How to lose baby weight safely while breastfeeding
Seeing your belly grow during pregnancy is exciting. But many women fear not losing all that weight after giving birth. In this blog post, I share how to lose your baby weight safely while you are still breastfeeding.
Why do we want to lose baby weight?
I’m about to share some blog insights with you. Stick with me, it’s worth it! When I write, I always check what people are searching for. I also look at how many other bloggers are covering the same topic. This helps me decide if anyone will actually read my post. Recently, I wrote about loving your postpartum body and about postpartum weight loss. There are only 14 blogs on body love after baby. But 77 (!!) posts cover losing baby weight while breastfeeding. That’s the most competition I’ve had on any topic on my blog.
So, why do we care so much about losing that weight? Getting back to our pre-pregnancy weight quickly seems like an obsession. I want to share a healthier perspective. I’ll share my own experience with not only stressing over how much weight we have to lose. I’m not an expert, just a mom giving you encouragement. Think of me as a friend, not a pro!
You can do it!
I gained much more weight than the recommended weight gain during pregnancy. I’m not alone. Only half of women gain the recommended amount of weight. So, don’t feel guilty about those extra pounds. This is not a guide for a crash diet or drastically reducing your calorie intake. I want to share my journey about gradual postpartum weight loss with you. I hope some tips might work for you too.
After birth, I started exclusive breastfeeding, hoping the pounds would fall off naturally. Well, they didn’t. It took effort and time, but I believe it was worth it. I started with strength training for my pelvic floor and core muscles. I focused on a healthy diet with enough calories to keep my energy levels up and support milk production. For my diet, I focused on whole grains, healthy fats, and enough protein. I made sure I had a variety of foods. Regular exercise helped, but I kept it moderate. I made sure to get enough sleep even though I suffered sleep deprivation sometimes because of our newest family member. Then, I avoided fad diets and empty calories. Instead, I focused on healthy eating and balanced meals. It’s about a healthy way of losing weight over time.
Now, almost 9 months postpartum, I only have a little extra weight left. If I can do it, you can do it too, mama!
First things first: be kind to yourself
Our bodies have gone through drastic and quick changes. It’s understandable to miss your pre-pregnancy body. But while trying to lose baby weight, even if you’re breastfeeding, try to be kind to yourself. In this post, I talk all about loving your body after having a baby.
I gained much more weight than recommended during pregnancy. Today, I want to encourage you that it’s possible to lose it again in a healthy way, even while breastfeeding. You don’t have to go to the gym 6 times a week or follow a complicated diet. In fact, I believe this shouldn’t even be your focus right now. As a new mom, you’re dealing with sleep deprivation, a new daily routine, caring for your new baby, and keeping up milk production. So, don’t be harsh on yourself. Keep reading for my tips and encouragement just for you!
Set healthy and realistic goals on how to lose baby weight while breastfeeding
Many women want to lose their baby weight as quickly as possible, often because they feel frustrated with their postpartum bodies. But to really succeed in losing baby weight while breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to shift your mindset and set healthy, realistic goals. Instead of focusing only on the number on the scale, ask yourself what else you’d like to achieve during this time.
For me, there were three key goals I focused on:
- Fitting into my old clothes: I didn’t want to spend money on a whole new wardrobe. I wanted to fit back into the clothes I already had, so I could save money and feel more comfortable in what I already owned.
- Gaining strength for my daily activities: It wasn’t about sports for me; it was about being able to keep up the physical activity level I needed to keep up with my daily life. I wanted to have the strength and energy to carry my baby, do household chores, and take care of everything without feeling exhausted all the time.
- Getting the higher energy levels I needed to get through my day: As a new mom, energy levels can be low. I wanted to feel more energized to keep up with my baby, manage my daily tasks, and feel like myself again. This wasn’t just about weight loss; it was about feeling good inside and out.
Whatever your personal goals may be, make sure you set a few that go beyond just losing weight. Remember, it takes time to lose that extra “cuddle mass,” especially if you still have a lot to lose. Set realistic expectations for yourself and be kind as you go. For me, I set the goal to lose most of the weight by 9 months postpartum and to finish the rest after I stopped breastfeeding. It wasn’t a race—it was about gradual weight loss, patience, and staying healthy throughout the process.
By focusing on all these goals, I didn’t feel as pressured by the scale. It was the absolute best way to make the journey more balanced and enjoyable.
