Comments on: The calories and breastfeeding rollercoaster http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/ ...exploring the art and science of parenting Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:24:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: 7 Awesome Things About a Postpartum Body | Being Pregnant http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-185302 7 Awesome Things About a Postpartum Body | Being Pregnant Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:48:47 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-185302 [...] Scientifically speaking, you could lose a pound a week just by breastfeeding. According to PhD in Parenting, producing one ounce of breastmilk burns approximately 26 calories, and babies typically take in [...] [...] Scientifically speaking, you could lose a pound a week just by breastfeeding. According to PhD in Parenting, producing one ounce of breastmilk burns approximately 26 calories, and babies typically take in [...]

]]> By: Isis http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-125450 Isis Sat, 07 May 2011 15:18:29 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-125450 Hi Gayle, I wonder if part of the problem is 1) by not eating you are slowing your metabolism and your body has responded to the percieved "starvation" by storing everything it can and 2) stress increases your propensity to store fat. Another thing to consider is that sleep deprivation also increases grehlin, a hormone that causes fat deposition. I would cut yourself a break, you are a single parent and working full time- that is an incredible feat! Even though it sounds counterproductive, I would try to increase what you are eating and also try to make some time for yourself each day to unwind and destress. Hi Gayle,
I wonder if part of the problem is 1) by not eating you are slowing your metabolism and your body has responded to the percieved “starvation” by storing everything it can and 2) stress increases your propensity to store fat. Another thing to consider is that sleep deprivation also increases grehlin, a hormone that causes fat deposition. I would cut yourself a break, you are a single parent and working full time- that is an incredible feat! Even though it sounds counterproductive, I would try to increase what you are eating and also try to make some time for yourself each day to unwind and destress.

]]> By: Gayle http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-94485 Gayle Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:56:19 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-94485 I went to the doctor this week because I was sick. I wanted to cry when I got weighed. My son is 7months old and still breastfeeding. I am 10lbs heavier than I was the day I had him prior to birth!!!!! I asked the doctor if I will loose some weight when I stop breast feeding and she said you should be loosing now...I'm not and some times I don't have much time to eat just taking care of him. I'm a single mom and I devote all my free time to him and I work full time. I'm in the WIC program so I mainly eat what they provide me because it's so much food and it has a shelf life and I'm afraid of it going bad...milk, eggs, cheese, bread/tortillas, fresh fruit and veggies, beans, tuna, and oatmeal/cereal. I was suppose to be back in shape within 6 months of having him and that hasn't happened at all. I am much more active now then when I was pregnant since I spent a couple months on bed rest! I'm so frustrated! I went to the doctor this week because I was sick. I wanted to cry when I got weighed. My son is 7months old and still breastfeeding. I am 10lbs heavier than I was the day I had him prior to birth!!!!! I asked the doctor if I will loose some weight when I stop breast feeding and she said you should be loosing now…I’m not and some times I don’t have much time to eat just taking care of him. I’m a single mom and I devote all my free time to him and I work full time. I’m in the WIC program so I mainly eat what they provide me because it’s so much food and it has a shelf life and I’m afraid of it going bad…milk, eggs, cheese, bread/tortillas, fresh fruit and veggies, beans, tuna, and oatmeal/cereal. I was suppose to be back in shape within 6 months of having him and that hasn’t happened at all. I am much more active now then when I was pregnant since I spent a couple months on bed rest! I’m so frustrated!

]]> By: Alicia http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-93139 Alicia Fri, 26 Nov 2010 03:29:24 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-93139 Very cool number crunching! Similar situation for me. I lost all my pregnancy weight minus 10 pounds from my pre pregnancy weight while nursing. When he got older and wasn't drinking as much and when I slowly weaned him I gained those 10 pounds back and remain at the weight I always was. Weird how that happened! Very cool number crunching!
Similar situation for me. I lost all my pregnancy weight minus 10 pounds from my pre pregnancy weight while nursing. When he got older and wasn’t drinking as much and when I slowly weaned him I gained those 10 pounds back and remain at the weight I always was. Weird how that happened!

]]> By: Sarah Jo http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-93094 Sarah Jo Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:40:24 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-93094 I can totally relate to all of the women who dropped the weight quickly. Very fast for me-- less than 1 month after both my first and second children were born. But I've attributed that to walking or doing yoga daily with both pregnancies and beginning to walk as soon as 4 weeks once my babies were born. This second time around is a little different in that I am constantly ravishing and eating almost round the clock and maintaing my pre-prego weight. I am definitely making more milk this time around too. So I think appetite and calorie in take definitely correlate to supply. I do worry about how to change eating habits once my baby weans and wish there was more resources for moms on being healthy at that stage. I can totally relate to all of the women who dropped the weight quickly. Very fast for me– less than 1 month after both my first and second children were born. But I’ve attributed that to walking or doing yoga daily with both pregnancies and beginning to walk as soon as 4 weeks once my babies were born.

This second time around is a little different in that I am constantly ravishing and eating almost round the clock and maintaing my pre-prego weight. I am definitely making more milk this time around too. So I think appetite and calorie in take definitely correlate to supply. I do worry about how to change eating habits once my baby weans and wish there was more resources for moms on being healthy at that stage.

