Can Bfing ever be dangerous to your health?

yogabootygoddess · 06-22-2008, 09:55 PM

I have been nursing for over a year and a half.I seriously have never felft so darn unhealthy ever

.....For starters I cant lose weight,I havent had a full night of sleep for a long while,my back hurts from slouching to feed and my buddha belly dosent help lol.I have toothpick arms and legs but am somehow carrying a good 20lbs of fat on my belly area.I mean a size 3 pant fits my legs even a little big my tummy no way I have a 37 inch waist.I am short waisted and only 5'0

Soooooooooo what do I wear sweats because I cant find a pair of pants that fit me right.I want to sleep all the time.I crave sugar and carbs 24/7.I have migraines,bad indegestion,I can eat a peice of gum and the indegestion settles in and a hour latter I am throwing up undigested food from a day ago.I formula feed my first and but I truly think my body is not liking me breastfeeding I felt just fine after my first little one.I am happy no depression just upset how my body is working.I cant even lose a lb or inch while bfing.I dont get it

hilles · 07-10-2008, 06:09 AM

I've been lurking for the last few days and came across your post and feel the need to say hi.

I bf my 18 month old and there are days when I think I'm going to lose my mind. I came here b/c I haven't lost any weight either and want to try a low carb diet. I've been trying to start it all week but am having trouble b/c of the afternoon nursing session. So, I asked on another board I'm on and they suggested that I go low carb, but not as low as I was trying. So, that is the plan for today.

I understand about the big tummy and you will ususally see me in sweats. I'm on medicine for the heartburn...but I had that before I even got pregnant. I've heard that almonds are good for heartburn.

I'm sorry your feeling this way. I so feel your pain.

emslight · 07-21-2008, 11:04 PM

When I breast fed my first it wasn't until I stopped that I could lose that final half stone of the weight I'd gained when pregnant. I think your body just clings onto the fat to make sure it has something in reserve. I'm BF'ing my second and it's the same story again. Plus, I'm sure when we weigh ourselves, all the milk/fluids etc. account for some of the weight.

I'm doing lc and have been between 20-25 a day for some time now. It's working but very slowly! It's also not had any impact on my milk supply or my baby who is thriving. Now she's on solids, it's definitely getting easier as she was a real milk guzzler before!

emslight · 07-21-2008, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogabootygoddess

:I want to sleep all the time.I crave sugar and carbs 24/7.I have migraines,bad indegestion,I can eat a peice of gum and the indegestion settles in and a hour latter I am throwing up undigested food from a day ago.I formula feed my first and but I truly think my body is not liking me breastfeeding I felt just fine after my first little one.I am happy no depression just upset how my body is working.I cant even lose a lb or inch while bfing.I dont get it

Meant to say that if you can make the switch to lc it will seriously help those cravings. I had exactly the same too - linked to feeling tired as carbs are that quick energy fix - but once I got through the pain of induction, the cravings went and I actually need less sleep now than before, I'm full of energy!

Re. the digestive problems. I'm no health expert but I've had digestive problems myself over the years and this is what I've been doing to iron out my issues and it's working:

just switching to lc has sorted out some of the fundamentals as sugar/wheat/flour were definitely a big cause of my digestive problems
i also take digestive enzymes with each meal to aid digestion
i am trying to (but am fairly rubbish at) eating my meals slowly. still have that binge mentality of wolfing down my food!
i take acidophillus - friendly bacteria - in the evening. this is even more important for me as i've been on antibiotics this year for mastitis
i've been doing a colon cleanse to flush out my system. you can get some good products for this online (oxypowder/colosan) which use oxygen (rather than laxatives) to clean you out!
slippery elm is great for acid reflux. i used this throughout both my pregnancies when at times it was unbearable.
oh, and i just love peppermint tea for soothing tummy aches

Hope some of this is useful. Keep us posted on how you get on.

metqa · 07-21-2008, 11:54 PM

Wow, no advice or anything but I heard that breastfeeding was suppose to help drop weight since you were using up the fat your body stored during pregnancy.

Follow Emslight suggestions, they are GOLDEN!

and look into getting a sling ( or a SPOC: Simple Piece of Cloth) for breast feeding, you shouldn't have to slouch over. There is a great way of taking a baby wrap and tying it around your baby and yourself so that the baby is right at your breast and can feed just by turning its head. It looks like your are wearing a huge bra with huge breasts cause the baby is wrapped up in there.

I did a demo of this for my neice's baby shower. Most of them had never heard of baby wearing though and laughed at me the whole time

YouTube - Nursing in Front Wrap Cross - Tummy 2 Tummy...

Simple Pieces Of Cloth — Blogs, Pictures, and more on WordPress

emslight · 07-21-2008, 11:59 PM

Both my girls have been big so to avoid back problems from slouching I did most of the feeds (when possible) lying down. This really sorted out the poor positioning.

emslight · 07-22-2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metqa

Wow, no advice or anything but I heard that breastfeeding was suppose to help drop weight since you were using up the fat your body stored during pregnancy.

Oh, if only this was the case! In the early days it certainly helps the stomach contract back down but my experience and the experience of many of my friends (those who tend to carry weight) is that, contrary to what everyone says, the weight doesn't drop off! I'm not sure why. Maybe because you adjust your eating to the increased hunger so actually, although BF'ing burns calories in the act of your body making milk, you compensate for this by just eating more!

kelley17 · 07-22-2008, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emslight

Oh, if only this was the case! In the early days it certainly helps the stomach contract back down but my experience and the experience of many of my friends (those who tend to carry weight) is that, contrary to what everyone says, the weight doesn't drop off! I'm not sure why. Maybe because you adjust your eating to the increased hunger so actually, although BF'ing burns calories in the act of your body making milk, you compensate for this by just eating more!

