Breastfeeding – Weight Loss

How can I lose my pregnancy weight without affecting my breastmilk?

Many women find that breastfeeding burns up so much energy that pregnancy weight falls off easily. However it is important to lose your excess weight in a slow and steady manner. Breastfeeding is extremely demanding on a woman’s body, and a good diet is absolutely essential. So the first point is to make good nutritional decisions and get most of your kilojoules from healthy foods such as lean protein sources and plenty of fruit and vegetables. There will be a huge difference in the well being and energy of two people who have the same energy intake, yet one person eats lots of sugar and fat (such as biscuits, sweets and fried fatty foods) while the other makes healthy choices and keeps sugar and fat intake to a minimum. You need all the energy you can get so it is worth eating healthily and having the occasional treat.

Below is a rough diet guideline listing daily requirements for a balanced diet during breastfeeding which will enable you to loose your excess weight slowly but still maintain your energy levels:

• Protein – 3 servings
Make sure that at least one portion of protein is iron-rich.

1 serving comprises – around 100g lean meat, fish/chicken, 2-3 eggs, 2-3 glasses skimmed milk and 125g low fat cottage cheese

• Vegetables – 3 servings minimum
Make sure that you get a good mixture of green, yellow and red vegetables to ensure that you are getting all the vitamins that you require. Vitamin C intake is important for the health of breastfeeding moms so try and buy very fresh and high quality fresh produce.

1 serving comprises – 2 small tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of cooked green vegetables, ¼ small sweet potato, 1 medium green pepper, 3 tablespoons of mushrooms, green beans, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower, peas or Brussel sprouts.

• Fruit – 2 servings minimum
Once again a mixture of fruits of different colour will provide a variety of vitamins.

1 serving comprises – 1 apple, orange, banana, peach, pear – half a mango, grapefruit, pawpaw or guava – 3 tablespoons strawberries, cherries, grapes, blueberries

• Complex carbohydrates – 6 servings
Stay away from white bread, biscuits, white flour and try to have whole wheat or unrefined carbohydrates. This will minimize the possibility of blood sugar problems.

1 serving comprises – 1 slice whole wheat bread – 2 rice cakes – 40g cooked brown rice – 25g whole wheat pasta

• High fat foods – 4 servings per day max
Remember that much of this fat will come from the food you are already consuming, and that your fat intake needs to be carefully controlled to help with your weight loss efforts.

1 serving comprises – 50g hard cheeses such as cheddar – 3 tablespoons single cream – 3 tablespoons nuts – 2 large eggs

• Calcium
This is a vital aspect of a breast feeding diet, as if the mother’s diet is poor in calcium then it will be drawn from the bones of the mother, which can have repercussions in later life. As with fat, you need to check how much calcium you are getting from the existing diet before adding more food. This reinforces the point that choosing nutritious food is essential.

1 serving comprises – 40g cheddar cheese, 1 glass milk, 7 tablespoons broccoli and 170ml canned salmon.

See also:
Breastfeeding – After Caesarean
Breastfeeding – Alcohol to boost milk
Breastfeeding – Basic info
Breastfeeding – Breast infection continuing feeding
Breastfeeding – Breast infection or mastitis
Breastfeeding – Difficulty
Breastfeeding – Effect of exercise
Breastfeeding – Effect of laughter
Breastfeeding – Engorgement Discomfort
Breastfeeding – Engorgement Pain Relief
Breastfeeding – Engorgement Reason
Breastfeeding – Fear
Breastfeeding – Feeding positions
Breastfeeding – Feeding when ill
Breastfeeding – Frequent feeding
Breastfeeding – Importance
Breastfeeding – Increasing Milk
Breastfeeding – In the beginnning
Breastfeeding – Jaundice
Breastfeeding – Latching
Breastfeeding – Leaking Milk
Breastfeeding – Let-down Reflex
Breastfeeding – Medication
Breastfeeding – Milk Consistency
Breastfeeding – Milk Release
Breastfeeding – Milk Starting
Breastfeeding – Mother’s Sickness
Breastfeeding – Mother’s Stress
Breastfeeding – Mother’s Thirst
Breastfeeding – Nipples Healing
Breastfeeding – Nipples Painful
Breastfeeding – Nipples Washing
Breastfeeding – Overdue Baby
Breastfeeding – Reasons Not To
Breastfeeding – Restless Baby
Breastfeeding – Second Baby
Breastfeeding – Shape Of Breasts
Breastfeeding – Simplicity
Breastfeeding – Sleepy Baby
Breastfeeding – Some Advantages
Breastfeeding – Watery Breastmilk
Breastfeeding – When To Wean
Breastfeeding – World breast feeding day