Gaining weight after weaning

[Anonymous]

I have exclusively pumped the last 12 months and am in the process of weaning my body. I'm down to just pumping when I wake up and go to bed. I've gained 7 POUNDS in the last month. Is this normal?? I eat relatively healthy and my eating has not changed significantly in the past month, so this is pretty shocking and pretty upsetting. I know they say breastfeeding burns calories but I didn't think it would be this extreme. Has anyone experienced this and if so, did your metabolism even out when you fully stopped breastfeeding?

[Anonymous]

I nursed mine and gained weight for both starting around 6 months when they started eating more solids. For a while I plateaued at a new weight but recently my appetite has finally dropped and I'm starting to see some lbs come off.

[Anonymous]

Yeah this is common. You have to reset your calorie intake level and what your body is used to. Some people's (the lucky few) metabolisms will do this naturally. I had to be hungry for a few weeks before my body got used to a normal amount of calories.

Breastfeeding actually burns more calories than being pregnant, but everyone tells pregnant women to eat for 2.

[Anonymous]

Is it normal? Yes. Anyone who is consuming more calories than they’re burning will gain weight, sometimes rapidly. You are obviously consuming many more calories than your body needs right now.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I was down to only 2 feeds a day, and then weaned completely a month and a half ago. I am eating less than before (and I feel that I eat healthy, similar in calories to pre-pregnancy), but I have gained 10 lbs in the past 1.5 months! I was shocked to experience such a drastic increase in weight! I'm increasing exercise and slowly cutting back a bit more of my caloric intake, but no changes so far. Yay post-pregnancy metabolism!

[Anonymous]

Yes I gained 15 pounds after weaning. I had to work to lose the weight.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I still have it. Working to drop it.

[Anonymous]

Yes! Making milk burns like 1000 calories a day so it took me a long time to recalibrate what I ate. I didn’t think I was eating more than usual, but I was.