On a diet , and consistency of my breastmilk has changed

[papoose]

I have been mainly BFing DD (9 weeks old) and for the past week have started a diet. Nothing too dramatic, just cutting out the many cakes and biscuits that I have been scoffing on a daily basis. But I have noticed that my expressed breast milk is much more watery and the 'fat layer' is much smaller. Will this be harmful to my baby? I have had to give her half a carton of formula each evening since I have started the diet, as she still seems hungry even after BFing for a while.

you are cutting out biscuits and cakes only?

if that means you are eating meat/veggie equivalent, carbs, dairy fruit veg etc that is fine while bf

but anyhoo cannot see how your one week of diet would have made this difference on your bm. the stuff changes in appearance anyway, it is probably a coincidence

I would if i may be so bold stop the ff. if she is hungry latch her on more, and unless you have a medical problem you will make more milk that way. if you give her ff your supply will not increase.

don't get insecure!

why are you dieting with a nine week old? life's too short

Drop the formula and bf more - that will also help you lose more weight!!!
Milk keeps changing to meet baby's needs, and (unfortunately?) you don't need cake to make good milk.

When my 2 were very little and I was excl. bf, I craved stuff like cakes. I think on a diet at this stage it's only safe for you to lose 1 lb per week when bf.

I'm still bf 10m DD and I am on a partial diet. I think if you are hungry/crave something whilst bf, you should have it. I have lost weight, but slowly and not all of it. I will start a more major diet when DD is 1 and I stop feeding.

Thanks all. The reason for the diet is that I am being bridesmaid in a few months and the bride has already bought the dresses!! (Size 12!). I will do my best to stop the formula as I would much rather exclusively BF. I was eating a lot of cake though! (All the new mum coffee groups, BF support groups etc). I am also taking Pregnacare Plus so hope DD is getting good vits that way too.

can i be cheeky and suggest chucking out the pregnacare plus and swapping the cakes for fruit. Just for your benefit. baby gets everything they need from you, and pregnacare costs a fortune...baby gets no more vits because you take a supplement

Is that true? If so I will perhaps ditch it - very expensive, but will have to eat more fish for omega 3 I guess! Or am I being a bit anal about this??

papoose if you give formula your supply / demand will be badly affected.

your diet can't affect bm. i have lost 20kg while bf no probs. well apart from the deprivation but alas no need for cake or anything much beside the opportunity to feed the baby.

Your baby needs more milk. Your diet is not affecting your milk. Starving mothers in Africa manage to feed their babies very successfully even on very low calorie diets. I'm feeding two children and losing a lot of weight.

Your little one is just going through a growth spurt (normal at this age) and needs more milk. Ditch the formula and have a bit of faith in yourself - you are doing great - eating healthily is good. Early milk (before six weeks) has remaining colostrum in it and looks different.

Good for you for eating well btw. Remember, to drink a lot of water, that'll help a lot in weight loss.

Wow well done you fishie! I will aim for no more formula then.

Thanks WMMC - interesting about the colostrum in the early milk. DD seems to be thriving so I will stick with the BF from now on.