[middlemamma]

Hi all!

I am due in Feb and looking forward to nursing this new little one. What I was wondering was has anyone heard of or found a diet that WORKS WITH BFing? I know some would be out of the question and others are so so okay, but is there one out there that is conducive to bfing AND losing weight?

This is my second child. I nursed the first but only to 8 mos. And did not get motivated to get in shape until he was around 10 mos old. But this time around I want to excersise and eat right from the get go....any help with this out there?

Jennie
Middle Mamma

 

[hunnybumm]

The best thing you can do is eat healthy. I definitly wouldn't cut back on your food while nursing, your body and your baby need the extra calories. Just eat right, eat when your hungry and eat a variet of healthy foods.

As far as excercies goes, I think they say you can start excercising at 6 weeks but for me personaly I was way too tired and still sore and had no desire to work out at all. But when I felt up to it I started out with slow walks around my block that way when I was tired I could just go home.

BFing really is the best thing you can do to loose weight after pregnancy. I lost a good deal of weight fairly quickly, but everyones body is different.

 

[crunchy_mama]

I have heard weight watchers has a program for nursing moms, although I haven't tried it. I have just tried to eat healthy and the weight has come off, although I know it is different for everyone. good luck,
amanda

 

[boatbaby]

I agree with the others, eating healthy, well balanced meals is your top priority. I would say just avoid sweets, that's a big downfall with any diet.

I have found that by wearing my baby exclusively in the sling, I am burning more calories than if I stuck him in a swing at home or stroller when out (we don't own either). And he's happy too. And of course BF like crazy. Physical play with your baby is good too (I balance 6 month old on my knees while I am on my back and fly him around. He LOVES it and it's a great abdominal exercise. Baby needs to have good neck strength first).

The pounds are coming off... SLOWLY... but they are coming off. Go easy on yourself...

 

[~Nikki~]

I think that breastfeeding in itself is the best post-pregnancy diet.

I lost 80lbs in 6 months, without doing a single sit-up, or lifting a single weight.

As for diets to go along with breastfeeding, I don't have any real advice except for to eat healthy (which you'll probably be doing, anyway, while nursing), and stay active. I would pack my daughter up in her stroller or sling every day and go for a brisk half-hour walk, and it did wonders.

 

[Mrs Dimples]

There is a book called Eat Well, Lose Weight While Breastfeeding that is supposed to be good. We sell it at my store and we are careful to sell only items that are conducive to healthy, natural parenting. I haven't read it myself as I didn't need to diet, just nursing melted the pounds off for me!

: Good luck, mama, you have gotten good advice here!

 

[Peony]

Healthy diet and moderate excercise. Bfing alone burns about 500 calories a day. Many moms find that the lbs just melted away. For others, they might need a little help,like Weight watchersor similiar, but certainly not in the beginning while the bfing realtionship is still being established.

 

[boingo82]

I don't think a formal "diet" is necessary. Just eat frequently and healthily. I gained a whopping 60 lbs preg and was back in my pre-preg jeans at 5-6 months and back at my pre-preg weight at 7 months. I didn't exercise/diet AT ALL. BFing itself seems to be plenty.

In addition to the calories consumed, for some of us (my mom and me for ex.) with the first baby the body freaks out and thinks it needs a LOT of stored fat just in case. I didn't eat crap and I didn't eat tons. But my normally speedy metabolism disappeared and the weight piled on. Now that I am no longer pg my metabolism is back to what it was, plus the BFing uses extra calories, so weight loss was effortless.

 

[boingo82]

Oh I wanted to add- not eating/drinking enough can KILL your supply. I found that out when I had mastitis and feeling very sick, didn't eat for a few days. (I can't eat when sick.) My supply dropped a lot from that. If you diet straight off I think that could be detrimental to your supply.

So you probably should just start out nursing and not worry at all about the weight - then, if after several months, it doesn't seem to be coming off, you could start thinking about a moderate diet. But you sure don't want to start out dieting while still establishing your supply, esp. since you might not need to diet anyway.

 

[Janice in Canada]

IME, the real weight lost comes in the 2nd year of nursing. I lost some weight in the first year, but it took going into the 2nd year that I really got back to pretty much my pre-pregnancy size. And I'm didn't diet or think about exercise any more that my usual routine or lifestyle.

(I've never had a weight problem, but I also didn't really feel pressure to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight in a hurry. My highest post pregnancy weight was probably about 20 pounds more that I wanted to be at).

If you think about it, biologically we are meant to nurse for at least 2-3 years, so it makes sense that the body would hang onto the extra weight longer that just a few months post-pregnancy.

Now, after having 2 kids (nursed the first for almost 2 years, then got pregnant, the second just weaned at age 5 years), I am probably about 10 pounds heavier that when I was 20 years old (I'm 39 now). So I do weigh more than pre-pregancy, but I am 8 years older!

To me, slow natural weight loss will give much more stable long term results that are good for your life-long health.

Janice

 

[Firemom]

YOu want to have a varied diet. you also will be hungry while breastfeeding. you burn a lot of calories making milk and nursing.

1800-2000 of good healthy foods will help you take off baby weight. Exercise starting in the form of just walking and taking baby out in the stroller is a great start. If you have'nt been exercising during your pregancy 6 weeks is usually the recommneded start date of an exercise program.

You can do exercise tapes, get your self a pair of dumbells or tubing and do stuff right at home. or you can join a gym