Exclusive breastfeeding mothers should avoid weight loss

Popular Nigerian fashion designer Veekee James has advised mothers who are exclusively breastfeeding their babies to avoid rushing into weight loss.

She shared her personal struggles with shedding postpartum weight.

In a video shared on social media on October 20, 2026, Veekee James explained that losing weight after childbirth can be challenging, particularly for mothers who are breastfeeding and need to prioritize their babies’ nutritional needs.

According to her, women should not assume that giving birth will automatically help them return to their pre-pregnancy weight, as the process can take longer than expected.

“Breastfeeding moms don’t do weight loss. If you’re pregnant now and someone tells you not to worry because you will soon have a baby and you can lose all the weight, it’s a lie. You will still wait for another 12 months before you can start dreaming of losing that weight,” she said.

Veekee disclosed that she had been staying at home and missing work and outdoor activities because she had been trying to lose weight over the past week while also managing her breastfeeding responsibilities.

'If you don't give value for your price, you will lose customers' – Veekee James

She explained that her baby’s stored breast milk had run out, making it necessary for her to remain at home to breastfeed her child.

“I’ve been home, I can’t go to work and I can’t go outside because I’ve been doing weight loss for the past one week and now, my child’s food is finished from the fridge. I have to stay home so that I will be breastfeeding her,” she stated.

The fashion designer further shared her observations about how her body weight fluctuates during breastfeeding, saying mothers may initially notice weight loss before experiencing changes in their weight again.

“It might look like you’re losing all the weight, but at some point when you’re breastfeeding, you would sleep, wake up one day and realize that all the weight you should have added before just came in one night,” she shared.

Veekee consequently urged mothers who are exclusively breastfeeding to be cautious about pursuing weight loss, stressing that their babies’ nutritional needs should remain a priority.

“The babies need to eat and you need to produce the milk, so exclusive breastfeeding moms shouldn’t try weight loss,” she added.