]]> By: Anna http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-93092 Anna Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:08:31 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-93092 I've been breastfeeding for 2 years now (my son still nurses at least 6 times a day and all through the night.) I swim 4 times a week and walk, wear my baby, eat well, but haven't lost much weight at all. I think the comments of previous posters are true, that for some women, their bodies hold on to weight while breastfeeding. It seems from my experience that women who have trouble keeping weight on pre-pregnancy experience huge weight loss while breastfeeding, often too much, and those who put it on easily tend to keep it on post-preg. I'll be interested to see what happens when my son finally weans himself. I’ve been breastfeeding for 2 years now (my son still nurses at least 6 times a day and all through the night.) I swim 4 times a week and walk, wear my baby, eat well, but haven’t lost much weight at all. I think the comments of previous posters are true, that for some women, their bodies hold on to weight while breastfeeding. It seems from my experience that women who have trouble keeping weight on pre-pregnancy experience huge weight loss while breastfeeding, often too much, and those who put it on easily tend to keep it on post-preg. I’ll be interested to see what happens when my son finally weans himself.

]]> By: Suchada @ Mama Eve http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-93083 Suchada @ Mama Eve Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:06:29 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-93083 This is such a touchy subject for women! I kind of have mixed feelings about talking about losing weight as a benefit of breastfeeding. In the last town I lived in, everyone in my La Leche League group lost weight from breastfeeding, but in the town I live in now, it doesn't seem to hold true. I was very nervous about the changes in my body when I got pregnant, and was happy that it pretty much went back to the way it was (with a few changes) after my first son. After my second pregnancy and baby in three years though, it's not quite the same, even though the scale is down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Apparently all that babywearing isn't as much strength training as I imagine it to be. Regardless though -- I love my body more now than ever (and this is so cliche, but true for me) -- because it's created, carried, and nourished two babies. Definitely a much more amazing feat than looking good in jeans. This is such a touchy subject for women! I kind of have mixed feelings about talking about losing weight as a benefit of breastfeeding. In the last town I lived in, everyone in my La Leche League group lost weight from breastfeeding, but in the town I live in now, it doesn’t seem to hold true.

I was very nervous about the changes in my body when I got pregnant, and was happy that it pretty much went back to the way it was (with a few changes) after my first son. After my second pregnancy and baby in three years though, it’s not quite the same, even though the scale is down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Apparently all that babywearing isn’t as much strength training as I imagine it to be.

Regardless though — I love my body more now than ever (and this is so cliche, but true for me) — because it’s created, carried, and nourished two babies. Definitely a much more amazing feat than looking good in jeans.

]]> By: Alisa http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-93060 Alisa Thu, 25 Nov 2010 19:07:08 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-93060 Don't cry! I didn't lose all my baby weight while nursing, either (I nursed for 2.5 years, btw). And I was also extremely active--running or at the gym at least 4-5 times a week, as well as teaching fitness classes. Some women's bodies do not respond in this way. You aren't doing anything wrong--bodies are just unpredictable. Be kind to yourself and don't hold yourself hostage to any numbers. :) Don’t cry! I didn’t lose all my baby weight while nursing, either (I nursed for 2.5 years, btw). And I was also extremely active–running or at the gym at least 4-5 times a week, as well as teaching fitness classes. Some women’s bodies do not respond in this way. You aren’t doing anything wrong–bodies are just unpredictable. Be kind to yourself and don’t hold yourself hostage to any numbers. :)

]]> By: Gloria http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-68880 Gloria Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:22:21 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-68880 What's wrong with me? During both my pregnancies, I walked daily for hours and ate reasonably, and my weight only increased normally, but both times after delivery, I started gaining. I breastfeed exclusively on demand, cosleep and eat reasonably and my boys nursed hungrily. The only thing I could guess is tha t after the baby came, I was sitting and nursing all the time and stopped my hours and hours of walking but I was still so so hungry all the time. What’s wrong with me? During both my pregnancies, I walked daily for hours and ate reasonably, and my weight only increased normally, but both times after delivery, I started gaining. I breastfeed exclusively on demand, cosleep and eat reasonably and my boys nursed hungrily. The only thing I could guess is tha t after the baby came, I was sitting and nursing all the time and stopped my hours and hours of walking but I was still so so hungry all the time.

]]> By: Marcy http://www.phdinparenting.com/2008/11/25/the-calories-and-breastfeeding-rollercoaster/#comment-60025 Marcy Tue, 18 May 2010 19:13:26 +0000 http://phdinparenting.wordpress.com/?p=747#comment-60025 The thing is even with all the calculations for average calories burned, etc, there's still the huge X-factor of what a woman's metabolism is like and how her body handles the calories coming in and going out. I was lucky, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by about 4-5 months post-partum (I do think that's partially thanks to a dairy allergy that he developed right before then, meaning no more milk or yogurt... or ice cream for me). I have also heard many stories of women who, no matter what they do, can't seem to lose *any* weight while breastfeeding, as if their bodies were purposely holding on to the extra fat stores to help with milk production. I would love to see studies that showed what the patterns of weight loss are for breastfeeding and formula-feeding moms post-partum, and see what really happens. I get the sense that *most* breastfeeding moms get a boost in losing the weight, but I wonder what the real numbers are. The thing is even with all the calculations for average calories burned, etc, there’s still the huge X-factor of what a woman’s metabolism is like and how her body handles the calories coming in and going out. I was lucky, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by about 4-5 months post-partum (I do think that’s partially thanks to a dairy allergy that he developed right before then, meaning no more milk or yogurt… or ice cream for me). I have also heard many stories of women who, no matter what they do, can’t seem to lose *any* weight while breastfeeding, as if their bodies were purposely holding on to the extra fat stores to help with milk production.

I would love to see studies that showed what the patterns of weight loss are for breastfeeding and formula-feeding moms post-partum, and see what really happens. I get the sense that *most* breastfeeding moms get a boost in losing the weight, but I wonder what the real numbers are.

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