Weighing in on breastfeeding...

See what I did there? I set myself up for expectations that this posting will cleverly discuss the topic of weight and breastfeeding. Clever or not, here goes…

I’d like to begin by celebrating our success as it pertains to breastfeeding. A few short months ago I was singing my woes about mastitis and difficulty lacking. Now he is 11 weeks old and all but bursting out of 6 month clothing. Well done Briggs and Emily’s body, well done.

Despite breastfeeding’s countless benefits to baby and mother, I’d like to discuss a theory I’ve got about weight loss and breastfeeding.

Here’s my theory: Mothers who lose weight easily while breastfeeding are the only breastfeeding mothers eager to discuss weight. Those of us who haven’t experienced breastfeeding as the miraculous weight-loss cure simply remain silent. Until now…

The truth? I weigh more now than I did when Briggs was 3 weeks old. How in the world could this be? It’s fairly simple….appetite.

I’m talking A-P-P-E-T-I-T-E.

I opened a bag of caramel corn as an appetizer for my dinner tonight. After eating watermelon, a hotdog, and chocolate milk, I finished with more caramel corn. Why caramel corn? BECAUSE I’M HUNGRY AND IT WAS ON THE COUNTER (insert cookie monster noises). Why did I buy caramel corn in the first place? BECAUSE I WAS HUNGRY AND IT WAS ON DISPLAY! Why did I do grocery shopping while hungry? BECAUSE I’M ALWAYS HUNGRY.

Okay, I think you get the point. Caramel corn, ice cream, vast amounts of frozen pizza, crackers, chocolate, and basically any easy, high (yet empty) calorie food. That’s my present diet. Those veggies are tucked so nicely into my refrigerator drawer and would require the least bit of prep, so they are obviously out of the question for this hungry hungry momma.

I often seriously ask myself (usually on my walks) why I lack self control when it comes to my diet these days…and my answer is this: For the past five years of my life I maintained a consistent, healthy weight based on the non-dieting principle of eating all things in moderation to my level of hunger. Which makes TOTAL sense when I’m not producing a quart of milk each day. Now that I’ve successfully established my industrious nature as a milk machine, my appetite has followed. So naturally, given my non-dieting principle, I eat to my level of hunger. The thing is, my body seems to be telling me that I’m actually more hungry than need be. Why? I don’t know, it just is.

So here I am with a ravenous appetite and extra pounds. Now, all things considered, I will accept the extra pounds if it means Briggs is happy and healthy, but I would appreciate hearing someone tell me that it’s TOTALLY OKAY for breastfeeding mommas to NOT be skinny. I did read a research article yesterday suggesting that breastfeeding moms actually kept more fat in their tummies, thighs, and arms than non-breastfeeding mothers. Thank goodness for a little science on my side.        

So are a few extra pounds a big deal? No, absolutely not. What is important is that I NOT diet during this special time in my life as the sole sustain-er of our darling Briggs. (I could, however, stand to eat a few more healthy options). Ahh, it feels good to discuss the silent (yet weighty) side of breastfeeding.