Watching my Weight

I was unsure about breast feeding, initially. I knew that it was good for babies, so I thought I would try it, but I also promised myself that if it didn't work out, I wouldn't beat myself up. Even if I could do it, I thought I would probably just breast feed for a couple of months, and then transition to formula. I was honestly just talking a good game, I had no intention of working at it or making any kind of commitment to having little beings suck fluid directly from my boobs. What I didn't count on (especially from someone as cranky and hassled as me)was the deep sense of peace and satisfaction that I got from nourishing the twins' tiny bodies directly from my own, and the quiet, sweet bonding time that was a direct result of said nourishing. Isaac latched on immediately. Olivia worked at it for a couple of weeks, but never really got the hang of it, so I pumped so she had breast milk, too. In addition to all the hippie peace and bonding, babies were being fed really nutritious food for free, and I was literally pumping fat out of my body. The weight was falling off and I was still eating like a pregnant lady. Then, when the babies were 8 weeks old, my weight loss stalled. I panicked, because I was still about 30 lbs. heavier than when I first got pregnant, and 40 lbs heavier than when I started IVF. Through the panic, I heard the clear sweet voice of Jennifer Hudson, speaking directly to me, from a Weight Watchers (WW from here on out due to my lazy typing fingers) commercial, and I was saved from my gluttony.
Anyone who has been on WW knows that you eat food based on a point system. 3 oz. of steak is 3 points, one granola bar is 4 points, fruits are all 0 points, etc. It's kind of fun, at first, because it's like a game. Based on my weight, I should have gotten 33 points a day. Women who breast feed, however, get 14 extra points a day. That means I started out at 47 points a day! The difference is equivalent to a big mac or a large serving of Coldstone Cake Batter ice cream. I think that speaks to the importance of maintaining those extra 14 points. This information made it perfectly reasonable for me to consider pumping breast milk for the twins long past the age when they can be referred to as "babies"...and maybe long past the age where they can be referred to as "college students". It's the only way I can think of to lose weight without being hungry- except for exercise and god knows I'm not doing that. OK, and cigarettes, and while I'm perfectly willing to take up smoking again, it will kill me, it costs a fortune and it's socially unacceptable. Breast feeding is like volunteer work. Everyone congratulates you for doing it and you get a special resting area at the mall, and extra breaks at work to "pump" (AKA- time to facebook on my phone). Of course, at some point the babies won't want breast milk anymore. Maybe at that point I can sell the milk on the black market. If anyone has a hook up, let me know....