Dieting While Breastfeeding
Lots of women seem to lose weight while breastfeeding, but some don't.
So is dieting while breastfeeding a healthy way to lose those extra baby kilos that –for some reason– have hung around long after your baby's birth?
Many women find that they can eat almost anything while they are breastfeeding and still loose weight. I was always hungry while I was breastfeeding, and I was always eating. Yet I still went from a size 12–14 to a size 4–6 (in about 4 months). I got so thin I looked sickly and horrible, I couldn't stand to look in the mirror.
With my second baby I lost weight but it took a lot longer (about 18 months) and I went back to a healthy size 10–12. My real problem seems to be keeping the weight off once I stop breastfeeding.
We see so many celebrities go from being nine months pregnant to being a size 8 in the space of weeks, not months…I guess this is why so many new mums feel the pressure to get their pre–baby body back. But when you are breastfeeding, dieting may not be a healthy option.
So much of your body's energy, proteins and irons go into your breast milk. Breastfeeding alone uses up an average of 2000Kj per day! That's lots and lots of energy right there, gone without exercising, without counting the lack of sleep and without thinking about a breastfeeding diet.
Dieting while breastfeeding may seriously affect your energy levels and your ability to cope. Instead, you might like to try:
• grilling your meats rather than baking or frying them
• limiting your sugar intake
• sticking to low fat dairy products
• using avocado as a spread rather than butter
• dressing your salad with lemon juice rather than oil and vinegar
• drinking water rather than juice or fizzy drinks
• dipping carrots and celery in low fat cheese rather than snacking on chips or crackers with dips
Taking your baby for a walk everyday will get you out of the house and it's a great way to exercise.
It can take longer for some mums to loose weight than others…but dieting and breastfeeding may drain you, so hang in there, keep eating healthy food, avoid snacking on unhealthy pantry foods and keep exercising.
Please always remember to consult your health professional to find out information that is relevant to your specific situation.
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