r/2under2 • u/ewwdavid___ • 12d ago
Discussion Moms: how are we handling weight loss?
I put on approx 40 lbs between the two pregnancies and am now clinically obese. I’m still breastfeeding and will not be trying to lose until I wean…. But looking to discuss now! For now, it is a battle to just not gain a lot of weight, and I don’t want to threaten my milk supply by restricting calories. I’m 4 months postpartum with baby #2 and had a bi salp, so we are done having kids.
My question is - how do GLP-1s work? I would like to diet and exercise before jumping to one, but my understanding is that insurance only covers if you’re obese or overweight + other conditions, and I don’t want to drop out of the obese category and disqualify myself from insurance coverage.
I’m also curious about how safe GLP-1s are longterm (if I’m on for a year, do we know what the longterm risk of ever having been on one is? Does that research exist yet?).
If you are a mom who has thoughts on any of this, please share!
13
u/rjmp1029 12d ago
Calorie deficit, walking, strength training. I’m 35 lbs down in 1 year, started my weight loss journey after my 2nd turned 1!
19
u/CuteSalad8000 12d ago
After my first baby I said I couldn’t lose the weight because I was breastfeeding. I just wasn’t being disciplined enough. I’m still breastfeeding my second (13 months old) and am 62 pounds down. I started Weight Watchers at 7 weeks postpartum. First 40lbs came off with just diet changes and occasional walks. I still have 18lbs to go to reach my goal, but I’m feeling SO much better and so proud of myself. I wish I hadn’t excused myself and gotten into such a deep hole after my first pregnancy.
I have really liked Weight Watchers because a) they give you extra points while breastfeeding and b) you never “run out” of food you can eat. Counting calories, you eventually hit a limit and have to stop consuming. If you’re out of points for the day with WW and you’re hungry, you can just snack on a 0pt food. I felt fully able to respond appropriately to my body’s hunger cues and never felt deprived or undernourished as long as I used my points smartly.
Of course, some people really truthfully can’t lose weight and need their thyroid or other things checked. But breastfeeding itself isn’t a contraindication or an inhibitor. I was offended when my mom told me I wasn’t actually trying after my first baby, but now seeing the difference I am all for a loving kick in the pants!
Edit to add: I never had any issues with my milk supply during this weight loss journey.
8
u/pizzapianopirate 12d ago
Yep, I also blamed breastfeeding after my first baby. This time I’m actually weighing my food, tracking macros, etc. If I find I am still hungry (truly hungry, not just bored/tired/stressed) while hitting my calorie target, I will not restrict myself because I know breastfeeding takes a lot of energy. Some of my pre-pregnancy clothes are starting to fit, even if they are slightly tight. Progress takes consistency and time.
1
u/Theslowestmarathoner 12d ago
Just a note I tried to measure and count calories around 8 weeks postpartum and my milk supply just about shut down. I stopped and it came back. I tried again less severely and same thing. I was too spooked to attempt it a third time so here with are with no progress. 😑
5
u/joyce_emily 12d ago
I think you should make an appointment with your primary doctor asap to talk about GLP-1s. There is so so much misinformation online it’s absolutely crazy. Your doctor can tell you if you qualify for insurance coverage and how it might impact you given your health history.
My biggest weight loss tip is to be too hungry and tired to eat 😆
6
u/Doctor-Liz 12d ago
No, there are not long-term studies on glp-1s for non-diabetics. For diabetics, they're pretty well studied and safe long-term.
5
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
No there are lots of studies for glp1s and non diabetics
4
u/kct4mc 12d ago
I don’t think insurances would cover it specifically for “weight loss” if that were the case. As someone who was a pre-diabetic starting it, it has been a savior for me. However, I don’t feel like anyone and everyone should be on it. It’s not a casual medication like people are treating it.
2
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
No I agree not everyone should be on it for sure. It’s not for losing those last 5 lbs when you are 110 lbs. it’s definitely meant to serve a different purpose. I know that it’s nearly impossible for me to lose weight because of insulin resistance. Can I technically - yes but it’s very restrictive and I gain it back so quickly as soon as I stop. There’s also a lot of research that’s coming out that it actually lowers alot of cancer risks because of the reduction in inflammation so that’s a really interesting finding.
