Hi, all.

Happy Toddler is about to turn two, and sometime soon we will intensify the weaning process. I assume that breastfeeding is contributing to my weight loss. That would mean that as her b-milk consumption goes down, my daily carb allowances will need to go down, too if I want to continue to lose.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I'm curious about what I can expect.

We are still BF'ing full steam ahead, but I've been coming across a lot of info saying it might be easier to drop weight once weaning has been accomplished. While breastfeeding, prolactin levels remain elevated and this can suppress weight loss, a protective mechanism that ensures enough maternal body fat exists to support lactation.

I would keep an eye on what your carb levels are and weigh in regularly, maybe you won't have to decrease your carbs after all

Wow; thank you! I certainly will!

This makes me wonder where we get the idea that breastfeeding aids weight loss. Is there any evidence behind it, or is it an assumption that has followed out of CICO?

I think it does help to an extent, it did for me personally. The body is quite efficient at making milk, I read some things that said the process really doesn't burn as many calories as most people would think. So apart from CICO, maybe it has something to do with the complex hormonal changes that occur after the pregnancy/birthing process? I know I eat far more calories now than I ever did when I was pregnant, usually between 2500-3000 a day, and if I try to lower them I get awfully hungry (I'm pretty worried that's gonna catch up with me when little man starts weaning, lol).

I'd been losing steadily up until about 5 months ago, when I reached a weight that is probably a good 10 pounds heavier than what a healthy weight for me would be. So in light of learning how prolactin levels can affect weight loss, I've just given up for the time being, no sense in fighting my body if that's why I'm "stalled."

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence regarding those "last 10 pounds" that refuse to drop until after weaning has taken place. There also seems to be a number of women who cannot lose any weight at all while BF'ing, then it seems to melt away after BF'ing is done. Probably a YMMV kind of thing.

Breastfeeding seems to help me lose the inital weight really fast and then hold onto the last 10 pounds. Now that my one year old is nursing a lot less I am slowly getting leaner it seems.