loosing too much weight breastfeeding

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Hi ladies,

I wish I was asking this question for myself, however I am NOT losing too much weight lol. My sister just had a baby four months ago and within the first two weeks she was back down to her prepregnancy weight of 115lbs she is about 5ft so this isn't a bad weight. The problem is that she just keeps losing and she is worried that she is becomming unhealthy. She eats good fatty foods, not huge portions but things like avacado, banana's, etc.

She called this morning saying she thought maybe she should start suplementing with babyfood because her little guy nurses all the time and she is down to 105lbs now and doesn't want to lose anymore.

 

Does anyone have any advice or thoughts?

[Mrs Mungo]

She should probably constult a nutritionist who will have her keep a food diary and will then go through it with her and explain things that she can do differently.

[ErinE]

I recommend she step up her caloric consumption. I had a similar "problem," though not as extreme. I'm a fairly healthy eater so it required adding cheese, oil, and butter to my diet, along with daily doses of good chocolate. I didn't go overboard, but I had to eat a higher fat diet than when I wasn't nursing.

 

Also, what Mrs. Mungo said...

[VeganCupcake]

It could also be related to her thyroid. IIRC, postpartum thyroiditis affects 7% of women and it starts with hyperthyroid and then shifts to hypothyroid.

[besroma]

I recommend she step up her caloric consumption. I had a similar "problem," though not as extreme. I'm a fairly healthy eater so it required adding cheese, oil, and butter to my diet, along with daily doses of good chocolate. I didn't go overboard, but I had to eat a higher fat diet than when I wasn't nursing.

 

Also, what Mrs. Mungo said...

 

 

:iagree:

[ErinD]

No advice but just wanted to say I am a little jealous - I gain weight when I'm sleep deprived, so each post-partum period has added another 20 lbs or so onto me...and I do breastfeed. :)

 

Seconding the nutritionist recommendation. I hear that Flax seed and flax oil are great for this too.

[Quad Shot Academy]

It could also be related to her thyroid. IIRC, postpartum thyroiditis affects 7% of women and it starts with hyperthyroid and then shifts to hypothyroid.

 

:iagree: My thyroid goes hyper at 6 weeks post partum and then crashes at about 6 months. She should have a simple blood draw.

[freesia]

When I had to go low carb (for blood sugar purposes) while bfeeding I needed to eat lots and lots of nuts. (Think 2 thick pb sandwiches for breakfast, nuts for snacks, pb bread before bed)

[krisperry]

Yes, she needs her thyroid checked.

 

I have a friend that was like your sister and her thyroid was fine. She had to make herself eat more. It was tough for her but if her weight dropped under 100 lbs then her milk supply began to suffer. She drank high calorie drinks and ate a bowl of ice-cream every night ;)

[justLisa]

I somehow managed to GAIN weight :glare:

 

I guess having my mom and DH bring me Costco's chicken bakes and ice cream while I sat and nursed while DS napped every day all day didn't help. Oh and the walks 2 blocks down the street for my gigantic white chocolate mocha from Starbucks.

 

She should probably speak with her doctor and ask. Unless she can really up her calories and see if it helps.

[ktgrok]

Giving her child less calories (baby food has MUCH less calories than breastmilk) to save those calories for herself seems unwise at best. She needs to have her bloodwork checked, but also needs to eat more. Bananas are NOT high fat.

 

How about stocking up on some Cliff Bars, or Luna Bars (not Lara bars), which have protein, vitamins, etc in them and are a decent amount of calories. They are easy to eat with one hand, grab on the run, etc.

[Dory]

I agree she should have her thyroid checked.

 

I had the same problem with feeding my ankle biters. I had to literally keep food on hand to eat constantly. If I was awake, I was eating or else I would start losing weight. I had to wean my oldest early because of it, by the time I had my third baby I had it figured out a little better. I had fruit on the table all the time. I cooked up large amounts of food and ate every time I had a moment to sit down. I could never eat large amounts at a time, but I ate constantly.

[TranquilMind]

Yeah I'm a little jealous too. I'd be willing to take on some of that problem. :001_smile:

 

Yeah. No kidding.

 

Paraphrasing Barbara Bush, "OP's sister is a size two...and so is my leg.":tongue_smilie:

[Kathryn]

I've had the same problem with both children. I had to dramatically increase my calories. I talking about an entire package of Oreos a day dramatic.i had no health problem, just a fast metabolism to begin with and babies who liked to eat. I went down into the nineties before I stabilized both times also. When I stopped, I gained back to my normal weight.

[Susan C.]

I had to add a meal, so four meals a day. I ate a second lunch about 3-4pm.

[Tmhearn]

I have a similar problem. I just had my fourth baby and am down to Pre-pregnancy weight before 2 weeks after birth. This is also my third time tandem nursing. I do eat three main meals and at least three snacks a day. I drink Ensure or some other drink like that regularly with a snack. My midwife recommended a great smoothie recipe years ago:

 

1 cup milk (whole fat if she drinks cow milk)

1 cup yogurt (whole fat)

1 banana

Frozen fruit for flavor (whatever berries or fruit she likes)

 

Makes a great bedtime or afternoon snack.

[mom2myboys]

It takes more calories to feed a baby than it does to make a baby. A nursing mother needs about 500 extra calories a day (above her pre-pregnancy consumption.)

 

I would also suggest getting her thyroid tested.

[FO4UR]

I've never had that problem personally...but I'd start with increasing good, healthy fats & protein. Olive oil, avacado, nuts, full-fat yogurt/cottage cheese/milk, real butter on foods, beef...

