Seeking Advice on Dieting While Breastfeeding

Well first I want to praise you on breastfeeding your son! That's awesome! I understand that Adkins has worked for you in the past.I have done the diet myself. The deit however is very hard on your body and really isn't the best one and it isn't a deit that will help you keep weight off. Its a quick fix. I honestly don't recommend it. Weight watchers is very affordable. You don't need to join anything with the internet these days. My husband and I have both done weight watcher and are getting ready to get back ok it. You can even eat taco bell on it! If you would like some help with it and would like to try it le me know. We are both on a fixed income. If we can afford it anyone can! Good luck!- A.

I don't know anything about Atkins, but I would avoid any diet that makes you worry about your breast milk.
I have a Weight Watchers packet from 2003; there are specific point allowances in it for while you are breastfeeding. If I were you, I would look into their plan. You don't necessarily have to go to meetings; check out ebay and Amazon to see if you can buy the literature. I have done really well just doing it on my own, with the support of an online message board.

Hi. I have a 14 month old that I breast fed 9 mos. I wanted to do the same thing.
Everything I read made mw concerned with what the diet did. And I think pumping and
Dumping might effect your supply. My recommendation is to try weight watchers
Which has a breast feeding diet. I lost some that way and then
When I stopped breast feeding I used atkins to lose the rest. I do serious atkins for a few weeks and then
Move into a normal portion controlled diet.

My sis-in-law did this and her daughter immediately refused to nurse at six months. never went back. Its only a couple more months until weaning. I would suggest waiting until then.

S.,

Don't do any serious dieting as you described. You have lost about 2 lbs/month, a very safe pace. "Pump-to-dump" is a big hassle for you and the baby. Remember that formula will cost money too.

You could try just the stage 2 diet and see how that works.

Someone named Susie has posted diet advice before from (I think it's her name) Dr. Sandy somebody in Columbus. The basics of the diet are to eliminate dairy, wheat and sugar. When I do this it is a lot easier to lose weight, I don't feel like gnawing the table legs off from hunger.

Also try to get a little exercise every day. Even a walk with the baby in a stroller or sling would help. Get adequate sleep too (I know, easier said than done).

Good luck!

K. Z.

Do NOT diet when breastfeeding! Just eat healthy and use common sense. You shouldn't lose more than 1 pound a week (2 max) or it will affect your milk supply. You can't count on pumping only to keep your supply up in the best of circumstances... many women can't do that.

Exercise and healthy eating is the key to shedding the baby weight. But also keep in mind that many women find the 'last 10' or so pounds impossible to lose until they stop breastfeeding. Then it just melts away super-fast within a week or so of weaning. That happened to me everytime. The body hangs onto the fat and stores it to make sure there will be enough to produce milk.

See http://www.tkstoreonline.com

You will need extra calories while breastfeeding, but you need the good calories. Before you eat anything ask yourself, what nutritional value does this give my body? If it has no nutritional value don't eat it and find something else that will help your baby grow, and for your body to be more healthy. Try cutting out processed foods, avoid anything with partially hydrogenated oils (this is trans fat, even if it says 0 trans fat). Also avoid high fructose corn syrup. Try eating foods in as close to there natural state as possible. This is a lifestyle, not a diet, you will make changes for your life, not just a short time. Good luck, it takes time to switch over, but once you get used to eating good foods, junk food tastes just like junk to you.

I didn't try to loose weight while breastfeeding but I did and here is how. My daughter was lactose intolerant, so I went totally dairy free while I was breast feeding. I weighed 160+ when I delivered and was 127 when I stopped breast feeding 9 months later.

Definitely don't do Atkins while breastfeeding. You should really NOT diet while you're breastfeeding anyway. I'm sure there is a website out there that will tell you how many calories you should be consuming while breastfeeding. Track what you eat during the day and see how many calories you are actually consuming. You can also add some exercise into your day. It doesn't have to be an hour long work out. Just do some jumping jacks throughout the day. I breastfed for 6 months and hardly lost any weight! We moved to the country and I got more active and started watching what I ate (fruit instead of chips) and I lost weight right away. If you DO decide to diet, make sure you talk to your doctor first. You don't want to do anything that's bad for the baby. I've heard that Weight Watchers is wonderful and has a diet for breastfeeding moms. I don't think you have to buy special food, just watch what you eat and how you prepare it. Good luck! It seems like weight is a never ending struggle! :)

BEWARE OF ATKINS!
in a nutritional class that I took we did a project on all of the major & fad diets. Atkins was not only the biggest loser, but it showed many danger signs. Research the founder of the diet and you'll see that he died of complications.

If you'd like some info on something that works and is safe for you and your baby while breasfeeding or anytime, contact me. Two stories: I gained 50# w/ both pregnancies, was back to my original weight within 2-3 months post-birth(I nursed both kids for 1 year each.)
A friend of mine had gained 65 or so # w/ her little one and was late in the game on trying my "method"; she approached me when her daughter was about 13 months and she was no longer nursing, but couldnt' lose the weight. She started and within the first month, she lost I think 13#, had so much energy, and also decreased her grocery bill from $180/wk down to $80/wk. The next month she lost more, and after about 4 months, she's lost almost 40# and is feeling great and confident about losing the rest of it.

