Dieting while breastfeeding

[3xMama]

I very desperately need to lose about fifty pounds. Between being pregnant twice in two years, comfort eating through ppd and the lovely side effects of antidepressants, my body has put on weight and seriously kept it on! I need to get the weight off for health reasons, of course, and I'd love to feel good about how I look again. That said, I don't want to damage my breastfeeding relationship with my five month old. I'm more concerned about breastfeeding. I can hardcore diet in a year or two but my ability to breastfeed my baby is fleeting. That said, if I can diet safely, I want to. Soooo....What kind of caloric intake is necessary while I'm breastfeeding? Is it safe to diet? Does anyone have any tips or tricks they used to successfully diet and breastfeed?

TIA!!!

[CrunchyChristianMama]

Here's what has worked wonders for me.  I don't count calories at all.  I eat until I'm full whenever I'm hungry. 

That said, I cut out all processed food and sugar (even natural sugars) for about 2 months.  Then I slowly reintroduced them.  My diet consisted of copious amounts of veggies and meat with just a little fruit thrown in.  I had a bowl of oatmeal (with just berries in it) in the morning with my scrambled eggs to help get enough carbs to keep my milk supply up.

With this diet I lost about 15 lbs. in 10 weeks and had no milk supply issues. 

[Heba]

Kelly Bonyata (IBCLC) has some great information here:

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-weightloss.html

Good luck!

xx