Weight loss/gain

[cagirl1214]

I am new to this site but have done enough lurking that I think I have a pretty good plan for us to try for a girl. I have 2 boys right now so I am really hoping this time I get to buy pink!!! Anyway I am just weaning from pumping for a milk bank, so since march I have been pumping 25-100 oz a day and have lost tons of weight because of it. I am technically underweight for my normal right now. I know I am not supposed to gain weight while TTC a girl but I don't think I can help it. Any kind of bf makes me lose and I lost about 60 lbs from pregnancy until now. We are planning on doing the supplements (me: vitex, saw palmetto, baby aspirin, folic acid and him: cranberry) for 6ish weeks or whenever I get my periods back, so if I gain up until CD1 of our attempt month, then lose even a pound or 2 during that first couple of weeks, will that be enough?

Thanks

[MyByC]

cagirl I think it is not ok to be under your normal BMI. You can loose ovulation and this is just a matter of time. Plus you dont know if you will be pregnant first time you try and this will just make all this process longer.
I did this. I thought I will be pregnant first time, I lost a loooot of weight, under my normal BMI and for 3 cycles I get BFN!
Now I went to a way where I cannot take weight anymore even if I eat.
I just went to doctor yesterday and made some blood analyses. Today they came out bad and I cant wait to talk to my doctor and see whats wrong.
So, from my own experience. Just dont loose that much, just loose a little and then keep it at that number until you get your BFP.
Hoping you have a first try BFP!
Good luck!

[LacePrincess]

I 100% agree with MyByC.

Being underweight will harm your fertility and your health. You do not want to do that! Breastfeeding will likely already reduce your fertility by a LOT. You are pumping a lot of milk so there's every chance you might not even be ovulating because of the lactation.

You should take the time now while weaning to gain weight so you're at least at minimum normal BMI (> 18.5). And once you get there, do not worry about losing weight at all while swaying because you don't have any weight to lose! Just maintain on the LE diet assuming you're back to a minimum healthy weight when you start swaying.

Also, be careful with supplements if you're still pumping for the milk bank, Saw Palmetto is a big no no when nursing and I'm not 100% sure but I don't think Vitex is okay either. Be careful and do your research on those first. (Obviously if you're just pumping and dumping then that's a different story).

Really bottom line is in your case, please don't try to lose weight on the sway, coming off bf'ing will be a big sway factor already anyways.

[cagirl1214]

I am underweight from pumping, but I weaned starting dec 31 and I always lose a ton when I am bf/pumping, so I mean that the way my body works, I will definitely be gaining weight in the next month + which I know is not girl friendly. My BMI is roughly 19.5 so not technically underweight but I am normally 5-10 lbs more than I am right now. I had to wean anyway but you can't even drink mother's milk tea or take fenugreek with the bank so I'm sure all these supplements would be a no-no. Also, I got pregnant with my 2nd boy while I was bf my first so that's the only reason why I don't really think it will be a big sway factor for me. :P

I am not planning to do much in terms of diet for the sway other than drinking aspartame and cutting out super salty foods like fast food etc. but I just hope gaining like I know I will won't hurt the process.

[mommymachine]

This is a really good question and I am sure Atomic will weigh in soon!

[maidentomother]

When are you planning to start actively TTC?

[atomic sagebrush]

We have tons of people who lose weight and get boys, and gain weight and get girls. There is no guarantee either way.

I would just do LE Diet with the intent of holding steady, and if a few lbs sneak on, that's ok. I would NOT try to lose weight those two weeks right before. I think it will confuse your body and possibly delay ovulation.

[atomic sagebrush]

Breastfeeding does still sway pink, we believe, even though it doesn't work all the time for everyone. If you go from being 70% likely to have a boy, to 60%, that still sways pink, but you'd still be more likely to conceive a boy!

[cagirl1214]

Thanks for the advice. That's a good point about weight loss delaying ovulation. I didn't think about that. I am hoping to actively start next month-ish because I just started taking supplements yesterday and I *think* I am starting my first pp period now, so it would be the cycle after this one then.

When I got pregnant with my 2nd son I was actively bf but only 2-3 times a day and this time I weaned cold turkey pumping 25 ounces a day so I'm hoping it's different to my body. I feel like I am fighting my body's natural tendency to have boys, which might sound odd with only having 2 which I guess anyone could have. :P

[atomic sagebrush]

Don't lose sight of that - so many people feel "doomed" to have all boys after having one or two LOL. There are people on this site who have had 8 boys and then gotten a girl!!! don't feel "doomed" after only two!

[cagirl1214]

I have given birth to a girl, as a surrogate, so I was hoping that would help my "mental block" lol but it didn't really. In the long run I wouldn't care what I got but when it's an anonymous baby inside me is the only time I have GD issues. I had it with my 2nd son but not anymore or even the minute he was born. Plus, I am a girl with 2 older brothers. :)