If this makes you want more information, then message me with your contact number and best time to call and I'll help you get informed!

Hi S.,
I am a true beliver in portion control and moving your body 30-40 min. a day. Just try watching the fat, and calories and drinking lots of water or Crystal Lite (which counts as a water). Walk the baby in the stroller, or lay in the floor and do crunches, leg lifts, puch-ups. Try just calorie counting, and measuring that is what all those "pay to diet" plans are. My girlfriend is a trainer and she says if you follow this, it will work but the working out is the key! (UGH) I wish you much LUCK!! :o)

Like several others said, Weight Watchers is a good route. I just had my second son in January, and am going to my 2nd meeting today. I know I lost a few pounds this week, but am trying to stay within a 1 - 2 lb weight loss, so I don't diminish my milk supply (also breastfeeding). With my first son - I lost 30 lbs in less than 5 months by sticking to tracking points, exercising, and just eating sensibly. You get soooo many points when you are nursing, it's almost hard to eat them all! Good luck with loosing weight! We're all in it with you :)

I don't recommend Atkins but do suggest the LA Weightloss program. I did it after my 2nd child and lost 40 lbs. I am now doing it on my own after my 3rd child. Just google it. Basically, you eat 3 fruits, 3 veggies, 2 proteins, 2 starches, and 2 fats (dressing, butter, mayo) a day. It gives you suggestions on the more foods that will increase weightloss and decrease water retention. I feel like it is a healthier choice over some of the other options out there. Good luck

Breastfeeding or not, crash dieting doesn't work in the long run for 97% of people, according to the national weight loss registry, a webiste that follows people who lose weight and KEEP it off.

I am breastfeeding my third kid and I found that the weight flew off once I chose nutrient dense foods over calorie dense foods, along with exercising (just extra physical activity whenever you can get it done is helpful, although I am a runner and running was especially helpful). My appetite was huge too, and I could eat all the chocolate I wanted as long as I was running a lot before we started solids, but once my baby started solids I had to lay off the chocolate and go back to normal healthy stuff. Now that my son is almost 8 months old and my milk is decreasing, and I need to watch what I eat.

So while my advice is boring, I think that any RD will tell you that crash diets don't work in the LONG run, and it's better just to exercise and watch your calories. And when you're hungry all the time, eat, but choose lower calorie, more nutrient dense foods.
Good luck! I have been there three times too.
J.

Don't you love it when Mom's say, "Oh I lost so much weight because I was nursing!" Um, yeah, I was so hungry! After 2am feedings I needed food before I could go back to sleep. A nd I've also always struggled with weight. Weight Watchers really helped! First, the meetings were really nice because it gave me some time to think about myself. Second, it teaches good eating habits so I could get my daughter on a good plan as well. Third, there is room for error, unlike Atkins. The program is $$, but it pays for itself in the long run. I've lost 55lbs! All my baby weight plus 10 more thanks to chancing my little princess around. Best of Luck!!

S.,
Since you are nursing it vital to eat a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins AND complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, brown rice, millet, etc. Atkins IS NOT safe. First, you may lose intially, but you will gain it back, second your body's pH will become acidic and disease breeds in an acidic body... there are many other reasons, but the BEST program for you and baby is too get plenty of sleep to reduce stress hormones, eat right, exercise and drink purified water. I am a LMT, a mom of 3, and I coach people in nutritional cleansing and making sound lifestyle choices.

I would think for breastfeeding you would need to have more flexibility in your diet than Atkins allows, if not for your sake, for the production of good milk. I've been doing Weight Watchers for 11 weeks and have lost 26lbs. It's not nearly as expensive as Nutrisystem or those other programs where you buy their food. I think the online program is even cheaper. I do the monthly pass which includes unlimited meetings and etools online for $40 a month, or you can pay weekly. Right now I think they're having a free enrollment too. I love it because it doesn't eliminate any food. If you know you want to splurge a little, you just have to plan for it. I too had lost a lot of weight fast on Aktins, and I always gained it all back as soon as I started eating carbs again.

There isn't much dieting you should do while breastfeeding. You need to eat healthy foods and stay hydrated. Cut out junk - just get it out of your house all together - and just drink water and milk. Tea is good too. Pop is awful for you and diet has actually been shown to make women GAIN weight (there's a scientific explanation behind that that's too long to type here).

Have snacks on hand so you don't go for the easier not-as-good for you stuff. Cut up cheese in chunks, get pre-portioned nuts, get whole-grain crackers...you get the point:) When breastfeeding, it's not so much about how much you are eating but what you are eating. You're hungry all the time because you have to make milk, but your body still stores fat and sugar while passing on the nutrients to the milk.

Whatever you do, don't take the easy way out and go on some fad diet or detox plan. Eating healthy food and getting exercise is always the best way to get in shape and lose weight and it keeps your son healthiest because he gets all the nutrients in breastmilk:)