Any breastfeeding mother out there trying to lose weight?

shellulrich

My second child is 8months old, because of some hospitalisation i had at five months my milk has seriously gone down and iv been struggling to get it back up. Im finding or suspecting that wha/how mucht im eating could be the cause of this seemingly lower than usual milk supply. But i have been told that even when food is scarce your body will always provide for the babies needs before your own. Any thoughts?

Spanaval

IME, NO. Especially, with carb restriction. If you want to continue to BF, you may need to up your intake. Oatmeal (steel cut oats especially) is good. Look up lactation cookies as well. Make sure to drink plenty of water. Something like Mother's Milk tea might help. There are LOTS of supplements and such you could use to increase supply as well.

I had horrible supply issues right from the get go, but managed to BF for about 14 months. Could write a book on how to boost supply. The most important thing is to put your baby to the breast as much as possible.

yesthistime

Breastfeeding groups on MFP:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/search?phrase=breastfeeding&order=0

katythemommy

If you aren't eating enough calories, your breast milk is the first thing to go! At least in my experience. I'm exclusively feeding my 4 month old and had to up my calories to keep my milk from drying up.

For me, I'm losing weight much more slowly but being able to breastfeed is worth it

ariant23

I had supply problems too. My daughter self-weaned a few months ago around 9.5 months. I found (with my first) that any type of allergy medication (zyrtec, claritin, benadryl, nasal sprays) would reduce my supply, so would sudafed. I mentioned it to my ENT and she said that's normal, because all those medications work (at least in part), by drying you out, and your milk is logically affected. I am not pro-herbal supplement because it's not regulated at all by the FDA (and think of all the terrible things that the FDA with all of its good intentions let slip by). But mostly because natural does NOT equal safe. Cyanide is natural, so is cocaine. Neither are good for you, or your baby. I did eat lots of oatmeal like the previous poster suggested, because that's something that is broadly and normally consumed in large quantities. There are herbs that might be used in cooking, but the amount that you are supposed to consume to increase supply bothers me, so I chose not to use them. That said, lots of moms do, and if there were an obvious problem, those moms would scream out about it.

As for losing weight, I found as soon as I dropped my calories, I was close to dry and my daughter got all grumpy about it. I know everything you read says it's supply and demand, but my kids dont like demanding. as soon as the let-down spray was done, my kids both pulled off and refused to go back to that breast until the next time, I couldn't even do the left-right-left thing. I just nursed frequently. I also think my body would think that sustaining me was more important than the next generation, so if it was low on calories, it certainly wasn't going to lose more by feeding the baby. I tried to diet with both my kids, and both times I had to wait until they were done nursing. That's why I'm here, a few weeks from #2's birthday, and i'm still 4 lbs from my pre-preg weight, and at least 10 more to go beyond that.

But wait there's more.... I would suggest you at least do some logging, even if you can't "diet", I gained extra weight as my daughter was tapering off because I was still eating whatever, and now wasn't expending the breastmilk calories. so that was additionally annoying. all in all, still totally worth it for the baby bonding and health benefits for both of us. If you need any help or support, feel free to message me.

glitterpiss

Going through your food log, some days (many) you're only eating 100-300kcal a day and eating nothing but lettuce... How do you expect to produce breast milk when you are starving?

shellulrich

I was in hsop for 8 days when my bubs was 5months, before i went in i had no supply issue but being seperated from him for that long i came out with a much diminished supply, my left breast is at least a cup sixe smaller than the right and it hardly produces any milk to the point my son refuses to feed from it, i try to use my right as often as i can, i have slacked off from it a bit cuz it never seemed to build up, he'd just get fussy and upset over the small amount coming out and the delay in the let doen reflex. W ith my first baby i successfully fed her for about 2yrs and found i lost all my preg weight and more within 5months of her birth, second time round, not so lucky. kept on the weight, and it's affecting my self confidence and i pretty much am disgusted with myself it really gets me down. I spose looking at how much i eat on the food diary thingy, doesnt look like much. Sometimes ill fill out my plan for thae day in the morning and i eat more than id planned i fill in a day or so later. I try to stick to lettuce salad for snack/lunch and so far iv not felt hungry at allven thought i exercise, i try to go for a 90 min walk with my boy in the stroller everyday. i am still able to give my boy his morning breastfeed but apart from that its formula-which i hate using, and solid foods. The supply has been a struggle that i seem to be losing, and im overweight, i feel like crap. If i can sghed some weight quickly it will hopefully give me motivation to continue. It probably is a combination of the amount of ffod im eating and maybe my body thinks it time to wean. i am deliberately cutting down my calorie intake and upping my phiscal movement and so far it seems to be working. i slip up with my eating wen i have to make food for the kids but i reckon it's half and half ill slip up or have the willpower. I figure if i eat at least something than go without (iv had this prob since a teenager, get depressed, not eat, feel like crap, binge, hate myself and try to starve again the next day) by eating something even if just lettuce im breaking the cycle without beating myself up too much iv eaten. It's just odd i yet havnt felt very hungry. I feel hungry from time to time but ill usually have a tea of coffee or lettuce or a small portion of leftover dinner. lettuce ddefinately sticks out as something i eat everyday. And iv also noticed my erm, bowel movements have changed (sorry guys!) i think iv always had a sluggish system, not constipated just slow, and i seem to be going more often. Which i think is a good thing, right? I know im not eating alot, but i dont feel hungry. I swiped some of daughters hot chips for lunch i felt so sick after i ate them. Mainly, my milks been messed up for ages and it seemed to be going down further. I wish i could've fed him the way i did my first, i do feel like im letting down and feel a bit guilty. On the flipside i feel better im doing something about my weight.