This whole breastfeeding thing has been completely glamourized for weight loss. I always hear about how it helps you lose the weight, etc. etc. but I am finding that more and more moms are actualy holding on the weight while breastfeeding and losing it when they child is weaned. It just really seems relevent to the individual. I wish there was a magic key to breastfeeding! It is so hard as a mother to embrace the changes our bodies make. I am so proud to have a 9 month old, but when I see the extra weight, stretch marks, etc. it bothers me! I guess I try to tell myself that above anything I want to be healthy, and hopefully in time the body will come with it.

In any event, I was wondering if maybe you have considered something like Weight Watchers that promotes healthy eating per say versus dieting. Maybe this sort of program would be helpful to you in dealing with your issues you have surrounding your previous bouts with anorexia. Just a thought..

I am a HUUGE fat of metabolic weight loss! I lost over 50 pounds just by increasing my metabolism! Never felt like dieting - although I was struggling to lose my weight before.

This way of losing weight is easier than any else - I have tried tens of different diets and methods, spent hundreds, and just wasted my time and money - nothing really worked.

I will keep my eye on your new Metabolism thread - as I am VERY interested in others`success stories!!

how long did you breastfeed your baby before you stopped and switched to formula? i have an 8 month old baby. can I stop breasfeeding when baby is 12 months? btw, i purely breastfeed..

Shay

I am another mom whose body clings to fat while breastfeeding. It is like our bodies go into starvation defense mode.

With my almost 3 year old I started losing weight somewhat easily when he was around 9 months and had been on solid foods since 6 months. He nursed until around 14 months when pregnancy dried me up. I am now breasteeding my 8 month old son and still haven't been able to lose weight until recently. I have just accepted that I will still hang onto some baby fat for the first few months, and that has helped. It is frustrating, but seems to just be the way it is no matter what I do (within reason... not going to any extremes to lose weight while nursing).

Really, you "can" stop whenever. 12 months, 2 years, etc. It really depends on you and baby. I myself plan to nurse until 2 years of age, but leave it up to the baby. I know my pregnancy was a factor in my 1st son weaning, but I have no plans to get pregnant until my 2nd son is 2+ if at all again (my 1st son has autism and we just don't know if we can handle a 4th child) and he is a die-hard nurser (started refusing a bottle around 2 months old and hasn't taken any of the kinds we have tried since) so I am guessing he will go until at least 18m if not 2 years.

i gained abt 25 kg in pregnancy..n beside loosing iam even gainin half a kg every week, iam really worried n want to stop this wight gainin without effecting my milk, which excersise
i can do while breastfeeding?

While maintaining and even losing weight is important, just make certain that your baby gets all of the nutrients he or she needs... even if it costs you gaining a few pounds while you nurse.

Playing with your health while nursing is the same as playing with your child's health. Just make certain you don't make any dietary changes that affect your milk production.. and if you do toy with your diet, make certain you keep formula on hand just in case. This hasnt' been my experience, yet... but my mother ceased producing milk properly when she fiddled with her weight.

From being the baby who was actually partly starved because she fiddled with her diet, it has SERIOUS long term consequences if you mess too hard with your diet while nursing.

(As an aside, the doctors believe my metabolism problems from when I was a toddler up to age 18 were directly linked to the fact my mother messed with her diet while nursing me... its something to think about at anyrate.)