Keto, breastfeeding, fighting the demons

minties82

It's been a long time since I was keto. I got pregnant, lost the baby, got pregnant again and my daughter is now 11 weeks old. I managed a 38kg loss in 2015, and put 11kg back on over time.

I've just lost my father in law, he had type two diabetes and emphysema. He kept eating rubbish food and smoking right till the end. He was 68, my partner and I are 34, I don't want to die young and I don't think my kids want to lose their mum when they are only in THEIR 30's. My mum also has emphysema, she's in her 50's, so I expect she won't have a wonderfully long life. Her food struggles run in the opposite direction though and she's too skinny.

Anyway, ramble aside - I used to be pretty active on here in 2015 and hope to be again now. I'm using the bad health of the father in law and my mum as added motivation.

Does anyone have any research or personal experience with breastfeeding and being keto - or is it a bad idea? Breastfeeding is extremely important to me and I don't want to risk it going wrong, but I'm also battling with the food demons and want to just cold turkey on bread etc because I can't seem to just have a little. I end up eating the whole lot.

Jo2926

Hi - how old is baby? I'm keto and breastfeeding, and my supply has dropped quite a bit. BUT there are lots of other things going on for me such as baby is approaching 2 years, I'm not pumping as often as I used to etc etc. I started by cutting all carbs except veg out, but now I'm relatively maintstream.

baconslave

I breastfed keto for 21 months, at which point he decided he was bored with nursing. No supply dip. Stayed well hydrated. I ate mostly meat and non-starchy veggies and fat. Made sure I ate enough. Adequate calories and proper hydration is all the body needs to make perfect milk for the baby. You supply that, and the body will take care of the rest.

KnitOrMiss

Heya, lady. Have missed you. So sorry to hear about all your struggles. There are a number of folks here who have had the same type of experience as above.

My recommendation, based in personal non keto experience combined with notes from here would be to cold turkey on bread and sweets, rachet up the other carbs, and step down more slowly on the rest. There are older links here about how best to do it, but at 11 weeks old, I would hope the exclusive breastfeeding would allow you to keep up supply regardless. I wish you lots of luck adjusting, grieving, and celebrating, and keeping your sanity in the chaos... (hugs)

minties82

Thanks so much everyone! My bubba is 11 weeks old and she's amazing :-)

KnitOrMiss you are looking beautiful and like you've reversed your age by at least 10 years, fabulous stuff. Thanks for the warm welcome back.

I've hopefully had my last bread binge as of today, bye bye bread. I think I'll go low carb rather than keto, as avocados are in season here and I do love my avos ;-)

BT_rescuemom

Avocados are great for making milk! Really, I think as long as you are getting enough fluid and calories your supply should be fine on low carb. Lots of good fats will make some great milk.

Congrats on your baby, and congrats on making it 11 weeks breastfeeding!

fuelednfit

I have very similar history. Currently I am breastfeeding and trying to get back keto. I have read on diet doctor that while you breastfeed there is no problem to do lchf but they recommend staying over 50g of carbs. They suggest that you follow a restricted keto diet but you had 3 fruits to get that 50+g of carbs. I have a friend keto and breastfeeding and she has no supply problem. I believe the key is to make sure you are hydrated and don't have an agressive calorie deficit.
Congrats on the baby

redimock

My supply tanked when I tried to go low carb while breastfeeding, but

1. I was exclusively pumping - my little guys couldn't nurse.
2. I was not low carb during pregnancy. I feel like if I had already been fat adapted, it wouldn't have been an issue, but in that transitional phase, my body couldn't keep up. I think the gradual step down approach that others suggested may have worked for me, but I never tried it. I just went right back to high carb. Live and learn!

1thankful_momma

My friend has a child. As soon as she stopped breastfeeding, the child started having seizures. She then went round and round with doctors and found the charlie foundation. She put her baby (six months) on the keto diet monitored by the neroligist, and now she doesn't have seizures. If anything odd happens and she get out of the strict ratio, then she has starts to get twitches which alerts her parents that something hidden has found its way in (last time it was magnesium supplement). My point is, breastmilk is a mild keto diet for babies. As soon as she stopped the keto diet through breastfeeding, her baby started with the seizures. Once she started her on the keto diet (charlie foundation for more info), then she didn't have seizures anymore.
That is something to consider when you are thinking about keto diet and babies.