Breastfeeding and Weight Watchers

Hi there,
I guess it depends on whether you would rather be more successful at the breastfeeding or lose the weight. I am an OB/Gyn nurse and most doctors would rather you continue to breastfeed and then worry about losing weight. You are supposed to consume 500 extra cal/day while breastfeeding. 1500 sounds very extreme even if you aren't breastfeeding. Assuming the extra 500 cal/day then your normal calorie consumption would only be 1000 cal/day which is way too little. I did weight watchers in the past and had good results but I don't know that they cater well to the nursing mom.

1 mom found this helpful

Not to beat a dead horse, but these other ladies are right. 1500 calories a day isn't enough to sustain two people - which is what you're doing.

I would suggest one of two things:

1) Talk to your WW counselor and be sure you're on the right calorie track. It sounds like you're not consuming enough calories, hence the dramatic supply decrease.

2) Wait until your baby is older to start WW. If you could postpone this for another 3-6 months I think you'll see much better results for both you and your baby.

I also want to point out that 2 months and 6 months are key growth spurt times. If you're worried about your supply (not related to WW calorie cuts), the best thing to do is nurse, nurse, nurse! It signals your body that your baby needs more. Don't give a bottle, just cuddle up with your baby and give him free access to his favorite thing: you!

I am a nursing mother and I also follow WW. I started when my son was 2 months old. They have a nursing mother program, you just have to ask about it. Basically, you have to add more food to the healthy guidelines, drink more water, and you add 10 points to your daily points. It has worked great for me except the last 5 - 7 pounds. It also has not affected my milk supply at all. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

WW typically allows a much higher point allowance for nursing mothers. Haven't they discussed the higher points for nursing moms? Ask them about it.

You cannot diet when breast feeding. You need all those carbs your dening your body. Carbs are very important for you and baby plus production of milk supply. Your to drink just as much as when you was pregnant and eat the same as you was pregnant your to do everything the way you was pregnant and not to change anything till your done breastfeeding. If I was your baby I would be mad at you too. You can't do both you need to decide if you want to be a producer and save money or be a barbie doll. I think at this point and time your figure can wait.

Wonderful that you are living such a healthy life - eating well, exercise, water, and nursing. But this is not the time to diet and to limit what you eat by counting calories. No WW program - or any other - can fully "account" for you AND your baby's needs through calorie counting. Babies have different needs, they grow at different rates, they have growth spurts and require more and greater frequency at different points.... If you know that changing your diet has negatively affected him, then why do this right now? WW provides a "calorie range" for what "nursing moms need" - but your body and your baby told you this was not accurate. Switching to a bottle is not the solution - trusting your body and responding naturally to your baby's needs is the solution.

So focus your energy and attention for a few more months on providing what your beautiful son needs. How lucky you and he both are to enjoy nursing together! Trust your body in this most precious relationship and experience. These few months of waiting to begin a diet program will be SO meaningful and helpful for your son - it will be worth waiting!

Good luck.

I'm a Weight Watcher and former nursing mother. There should be no reason not to combine the 2 as long as you account for nursing when you figure your points. Maybe you should increase your liquids. Could your baby just be going thru a growth spurt? Giving a bottle can decrease your milk supply if what you're giving isn't breastmilk. If I were you, I'd try to increase my exercise and be sure what you're eating is healthy stuff, not wasting your points on junk at all, until this gets worked out. Have you talked to your WW leader about the points? The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding does say that metabolic changes caused by very high-protein/lo-carb diets can affect the milk. I'd definitely keep some carbs in your meal plan. I do and I'm losing steadily (65# so far). I can't imagine a safer program than WW. It is wonderful. If this continues, I'd put the nursing higher in my priorities and try to just cut some calories and exercise more. I can ask around if you want me to. You can go on the LLL website www.llli.org and see what they say too.

When I had my baby #3, I went to Diet Center when she was one month. Diet center is very low carb, lots of furits,vegetables and protien. I was instructed to up my water to 14 glasses and 2 more oz. of protien a day. I had no problem at all. I did NOT give her anything else but breastmilk for a whole year. She was fine...very lean, but healthy. You said you are supplementing with "other foods" and formula. Anything by mouth, including a pacifier can effect your milk supply. Just the stress of thinking your little one isn't getting enough to eat could cause enough stress to lower your supply. If you are exercising, that could lower your supply also as you are using calories you need for breastmilk. Another thing is your baby will have growth spurts that suddenly demand more milk. If your calories are restricted, you won't have enough. If going to Weight Watchers is causing such a problem, maybe you should stop for awhile more. It took 9 months to gain the weight, it's not going to fall off instantly. You and your baby's nursing experience is way more important than shedding those pounds now, rather than in a few short months.

Obviously Weight Watchers is not the end all be all of knowledge for breastfeeding. It clearly is wrong for you at this point. Stop using them as a reference and listen to your mommy instincts. You're breastfeeding and not getting enough calories to make milk. It is that simple, no matter what their charts say. Either increase your intake to the 1800 calorie mark, and if that doesn't work, then go up to 2,000-2,2000 calories. Or use your own knowledge about nutrition, quit WW, and go back when your child is fully weaned if you really believe in that program.