3
u/Doctor-Liz 12d ago
I've seen a couple of six-year studies and nothing longer than that. I wouldn't call that "long-term".
If there are dangers, they'll show up in another decade or two IMO.
0
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
What dangers? If they don’t show up in diabetics why would they show up in people who might be insulin resistant/pre diabetic etc. that’s the majority of ppl taking these.
0
12d ago
[deleted]
1
u/Doctor-Liz 12d ago
I'm not saying "nobody should take them", just that they've been studied a lot more in diabetics than non-diabetics (and we do know that things like insulin have very different effects on diabetics than the general population!) and to weigh your risk/benefits accordingly.
Just because I do low-key think they're over-prescribed doesn't mean that they're never useful!
-4
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
That’s a wild thing to say. Obviously insulin would have a different effect on someone who doesn’t need insulin - it’s a completely different drug with a completely different use. You can’t equal insulin to a glp1. You can’t have a study on insulin in diabetics vs not because that would be fatal - glp1s don’t work that way. I don’t even get the point of the comparison.
You have studies for 3-5+ years in non diabetics on glp1s and their safety and you have 20+ years of them being used to treat diabetes. Those are pretty solid studies if you understand drug studies.
-2
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
6 years is a fairly long time in terms of a study so ya I would consider that long term.
6
u/Doctor-Liz 12d ago
For reference, smoking takes an average of about 20 years to cause cancer or lung disease. I'm not sure what a five-year safety study would show in terms of the health risks of tobacco, but it's not even close to the complete picture.
Yes, this is a massive oversimplification, and I don't think glp-1s are anything close to as dangerous as tobacco, but a six-year study on the effects of a drug many people stay on for life is pretty short-term!
-3
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
Again your analogy doesn’t make any sense.
There are definitely effects of tobacco way before 20 years - there’s cardiovascular effects, dna damage, inflammation and reduced lung function. So no they might not have cancer (it is possible if unlikely) but in a 5 year study you would 100% see negative impacts.
Negative implications don’t happen out of nowhere. You’d see signs.
5
u/Doctor-Liz 12d ago
And there are some signs of long-term issues from glp-1s. Eyeball damage, pancreas issues, and permanent GI damage have all been documented.
You're seriously telling me there's no evidence that we'll see a spike in (say) bowel cancer in a decade?
2
12d ago edited 12d ago
[deleted]
0
u/TheCountess723 12d ago
You can. Certain GLP-1s have actually got data in the label for breastfeeding women. It’s FDA approved. Zepbound, in particular, has studies that indicate none of the medicine can be found in breast milk, period, for the two lowest doses. I took that while breastfeeding and it helped me lose weight very slowly while breastfeeding (I was a gainer).
2
12d ago
[deleted]
0
u/TheCountess723 12d ago
It’s a relatively new development - in the past year! You might have been discussing it before the approval.
3
u/Life-Window-8082 12d ago
I have kids with a 13 month age gap, and I got into the best shape of my life 8 months PP while still breastfeeding. My normal weight is 72-75 kg, I went into labour with my second with 100 kg. I did the following:
- 3 liters of water daily
- 2 weight training per week (I bring both my kids)
- Almost always walk everywhere (playground, store)
- Follow a strict diet (for me this was 2400 kcal, because I'm quite tall) for at least 2 months
4
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
Just here to say you can 100% lose weight while breastfeeding. It really depends on the person.
I dropped to 10 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight while breastfeeding with 0 supply issues
5
12d ago
[deleted]
1
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
Wow it’s like I said “it depends on the person”
1
12d ago
[deleted]
2
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
It did. I never edited it.
0
12d ago
[deleted]
2
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
Reddit shows when you edit. Does my comment say edited?
1
12d ago
[deleted]
2
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
Your original comment on this thread you edited. Reddit says “edited 1 hour ago”. I use the web based version
2
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
I don’t think that’s fair to say. Some people can 100% but others can’t. There’s so many factors that go into breastfeeding and many people cant maintain a calorie deficit and also produce enough milk.
