogurt, Fiber One bar, oatmeal, or a combination

lunch - 2 PB&J and veggies or an apple, or 2 egg rolls(instead of the PB&J)

dinner - whatever my husband is having, so it can be pasta, burgers, chicken, rice.... sometimes I eat egg rolls and make him something else

snacks - vary, sadly many days it's a couple of cookies, sometimes a piece of cheese or some crackers

nighttime snack - something sweet

exercise - right now I'm doing nothing except for some crunches here and there. However I got a baby and me exercise DVD tonight so I'm going to start doing that, it's too cold to walk outside now.

how long until I eat - Often I won't eat for several hours after waking, although I did good today and ate something within an hour or so of getting up.

time management - Sucks. I'm lucky if I get a shower and some dishes done... it's really sad. (Oh, and it's a boy. )

AphilI was afraid of that... I've already started dropping my calories a little bit at a time, my average used to be 2200, but it's down to around 2000 now. (Gotta love Fitday and their charts). I'm still so hungry though, which eating better would probably help.

Again, thanks for all of your input... I've been on this site for a couple years now, mostly lurking. I've learned a lot about nutrition, exercise, and dieting, but I need to learn a whole lot more.