Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Flip

Original poster

Dieting and breastfeeding

23 replies

handlemecarefully · 10/06/2004 23:38

I am currently as big as a bus and need to loose weight. Is it possible to diet when breastfeeding without compromising milk supply? - if there have previously been threads on this before please point me in the right direction (I've had a quick look and couldn't find any).

OP posts:

tiktok · 11/06/2004 10:01

There are indeed lots of threads about this, handle....try looking in the archives. It is fine to diet while breastfeeding and you will not compromise supply or quality.

Chuffed · 11/06/2004 21:00

HMC - I'm trying this too. What I'm trying to do is make sure I'm snacking with things like protein shakes and dried apricots and making sure I'm getting enough protein during the day. It doesn't seem to have compromised my milk supply. I've basically cut out my 2-3 bowls of cereal a day and bad snacks. Don't know if I've lost any weight but the clothes are definately starting to fit better.
Good luck.

GreatExpectations · 12/06/2004 13:54

I have been actively dieting since my baby reached 4 months, he is now 8 months and I have lost two stone. I decided the best way to loose weight was to join a group for encouragement and accountability so I chose Slimming World. This has been a change of lifestyle and eating habits, basically a low fat diet with carbohydrate days and protein days and lots of free food to fill up on. I am still breast feeding succesfully and have no intention of stopping in the near future. The diet does take that into consideration and breast feeding mums can have extra allowances - hope that helps.

MrsDoolittle · 12/06/2004 22:26

Hey HMC - here you are! A woman after my own heart. I am feeling as big as a bus too, I have made the cardinal sin of buying a beautiful outfit for my sisters wedding in a couple of months time. It fits very 'snugly'!! I have promised myself I will have lost the weight by then!
I also heard that Slimming world look after breast feeding mums, so I thought I might give that a go.
I was wondering whether to join the codmothers thread but decided it may be a bit late!

MrsDoolittle · 12/06/2004 22:27

Chuffed - you must be soo fit. Weren't you spinning days vefore you delivered?

Metrobaby · 12/06/2004 22:36

HMC - me too. I've just been given a book called eat well, lose weight while breastfeeding by Eileen Behan.

Aero · 12/06/2004 22:39

Feel as big as a house myself at the moment and will get to the dieting thing ooner or later. Ds2 is only 21 weeks though and exclusively breastfed. When ds1 was six months old though I joined WeightWatchers and successfully lost four stone. They were happy for me to diet as long as ds1 wasn't totally breastfed. I was also allowed extra points, so found it pretty easy and continued to breastfeed (and lose weight) until ds1 was 15 months old. Oh to have that motivation back........it will come back, it WILL come back!!

ChicPea · 12/06/2004 23:01

I lost my weight in three weeks post c-section. Usually 8.2, went up to 10.5 and back to 8.2 quickly, without starving myself. Please see "C-Section tummy - when does it go away" thread in the Big/Slim/Whatever weight loss club topic for how I did it.
Good luck.
Feel free to ask any questions!

hopingtobhealthy · 12/06/2004 23:02

Hi Aero, I have all my ww books from a few years back and keep planning to use them- how many extra points did ww allow for breastfeeding

MrsDoolittle · 12/06/2004 23:29

You've got to start a club now HMC

Spod · 12/06/2004 23:59

chickpea... what are your 3 top tips then... i had c section 8 months ago... i still need to loose the weight/flab... i did start to diet, but my milk supply definately WAS affected ( but am not exclusively f'ing now) i dont get chance to go to gym/swim and do eat reasonably healthyly... no junk food in this house... would love to loose stone and a half......hellllllllp

ChicPea · 13/06/2004 00:10

Hi spod! Did you look at the previous thread that I recommended?
My top three tips:

Eat only when hungry and not from habit (I know this is easier said than done but please try)
Cut out - are you ready?!: Bread, rice, potatoes. Salad dressing - have lemon juice, vinegar and salt instead. Eat steamed veg without butter/sauce.
Make sure you eat protein (poultry/meat/fish) everyday

I expressed 5 times a day for three weeks and produced 9oz of milk at each session. My milk was plentiful and not affected.
Any more questions?

ChicPea · 13/06/2004 00:23

I forgot to put cheese and nuts on the Cut Out list. Very high in fat and calories, one can easily eat 500 cals of having a nibble due to boredom or peckishness.

ragtaggle · 13/06/2004 07:47

I joined weight watchers when I was breastfeeding as I was in the same position as you. I have now lost eighteen pounds in nine weeks and was breastfeeding at the beginning. It's great actually because you are allowed loads of 'points' when you are breastfeeding. I was eleven stone but was able to eat the same amount of points as an eighteen stone dieter! I really missed it when I stopped - it started to feel like a proper diet. Do it now while you are breastfeeding! As long as you lose slowly (two pounds a week) it won't affect your milk supply. Good luck

Fennel · 14/06/2004 11:08

huh. once again am putting on weight while/cos of breastfeeding

am exercising 3 times a week, eating fairly sensibly, normally (ie when not bf) this would make me lose weight slowly.

and when I exercise my milk supply drops. grrrr...

tiktok · 14/06/2004 11:35

fennel - what makes you feel your milk supply drops as a result of breastfeeding?

Metrobaby · 14/06/2004 11:36

HI fennel - how do you know if you milk supplu drops? I am exercising too (but no where near enough) and would like to look out for the signs.

Fennel · 14/06/2004 11:43

Tiktok - when I exercise and eat a bit less (ie what I'd normally eat if not bf) the baby suckles for much longer in the evening, she seems dissatisfied and keeps on trying to feed. giving her an ounce of EBM in a bottle satisfies here. I've had this with all 3 dds. The days I eat more and exercise less, the baby feeds less frequently in the evening.

I do get sore if the baby feeds all evening which does make it hard to just let her suckle indefinitely.

Original poster

handlemecarefully · 15/06/2004 08:46

thanks very much all (typing one handed so forgive errors)- looks like some of you at least have successfully dieted without problems re milk supply. Am going to cautiously give it a go - there's lots I can do like cut out my snacks of buttery toast and humungus bowls of cereal...

Mrs Doolittle, Metrobaby and Fennel - we'll have to give each other moral support in the April babies thread!

OP posts:

hazlinh · 15/06/2004 16:15

i think i kind of have the same experience as you, fennel. occasionally have either skipped or 'skimped on' lunches due to the job-ie time constraints (plus subconscious desire to lose weight fast!) but i think it DOEs affect my milk supply a little!!

I've since stopped trying to diet (however consciously or unconsciously!) and console myself by thinking i WILL diet after dd is six mths ....

but my yoga doesnt seem to affect the supply...

mamhaf · 16/06/2004 13:53

Hi HMC - I did WW and lost about 18lb while breastfeeding successfully. Their breastfeeding diet is great - you can eat loads, and it sets you up with healthy eating habits. But the biggest help for me was to exercise too - just getting out for a walk with the pram for half an hour a day really helped. Good luck!

Utka · 16/06/2004 16:52

Great Expectations - what additional allowances do they give b/f mums at SW? I did SW very successfully last year before getting pregnant, and dd2 is now 4 months. Hadn't realised it was an option whilst b/f (and I intend to b/f for up to one year).

Thanks

GreatExpectations · 17/06/2004 00:00

Utka I was allowed 6/7 healthy extras instead of 3/4 initially which allowed me to increase my dairy intake, this has dropped now I am weaning. They produce a pamphlet which explains all.I was asked to inform my health visitor but she was very happy with the arrangement and thought the diet was very balanced.My baby as I said continues to breastfeed and has not dropped in weight but continues to gain well.-hope that helps

Flip