Lose baby weight while breastfeeding and gain strength
If you focus solely on the number on the scale, there’s one big risk. Throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding, you’re likely to lose muscle mass. If you only try to lose weight through dieting, you’re still at risk of losing muscle. The thing is, muscle is heavier than fat, so it may take you longer to lose weight when building muscle. But trust me, it’s worth the wait!
Muscle isn’t just about appearance; it gives you energy. Once you build muscle, your body burns calories even when you’re not moving. This means regular physical activity and following an exercise plan are great ways to help keep those pounds off in the long run. An exercise program that focuses on strength training is one of the most important things you can do for your body. Not only will you lose weight, but you’ll also improve your metabolism and overall well-being.
And don’t forget about hydration! Drinking enough water is essential, especially as you’re working to build muscle and burn calories. Staying hydrated supports your energy levels and keeps your body functioning at its best.
Here’s a thought I love when it comes to weight loss:
Look into the mirror, not just the scale.
When you want to change physically, your reflection matters far more than a number on the scale. Do you look healthy and happy? Do you feel stronger? Those are the things that really matter. Nobody else cares about the number on your scale, but how you feel and look in the mirror tells the true story of your progress.
Mind postpartum recovery of pelvic floor and core muscles
Even if you’re cleared to work out again 6 weeks postpartum, you shouldn’t dive into intense exercise just yet. My physiotherapist, who specializes in pregnancy and postpartum care, told me that women can actually handle more exercise during pregnancy than they can in the first 6 weeks after giving birth. Two key muscle groups to be mindful of are your pelvic floor and core muscles.
Your pelvic floor muscles are what keep your organs in your lower abdomen from dropping out of your vagina and anus. A study shows a significant weakening of the pelvic floor muscles after birth, and it can take over 12 months to fully recover to pre-pregnancy strength. If you had a long pushing stage or a major tear, those muscles might be even weaker. Jumping back into regular exercise without properly strengthening these muscles can delay your recovery and possibly cause problems later on.
Your core muscles include all the muscles in your belly and back. Research shows that your core undergoes drastic changes during pregnancy and postpartum. It also shows that exercising too soon without focusing on these muscles can cause issues. A common complaint among women is lower back pain, which often results from not training the core properly after birth.
That’s why it’s important to either work with a trusted exercise therapist or follow safe exercises online (if seeing a therapist isn’t possible) to strengthen your pelvic floor and core before jumping into weight-loss exercises. Taking time to do this will make your recovery smoother and help prevent injuries later.
My number 1 tip to lose baby weight while breastfeeding: walk!
Of course! Here’s a rewrite with the added keywords and some loving encouragement:
I didn’t lose any weight until 4 months postpartum when I finally felt strong enough to start exercising. And you know what? The only kind of exercise I truly enjoy to lose weight is walking! I started with just 5-10 minute walks. After a few weeks, I was walking for 30 minutes or more every day. Slowly but surely, the pounds started coming off. Plus, I felt so much stronger and had so much more energy from just this one simple thing!
There’s tons of research showing that walking is an effective way to burn fat, especially if you do it regularly. That’s such a huge encouragement for me—it’s not about going to the gym or doing exercises I don’t love. Walking is a great way to ease back into exercise, especially if you’re not ready to commit to a full exercise plan just yet. It’s gentle but still powerful.
And the best part? Walking is safe for breastfeeding moms too! No need to worry about your milk supply or its quality. What amazing news! Just walking can help you lose your baby weight while breastfeeding. It’s that simple, mama. You’ve got this!
DieDiet while breastfeeding?
There are many opinions on nutrition, and I’m not a nutritionist, so I won’t claim to know it all. But if you focus on eating mostly whole foods, with lots of veggies, fruit, and lean protein, you should be on the right track. I personally tried to avoid processed sugars to cut out empty calories while losing weight.
It’s important to eat enough healthy foods, not just cut out unhealthy ones. A balanced diet is key! Don’t forget about healthy snacks like nuts or fruits. Brown rice is a great whole grain to include in your meals, too.
Also, as a breastfeeding mom, you need extra fats to produce enough milk. These healthy fats help support your energy and milk supply. Be sure to include them in your meals, like avocado, nuts, and olive oil.
One of my favorite pieces of nutrition advice is this:
Add to, not subtract from! <3
What helped you lose weight? Share your experience in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
