I have Irish Twins! I'm a giant.

I had our first little girl in May of 2008, and the second in March of 2009.  I am 5'7", and my Pre-pregnancy weight was 140 lbs, and very athletic.  With my first pregnancy I gained 55lbs.  I was very good about weight gain during the second pregnancy - gaining about 22 lbs.  I am currently 183lbs and MISERABLE.  I am breastfeeding, which some claim will help shed the lbs... (I have yet to see the fruits....)  I am soo unhappy with my appearance and the way people DON'T look at me anymore... I just don't know what to do.  :(  Any suggestions on what has worked for you all?   Maybe a mantra to let run through my head during the day while I'm home (exhausted) with two babies and a trusty old refrigerator calling my name?

I initially lost 20 pounds in the first several weeks after delivery (after gaining 40 with my second) and then the weight loss stopped. Once I was roughly 3 months postpartum, the breastfeeding really did wonders for my weight loss. I started out losing 2-3 pounds per week and slowed down to a pound a week after about a month. I'm now only 4 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight at 6 months postpartum. I also figured out I wasn't eating ENOUGH. I was eating all the right things, just too little. Once I upped my calories to 1900-2100 a day, the weight flew off (around the 3 month PP mark).

I think it takes some time for your body to regulate the breastmilk production. Once that happens, the weight loss benefit from breastfeeding really kicks in.

Until I lose the rest of my weight, I wear a Control It! tank top. It really helps compact all the jiggley parts and slims. I feel slightly better about myself even thought it's just a temporary fix. When I wear it, I just think about how nice it will be to be that firm without wearing a spandex tank!

When I'm at home and being tempted by food (I'm a boredom snacker) I just tell myself to just make it through the next 30 minutes without snacking. Once I've made it through that half hour, I repeat it. It helps me to break time up into smaller chunks...it seems more doable. If I can't resist a sweets craving, I'll have a cup of (decaf) coffee with some creamer in it or a single Hershey Kiss.

Maybe you could put a "skinny picture" of yourself up on the refrigerator to remind you what you're working towards by eating well.

I'm breastfeeding and wanting to loose weight but I don't know what my calories should be.  How did you know what your calorie intake should be.  I just keep hearing '300-500 more' but I don't know more than what?

any suggestions?

I had the same problem as above and, believe it or not, had to add calories in order to lose weight.  That is when I started my food log on this website.  I kept telling my hubby that I was eating healthy food so I should be losing all of the sixty pounds I had put on, but when I plugged in the calories I was only getting about 1500-1600 a day (totally not enough for my 5'6" frame plus extra for feeding what looks like a baby linebacker).  Vegetables are great, but the complex carbs in whole grains are vital for a breastfeeding mom.  I added about 200-400 calories a day (depending on the amount that I ran that week) and started to get back on track.  It runs against everything I was taught, but you absolutely have to get the calories high enough for your body or you will not lose a pound.  Keep on plugging away, Girl!  I know it sucks but you will get there!

with my first pregnancy i had twins, and gained 50 pounds.  i was breastfeeding both of them and also pumping after every feeding, so i lost 59 pounds in the first 3 months pp.  i was eating like crazy, but since i was breastfeeding so much,i just kept shedding all the pounds.  but once i stopped BF at 6 months, i continued to eat the same way and starting gaining weight.  about 30 pounds of the 50 i lost.  then i got pregnant with my 3rd baby and didn't lose hardly any of the weight.  now after my 4th baby, i i'm starting out better.  i developed gestational diabetes with this pregnancy and i HAD to control my carb intake and to eat healthier.  so i actually lost a lot of weight during pregnancy.  and now i'm finally counting calories like i should have been doing all along :)  i agree that it's crazy to be eating 1900+ calories a day and still be losing weight. :)