Breastfeeding
LolaDeeDaisy23
Posts: 383 Member
Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I posted. I recently gave birth to my baby boy 7 weeks ago and I am exclusively breastfeeding. I was on the keto train when I conceived him, all the way up to 5 months pregnant, then I gave in and started eating low carb, and low carb eventually turned into eating donuts every other day😭
Long story short, I jumped back into keto after I gave birth and my supply was seriously suffering. I had to supplement with formula until he was 2 weeks old. With countless mamas advising me to eat oatmeal and take fenugreek supplements, my supply skyrocketed. I need to know, will eating low carb/keto affect my milk supply? Is eating carbs and oatmeal an old wives tale? Was it coincidence that my supply increased when I started eating more grains?
Long story short, I jumped back into keto after I gave birth and my supply was seriously suffering. I had to supplement with formula until he was 2 weeks old. With countless mamas advising me to eat oatmeal and take fenugreek supplements, my supply skyrocketed. I need to know, will eating low carb/keto affect my milk supply? Is eating carbs and oatmeal an old wives tale? Was it coincidence that my supply increased when I started eating more grains?
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Replies
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No idea, but maybe it was the fenugreek?
Congrats, by the way!
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All i can say after breastfeeding 2 times is, what you eating and drinking is what your baby is eating and drinking. Personally i would up the carbs (fruit and vegetables) until you stop breastfeeding. You have to think is the baby getting enough nutrition from your food. It could affect is developing.1
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I have no answers to your questions but wanted to say congratulations! I've been following your PeanutButterVibes and enjoyed the gender reveal especially. That whole video was sweet.. I'm surprised you gave birth 7 weeks ago. I didn't realize you were that far along. 1
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I breastfed my youngest while keto for 22 months. I had no supply issues. Do make sure you are adequately hydrated. And do make sure you are eating enough calories. Those 2 things will diminish supply fast. If you still have supply problems, just do mod to low-carb until the baby is about 6 months. By then, your supply should be going really well and then you can mess around with your diet, including any weight loss. Studies have shown that regardless of mother's diet, as long as she's getting enough calories, the nutrient profile doesn't vary much in the milk produced. So really it's a question of are YOU getting enough fuel to produce milk.
So like I said, make sure you are eating maintenance plus to account for the breastfeeding for some solid months. I had some kids that were just poor sucker or eaters. My oldest I had to supplement with formula for a few months. That kid just didn't want to eat. She self-weaned at 12 mo! She was just done one day.
My 2nd I couldn't get to stop eating but had to wean at 13mo because he was a biter once he got his teeth. 3rd had latching problems which finally resolved. She weaned at 17mo because I had to take meds that got in the milk. And the last (while on keto) was textbook perfect breastfeeding experience.
I hope my rambling is helpful.2 -
I was keto when i conceived my son but went low carb, 50 -100g net a day, while pregnant. He was exclusively breastfed until 8 months when we started some solids but he nursed until the night before his 3rd birthday. He nursed thru my pregnancy and I tandem nursed both kids for 16 months. I am still nursing my almost 18 month old. I am an over producer by nature, dontated over 400oz while I was nursing my son.
Even then, I have found keto to have a profound effect on my supply. I have to drink WAY more water and have to lower my carbs very slowly to get down to keto. And then it is still super picky and if I raise my carbs a but one day and lower them the next, I would notice a supply dip. Even if the move was 20 carbs a day and then 25 the next and back to 20. So for me, low carb while nursing is the way to go. I also noticed the kids didnt nurse as much or as well when I was keto, I am not sure if the taste or texture of the milk was different.
You will have to find what works for you, but things like fenugreek, oatmeal, flax and beer have all been shown to increase supply. Carbs in general I have found help increase supply. Which is why low carb and not keto has worked for me.1 -
Thank you everyone! I am definitely eating way above maintenance. Sometimes I eat more than 3,000 calories in a day😩 breastfeeding makes me ravenous. I’m actually eating more now than when I was pregnant. I’m drinking 1-1.5 gallons of water every day. I also have PCOS and a previous breast augmentation. I went to see a lactation consultant because he had latching issues and she said both those things can contribute to low supply.
I guess oatmeal and fenugreek was no coincidence then! I’ll stick with low carb and I’ll come back to keto when I’m ready to wean him.
@kpk54 Thank you so much for watching💗 I can’t believe it’s been 7 weeks either lol I feel like we just brought him home 2 weeks ago.1 -
keto is not recommended for breastfeeding unless you were already keto, but low carb should be fine. You actually require more calories for breastfeeding than pregnancy, I think the average is about 500 more than your normal maintenance amount.0
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LolaDeeDaisy23 wrote: »Thank you everyone! I am definitely eating way above maintenance. Sometimes I eat more than 3,000 calories in a day😩 breastfeeding makes me ravenous. I’m actually eating more now than when I was pregnant. I’m drinking 1-1.5 gallons of water every day. I also have PCOS and a previous breast augmentation. I went to see a lactation consultant because he had latching issues and she said both those things can contribute to low supply.
I guess oatmeal and fenugreek was no coincidence then! I’ll stick with low carb and I’ll come back to keto when I’m ready to wean him.
@kpk54 Thank you so much for watching💗 I can’t believe it’s been 7 weeks either lol I feel like we just brought him home 2 weeks ago.
All that being the case, I think your decision to do low-carb is the right one.
I did some pumping to deal with the supply issues with my first since she was so persnickety. It seemed to help.0
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