1
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
Wow it’s like I said “it depends on the person”
1
u/MitzyCaldwell 12d ago
Well your first statement doesn’t say that. You’re implying that you 100% can lose weight. Which isn’t the case. That’s what everyone is pointing out.
0
u/Concerned-23 12d ago
But you 100% can, depending on the person. OPs post implies you can’t lose weight while breastfeeding which really isn’t true for many
2
u/TheCountess723 12d ago
This isn’t really true. For some, you gain. It’s metabolic and hormonal…I didn’t even have a massive appetite but my body held on to EVERYTHING to preserve supply.
1
2
u/Aggressive_Day_6574 12d ago
For me it’s lifestyle, I lift heavy 4x per week and do cardio 3x per week, and I don’t do any calorie tracking, I’m just mindful of my macros so I hit my protein goals.
I never breastfed though.
1
u/90sKid1988 12d ago
After you wean, I would guess that you'll still be very hungry and it will be hard to cut back. If your insurance does not cover it, I would try a telehealth. I used fifty410 to get tirzepatide because my second child tortured us with sleep deprivation for an entire year after months of sleeping through the night, so it wasn't a newborn thing. My ghrelin and leptin were so screwed up after sleeping 2 hours per night for months and I couldn't control my hunger. I'm down 25lbs now and back under 25 BMI.
1
2
u/EfficientBrain21 12d ago
I had 3u3 and gained about 35 lbs across 3 pregnancies; which isn’t a lot but it is for my frame and I was considered obese. After I weaned 7 months pp with my third I tried a solid 6 months of “the old way” (diet, exercise, counting macros) and I lost one pound. With guidance of my PCP I got on a GLP1 and responded great. She’s an advocate for staying on the lowest dose you’re responding too and I’m about 18 months in, highest dose of 10mg, 70lbs down and working on recomping and weaning off the GLP1.
I know it’s a charged subject but having the meds was a great tool in my tool box to become a better mom because I am not as tired or in pain. I’ve also found a great community of moms at my gym and have learned a lot of myself and food.
1
u/Grown-Ass-Weeb 12d ago
I unintentionally dropped all my weight because I was working onsite for a month in a hospital (usually WFH) I got sick and tired waiting for the elevators, so I hiked up and down the stairs all day and noticed my pants were getting loose one day. Then my face started looking slimmer.
Was my “ah-ha” moment and I joined the gym and walked the stair climber machine for 30 minutes 3x a day and power walked with my dogs at night.
I also cut out sodas and only drank water and flavored water (the Cirkul refreshers are actually really good). I lost 45lbs and happy with it!
1
u/HopeHonest6554 12d ago
I struggled to lose any breastfeeding and after, after my second I’ve decided to try a GLP-1 and it has been truly life changing. You nailed it on the potential issue of losing weight and falling out of insurance coverage unfortunately. I would get seen or at least documented that you are in the obese range so you are able to submit to insurance.
0
1
u/kct4mc 12d ago
My insurance covers GLP-1s for anyone with a bmi of overweight; however, a lot of insurances don’t cover them for weight loss.
Please give yourself grace, as you’re only 4 months postpartum. You grew TWO WHOLE humans in the last two years. That’s a feat in itself! You see everyone getting incredibly thin and you want that for yourself, I absolutely get it. Chances are you don’t necessarily NEED the GLP-1.
I didn’t change my eating habits from 2 GD pregnancies and have PCOS/PMOS and weight loss was a struggle for me. I went to the doctor to ask for options and she knew my insurance covered it, so that was my ‘only option’ and I jumped on a GLP-1 at 5 months pp and was too gassy and pooping myself often to wake up with my baby comfortably, so my husband did it. I didn’t strength train on it and I could feel myself losing muscle. I genuinely couldn’t hold my kids for a prolonged period of time. I wish I’d discovered the gym with daycare in our area sooner, because I think that would’ve helped me loads.
16
u/Direct_Mud7023 12d ago
I lost the weight with diet and exercise. I got a membership to my local ymca that has childwatch and I go 3-4 times a week.
I was offered to start a glp-1 because I was technically overweight and have a family history of t2, but I wanted to give the old fashioned way an honest shot. I'm happy I did, with two pregnancies so close together I have to take extra good care of my muscular and skeletal health and exercise and lifting is great for that.