 

 

Make oatmeal with whole milk, a tab of butter, almond slivers, and a squirt of honey. (...instead of with just water and artificial sweetener...) Eat baked potatoes with real butter, shredded chedder, and along with a nice steak, etc..

 

 

I like Dr. Sears Family Nutrition book. It has some good recommendations and recipes.

[razorbackmama]

Giving her child less calories (baby food has MUCH less calories than breastmilk) to save those calories for herself seems unwise at best. She needs to have her bloodwork checked, but also needs to eat more. Bananas are NOT high fat.

 

How about stocking up on some Cliff Bars, or Luna Bars (not Lara bars), which have protein, vitamins, etc in them and are a decent amount of calories. They are easy to eat with one hand, grab on the run, etc.

 

Ditto all of this.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Giving her child less calories (baby food has MUCH less calories than breastmilk) to save those calories for herself seems unwise at best. She needs to have her bloodwork checked, but also needs to eat more. Bananas are NOT high fat.

 

How about stocking up on some Cliff Bars, or Luna Bars (not Lara bars), which have protein, vitamins, etc in them and are a decent amount of calories. They are easy to eat with one hand, grab on the run, etc.

 

Hadn't thought of that since her little man is such a chunky monkey lol but you are right!

[Melissa in Australia]

I loose weight when I breastfeed. I had to eat at least double the amount of calories that I would normally eat. The problem is when you stop breastfeeding, you are use to having a lot of food and can put weight on really quickly.

[Mom-ninja.]

It was tough for her but if her weight dropped under 100 lbs then her milk supply began to suffer.

 

 

Don't scare your sister into thinking her milk supply will suffer if she does drop below 100lbs though. This is not true for all women. I'm always under 100 lbs while nursing and have always had plenty of milk. :001_smile:

 

I often had to make myself eat when not hungry.

 

Tell her to continue taking her prenatal vitamins if she's not.

 

She should ficus on how she feels and not concentrate on the scale. If she feels good and has energy then her weight loss may not be a concern.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Don't scare your sister into thinking her milk supply will suffer if she does drop below 100lbs though. This is not true for all women. I'm always under 100 lbs while nursing and have always had plenty of milk. :001_smile:

 

I often had to make myself eat when not hungry.

 

Tell her to continue taking her prenatal vitamins if she's not.

 

She should ficus on how she feels and not concentrate on the scale. If she feels good and has energy then her weight loss may not be a concern.

 

Thanks! :)

[Kathryn]

Don't scare your sister into thinking her milk supply will suffer if she does drop below 100lbs though. This is not true for all women. I'm always under 100 lbs while nursing and have always had plenty of milk. :001_smile:

 

I often had to make myself eat when not hungry.

 

Tell her to continue taking her prenatal vitamins if she's not.

 

She should ficus on how she feels and not concentrate on the scale. If she feels good and has energy then her weight loss may not be a concern.

 

:iagree: it was hard to not focus on my weight when everyone around me doing so. Bt, as long as I ate A LOT, I felt fine. And I always had more than enough milk.

[butterflymommy]

She needs to start counting calories to make sure she's getting enough. She should start with 2500 and taper down from there 200 at a time until she reaches a point where she's maintaining weight and producing sufficient milk (by observing baby's urine output).

 

I am 5'8" 140 pre-pregnancy 135. When she was exclusively BFing I had to eat 2300 to have ample milk. 2000 just barely cut it. I maintained or lost very slowly (1/2 lb a week) at that level.

 

Now that baby is eating some solids I can get by on 1500-1700 a day and have enough milk, and I'm losing a little faster. I'm fairly sedentary.

 

Before she worries about thyroid etc. I would take a close look at her calorie intake. Most people have no clue how many calories they're eating or need. I use caloriecount.com .

 

That being said at her height she could get down to 95 lb and still be a healthy BMI. I doubt her body would naturally go below that unless she's eating very little.

[Mom-ninja.]

At one point I was 92 lbs (not due to nursing but because I had undiagnosed celiac) and even though I was underweight (by 3 lbs) I was still producing enough milk.

 

The woman's body will protect the nursing baby. The baby gets the nutrients first and what is left over the mom gets. So, really it's the mom who is at risk of being undernourished and not the baby. That's why I mentioned prenatal vitamins.

[kohlby]

Am I reading correctly that she got down to 115 two weeks post-partum and then 105 4 months post-partum? That's not losing too fast. If she thinks 105 is too small for her, then she needs to add in more food. When I was competitive marathon training and exclusively nursing a 35 lbs 18 months old, I got down to 96 lbs - and had plenty of milk. (Yep, that's exclusively nursing, he has sensory issues and was unable to eat solids). What I had to do to keep up my high level of training and not lose more was to eat when not hungry. I added in structured meal times and ate then and was able to stay at 96 lbs. I'm only 5'1" so though 96 lbs is on the low side, it's really not crazy low. (I got pg at 108-113 but normally am at 100-105).

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I just have to say I am SO jealous :001_huh:

[KungFuPanda]

Back before instant breakfast was deemed evil, I made shakes with instant breakfast, ice cream, and whole milk. They did the trick until my body found its new normal. I no longer have such problems. :glare:

[Paige]

I don't think 105lbs sounds scary thin for someone 5'2. If she's worried, some blood tests can help ease her mind. I'd get potassium checked as well as thyroid.

 

I lose too much weight when nursing too. I never had a milk supply problem. The problem was too much milk! One thing she can do is if she is over producing, then she can work on lowering her milk supply to a reasonable level. The less unnecessary milk she makes, the fewer calories she is losing.

 

I tried to eat 4,000 calories a day to stay above 80lbs. She can use instant breakfasts, ensure, protein bars, etc. to pack on calories without eating all day and they are less filling.