Breastfeeding and Dieting.. HELP

dodoodoodo

I have a 6-month-old son and have noticed when I am dieting, my milk production goes way down. I need to lose weight (40 lbs by October preferably). If I eat more calories, I won't lose weight. Anything I can do? When dieting, I eat around 1500 calories.

Amanda4change

Exclusively breastfeeding uses about 500 calories per day, obviously part time is 250. Slowly increase your calories (I would add 100 at a time) until you notice your milk supply is normal. Also increase your water, you need to replenish every drop you sweat off. You may only be able to lose 1/4-1/2 a pound a week without effecting your supply.

Wiseandcurious

They key seems to lose slowly, never more than about a pound a week or so, to avoid releasing too many toxins in breast milk and if you go slow enough, that shouldn't affect the milk supply either. For source see below.

When I was breastfeeding my best resource for all questions was La Leche league international and a quick google shows they do have info on breastfeeding and weight loss:
http://www.llli.org/faq/lowcarb.html and you can find more related info on theit website. Their info tends to be very aligned with WHO recommendations on the topic of breastfeeding so I think they are a reliable resource to start with.

P.s. Not advocating low carb, that's just the first of many google results on breastfeeding + diet + la levhe league, that came up

AbsoluteTara79

What is your current height/weight? Do you think you're right around the 25 ounce average for production? What kind of diet do you follow? I'm 5'5, 157 and eating 1600-1800 a day nursing a 1-year old and I'm losing a lb/week.

sadiepatterson5

I'm going through the same thing. My son is 8months old and I'm breastfeeding. I've noticed my supply drastically dropped.... if i eat more then im terrified of gaining the 10lbs I've lost back...

0somuchbetter0

I waited until my kids weaned before trying to lose weight.