Breastfeeding Diet : Breast feeding Diet Information and FAQ on Breast feeding Diet

The phrase "breast feeding diet" brings up some mixed emotions for me.  It generally makes me agitated because there is such a lack of information out there for breast feeding moms and there are so little medical professionals that are privy to accurate information and are supportive of breast feeding, but I guess that isn't the issue here. 

Since you are here, you are probably looking for information on "breast feeding diet", so I will try to answer the mostly frequently asked questions I get, and you can post others on the message boards.

  • Is there a special breast feeding diet I should follow?

There is no breast feeding diet, per se, that needs to be followed, unless you are consuming excessive amounts of alcohol on a consistent basis.  Using drugs while breast feeding (or not breast feeding) isn't too great an idea either, but you probably already knew that.

  • Can I diet while breast feeding?  (Can you lose weight while breast feeding, using means other than breast feeding alone?)

"Why would you want to do that?" doctors, husbands, friends will say.  Well, you probably (I am just guessing here <wink, wink>) are tired of wearing maternity clothes now that the baby is here... after all, it has been a few months... the baby is crawling now.  Been there!

I would not recommend the usual crash-dieting women do to lose weight (and no one else in their right mind should) while breast feeding.  It just isn't right.  HOWEVER, you can lose weight while breast feeding, and there IS a difference between dieting and modifying, limiting or changing your food intake.  Diet has such a negative connotation.

Some things you can do to lose weight when breast feeding (without dieting) are:

  • increasing the number of times you eat daily while decreasing the size of the meals : you eat more often, but less than a large meal, so your body is always geared up for burning

  • drink more water -- you feel fuller.  Most people think they are hungry simply because most of our food is made up of 50% (some more or less) of water...  so when we eat, even when we are just thirsty, we feel satiated because we got the water we wanted.  So, always try to drink a cup of water before you eat. 

  • Increase your protein intake.  Take your goal weight, divide by two.  Aim for that many grams of protein.  Protein feeds muscle which burns fat.  Vicious cycle.  Love that cycle.

If you are like most moms and find yourself saying "with what time!!!????!!" (and when they are first born you breast feed every minute of every hour it seems) then you can feel free to request information on the products I offer that will help you get the vitamins and protein you need as a breast feeding mom.  You can also join us on the forums or learn more about the products I offer for breastfeeding moms interested in losing weight.

My goal is only to educate and keep breast feeding moms happy while babies stay connected to the breast.  Breast feeding is the most natural form of parenting and attachment -- the most humane thing we can do for our children -- and it will make for a better world when we all have a little but of humanity back.  But that is just my opinion.

- Summer McFarland