Hello everyone,

I'm new here to the site and just want to say I think it is fantastic. I really want to get fit and lose some of this weight. I want my son to be proud of his mama.

I have a question for those who have nursed or are nursing. My son will be 2 months next tuesday and I have been breastfeeding him without a problem. I actually have more than enough milk but I'm afraid that if I jump into a weightloss diet and excersise routine to fast it might afect my milk supply. And I really want to nurse at least a year.

I'm really disappointed by the fact that I am not losing any weight by breastfeeding (I was told I would). Insted I have gained 6 lbs. and I am starving all the time. I don't know how many calories I should eat per day. I started counting calories and I am averaging about 2400-2600 a day. Which I know is an exorbitant amount but it is the only way I can stay satisfied and not gain weight. If I cut calories to about 2000-2200 do you think my milk supply will be affected? Or should I wait untill my son is a little older before I start actively losing weight?

Hey MamaNena

I can only speak from my own experience. I have nursed 7 children that I gave birth to, and one that I adopted (I was nursing my own bio-child at the time and just let the adopted one belly up to the trough, LOL). I found that if I took my daily vitamin and drank tons...and I do mean lots! of water, my milk supply was unaffected.

I say give it a try. If you find that your milk supply is dwindling then you can always up your calorie intake.

I had the same experience of gaining weight while nursing after LOOSING weight while pregnant. ((sigh)). I finally signed up for weight watchers out of desperation last week. So far so good. I lost 4.8 pounds this week! I am never hungry..I get tons of points due to nursing, and I divide them up evenly into little mini meals throughout the day..so it seems like I am eating fairly often. I am meeting my nutritional requirements and I am hopefull I will see some of these pounds go bye bye. I wish you the best in finding what works best for you.

Warmly..

If you are eating about 2400 calories a day, try 2200 for a couple of weeks. After that, slowly drop to about 2000-2100 a day. This *should* put you in enough calorie defecit to start slowly losing weight.

As far as staying satisfied, the key is to eat foods that give you more bang for the buck. A regular Hershey bar is about 230 calories, but for the same calories, you could have 2 eggs and 2 cups of fresh strawberries. MUCH more food for the same calories. If you choose lower calorie foods, you can actually eat more, while taking in less calories.

I was going to suggest maybe giving weight watchers a try. I did with my first and lost 75 pounds while nursing.

Just have to say to you. That is awesome.

WOW~! You have lost so much weight already! You are doing awesome!!! My son turned 3 months old yesterday, and I seem to be stuck at the same weight that I have been at for weeks and weeks. Anyway, the lactation specialist told me that as long as you are drinking adequate fluids (4 bottles of water or more a day) then your milk supply will be fine, regardless of how much (or how little) you eat. Congrats on your beautiful baby boy!

-Ami

I know this is off-track from your question, but, if you're not already, I suggest you start freezing all of that "more-than-enough" milk.

I didn't have the sense enough to do it when Jake was only eating 4 oz. bottles and I have mentally kicked myself hundreds of times since then.

My DD is only a day older than your DS, and I feel your pain about not losing weight from breastfeeding! I kept holding out hope that once somebody weans (or when the youngest one does) that I would lose the weight. I nurse them for several years, though, and finally got tired of waiting so I just started Weight Watchers this week.