Weight loss while nursing

[JennieZ]

I am eating mostly the Mcdougall Maximum weight loss diet while nursing a 9 month old. I still have about 44 pounds to lose but I'm losing very slowly, about 2 pounds a month. Does anybody know if nursing is slowing down my weight loss?

[kellydoeshair]

can't imagine it is slowing you down, nursing quite literally "sucks" about 500 calories a day out of you

[blueberries]

My experience is about like yours, a few pounds per month after the first 3 months or so, although mine often comes off in spurts, going weeks without any change and then down 3 pounds. Some mom friends have told me they don't lose all the weight until they wean, but usually are talking about the last 5-10 pounds of fat.

Breastfeeding does burn extra calories, and I never felt like breastfeeding slowed down the weight loss. But after the first few months of being constantly hungry and being able to eat a lot extra, I never felt like I could just eat as much as I wanted without thinking about it and still lose weight.

[JennieZ]

I'm starting to accept that 2 pound a month weight loss isn't so bad.

[azalealilac]

I have lost 40 pounds since my daughter was born in January. I am nursing and have enough of milk for her which was a concern to one of my friends who would like to eat this way but was afraid of losing her milk. I was on a lot of raw food one summer when my son was a baby and I felt like I just didn't have enough milk for him.
The most help for me was Mary's mini diet, and MWL. I eat often and take food with me when I go to town. I like potatoes a lot. I like rice a lot too but I don't lose as quickly with that.
Best wishes.

[lamazemama2]

I think by 9 months you could restrict your diet a little more without worrying about milk supply, but be careful.

I have always only had 10 lbs to lose after giving birth but those ten lbs have always taken a full year to go away. I think sometimes your body holds on to some fat stores while nursing an infant.

(My son is still nursing but I think the body knows that one year olds are eating more solid foods )

[thurza]

Without knowing the science, there seems to be some who retain weight while breast feeding and some who don't. I suspect the body needs some fat as the previous poster suggested. I would be interested to learn more as I suspect I will be breast feeding for the next 6-8 years assuming I have three children nursing for at least two years each. I have a lot of weight to lose though.

[Hopelizabeth]

A nine month old does not drink as much breast milk as a newborn...so you're not burning as many calories! I nursed all three of my daughters and the weight just seemed to fall off the first 3 to 4 months of breastfeeding, then no weight loss after that!