As a nursing mother, you should never eat below 1800 calories. Your caloric intake should be between 1800-2200 calories to maintain an abundant milk supply. It sounds like you are drinking plenty of water which would be another thing to watch. I nursed all 3 of my kids through 1 year, and I followed points pretty closely with all 3 and didn't have any problems. I think you might just be watching your calories a little too closely. Good luck.

Hi M.---I, too, agree that now is NOT the time to be counting calories. You need extra calories for your body to make an optimal amount of breastmilk.

If you need to count something, keep track of the amount of fiber you are consuming every day. For your body to work optimally, you need to focus on eating complex carbohydrates, as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. Eat lots of whole grains; brown rice, quinoa, wheat bulgar (if no problem with gluten), spelt, whole grain pasta. You will also get lots of fiber and protein from legumes; beans of all sorts, lentils and peanuts. Add nuts and seeds and you have a very healthy diet. Low calorie, high in nutrients. Our animal protein needs are actually quite low, a piece no bigger than a deck of playing cards. Any more adds too much saturated fat to the diet and also increases our risk for diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes. You can get most of your protein needs met by the 4 food groups I've listed above.

I also recommend these super-foods, based on a wellness class I am taking. Flax offers lots of fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and many vitamins and minerals. The fiber in flax contains lignans, which are known cancer fighting compounds.

Green tea is another super food, but it is best eaten. I grind whole leaf tea and put it in my smoothies. Eating it this way minimizes caffeine consumption as well as oxidation of the tea leaves, offering maximum nutrition.

The third superfood is brewers yeast. This is your best source of B vitamins. There are different types of brewers yeast and it is not the same as nutritional yeast. I put this in my smoothies as well. If you would like to know where to get these products, or the resources from where I offer this advice, just let me know. I do not sell the tea or brewers yeast, but purchase them from a Naturopath in Ohio. Dr. Popper also has her PhD in Nutrition, so I feel confident in sharing what I am learning from her.

I also know of a wonderful whole food supplement, that is backed by research confirming that it makes the whole body work better, particularly in balancing immune system function, protecting and repairing DNA, improved cardiovascular funtion and a reducing damage from free radicals by at least 75%. It offers the powdered juices of 17 different fruits and veggies, offering a broad range of nutrients we can't possible eat every day.

It is my passion to help others wishing to learn how to optimize their health. I would be very honored if I can be of service to you. Give me a call.

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M.,

I'll add my voice to the others -- 1500 calories is way too little to be able to breastfeed well. Your baby is probably hitting a growth spurt, which means he would need to breastfeed more and more often to increase your milk supply, and even if not, and you are starting solids, his main nutrition should still be his Mama's milk, made just for him with everything he needs, immunities, calories, and all, at least until he is about 1 year old. You love feeding him, that is good, and natural, and right -- stay with it! :) He loves to breastfeed -- that also is good, and natural, and right, and he wants to stay with it! :) At the minimum, you should eat the 1800 calories, but if you go with what your body really wants to provide for him and not deplete your stores (and therefore your future health) you'd probably eat more like the 2000-2200 calories a day. Yes, it takes longer to lose the weight, but it's worth it, and you will still lose the weight.

If you make healthy choices -- stay away from the extra sugar and fat, and exercise regularly, the extra weight will come off while you eat to satisfy your hunger and breastfeed your baby - without any special dietary plan or restrictions, but making sure you get all your nutrition, including the carbs. I am the mother of 4, ages 9 through 18 months, and even when I gained 60 pounds in my last one's pregnancy, I lost all of the weight in less than 18 months (somewhere between 15-18 months), without compromising the breastfeeding.

Your concern about your weight is natural and normal in our society, and can be a good tool for you to use to make sure you get all the nutrition you need, including the carbohydrates (they are very important!), but also to make sure that your baby gets all the nutrition he needs, and he eats what you eat when you breastfeed. Remember, you are still supporting his growth, even as much as when he was still in your tummy!

Good luck, and enjoy your baby...

Eat foods high in grains like oatmeal, cracked wheat bread, and even a beer at night (because of the barley and Hops) will help. If you are avoiding carbs then you are probably avoiding the grains that help produce the milk.

Weight Watchers has a breastfeeding program. You should ask your leader about it. It will adjust your program to accommodate the nutritional need of the breastfeeding mom. I think it adds 10 points to your program. Good luck!
H.

Hi M.,

Quite honestly, I'm shocked that WW is allowing you to do the program while still nursing. Nursing moms should not be "dieting". Following a heathly diet is good, but trying to cut calories is not.

I've talked to many moms of sons who have said they ate more voraciously then their daughters. The carbs may 'boost' your milk and give it more substance for your son. He may need you to eat closer to 1800 calories to be satisfied.

Honestly, please... do not diet while your nursing. I know you want to get back to your pre-baby body...but giving your son what he needs is more important. The weight WILL come off eventually.

I can understand not wanting to bulk up on carbs. Have you tried eating more protein? That may help.

If you're going to make the decision to breastfeed, then honestly, providing your son with what he needs is the first priority. Breastfeeding burns extra calories, so it will help you loose weight even without dieting. Also, exercise is GREAT for helping you shed those baby pounds. You can get out and walk with your little guy or do modified yoga moves with your baby. Great exercise and time with baby.

Please reconsider trying to diet while nursing.