I didn't lose weight either. I bf my babies until they were 1 year. My youngest just turned 15 mos and I still have the lower pooch and a layer of fat or two all over my body

I think we are so brainwashed by seeing the hollywood starlets drop the weight so fast after having a baby and they all say "oh I just bf and it all just came off so quickly" I don't see how they can breastfeed when they are stick thin 8 weeks after having the baby. Ok off my rant.

I was looking at pictures of myself after having my older 2 and I didn't start shedding the weight until they were about 2. Not going to stress I got 3 beautiful babies and with a little determination I will get my body into shape.

metqa · 07-23-2008, 04:50 AM

I don't know about movie stars but I heard the information about losing weight from a source that was encouraging pre-prenancy and post pregnancy health based on human studies. It claimed that during pregnancy women tend to put weight on their thighs and extremeties, and during breast feeding fat comes from those areas. It never referred to bellyfat or abdominal fat reduction from breast feeding, so I suppose if that is where most of us hold it BFing wouldn't help with that. And eating more during breastfeeding definitely wouldn't help with reducing either, I would think . . .
It seems like a low carb diet would be the best way to lose fat all around during such a large stressload on the body such as breastfeeding. It is supposed to drain a LOT of iron from the body, as well (to ensure a rapidly growing baby brain) so that could probably make you feel horrible too. Eat some meat! Cook some beets, Take care of yourself.

06-22-2008, 09:55 PM	#1
yogabootygoddess Junior LCF Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 10 Gallery: yogabootygoddess	Can Bfing ever be dangerous to your health? I have been nursing for over a year and a half.I seriously have never felft so darn unhealthy ever.....For starters I cant lose weight,I havent had a full night of sleep for a long while,my back hurts from slouching to feed and my buddha belly dosent help lol.I have toothpick arms and legs but am somehow carrying a good 20lbs of fat on my belly area.I mean a size 3 pant fits my legs even a little big my tummy no way I have a 37 inch waist.I am short waisted and only 5'0 Soooooooooo what do I wear sweats because I cant find a pair of pants that fit me right.I want to sleep all the time.I crave sugar and carbs 24/7.I have migraines,bad indegestion,I can eat a peice of gum and the indegestion settles in and a hour latter I am throwing up undigested food from a day ago.I formula feed my first and but I truly think my body is not liking me breastfeeding I felt just fine after my first little one.I am happy no depression just upset how my body is working.I cant even lose a lb or inch while bfing.I dont get it

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07-10-2008, 06:09 AM	#2
hilles Junior LCF Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: GA Posts: 4 Gallery: hilles Stats: 262/262/160 WOE: Wendy Chant Start Date: July 23, 2008	I've been lurking for the last few days and came across your post and feel the need to say hi. I bf my 18 month old and there are days when I think I'm going to lose my mind. I came here b/c I haven't lost any weight either and want to try a low carb diet. I've been trying to start it all week but am having trouble b/c of the afternoon nursing session. So, I asked on another board I'm on and they suggested that I go low carb, but not as low as I was trying. So, that is the plan for today. I understand about the big tummy and you will ususally see me in sweats. I'm on medicine for the heartburn...but I had that before I even got pregnant. I've heard that almonds are good for heartburn. I'm sorry your feeling this way. I so feel your pain.

07-21-2008, 11:04 PM	#3
emslight Senior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London Posts: 477 Blog Entries: 25 Gallery: emslight Stats: 160/148/133 WOE: Atkins/IF/Yeast free Start Date: 8 April 2008	When I breast fed my first it wasn't until I stopped that I could lose that final half stone of the weight I'd gained when pregnant. I think your body just clings onto the fat to make sure it has something in reserve. I'm BF'ing my second and it's the same story again. Plus, I'm sure when we weigh ourselves, all the milk/fluids etc. account for some of the weight. I'm doing lc and have been between 20-25 a day for some time now. It's working but very slowly! It's also not had any impact on my milk supply or my baby who is thriving. Now she's on solids, it's definitely getting easier as she was a real milk guzzler before!

07-21-2008, 11:59 PM	#6
emslight Senior LCF Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: London Posts: 477 Blog Entries: 25 Gallery: emslight Stats: 160/148/133 WOE: Atkins/IF/Yeast free Start Date: 8 April 2008	Both my girls have been big so to avoid back problems from slouching I did most of the feeds (when possible) lying down. This really sorted out the poor positioning.

07-23-2008, 04:50 AM	#9
metqa MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 2,197 Gallery: metqa WOE: Moderate Carbs/Atkins Start Date: November 2003	I don't know about movie stars but I heard the information about losing weight from a source that was encouraging pre-prenancy and post pregnancy health based on human studies. It claimed that during pregnancy women tend to put weight on their thighs and extremeties, and during breast feeding fat comes from those areas. It never referred to bellyfat or abdominal fat reduction from breast feeding, so I suppose if that is where most of us hold it BFing wouldn't help with that. And eating more during breastfeeding definitely wouldn't help with reducing either, I would think . . . It seems like a low carb diet would be the best way to lose fat all around during such a large stressload on the body such as breastfeeding. It is supposed to drain a LOT of iron from the body, as well (to ensure a rapidly growing baby brain) so that could probably make you feel horrible too. Eat some meat! Cook some beets, Take care of yourself.