Breast Feeding Diet That Helps You Lose Weight While Still Lactating
A rapid loss of weight during post partum could result in a reduction of milk supply. And in most cases, too much weight loss may or may not affect the milk production (composition or supply). Losing weight while breast feeding can prove to be somewhat difficult, and for the safety of your health, it is advisable for you to lose weight little by little and have an intake of at least 1800 calories daily. In so doing, the milk production and supply will remain high and you will remain energetic. Here are some ways that you can lose weight without affecting your milk supply:
- Drinking water in plenty.
Water is life. Drinking water daily is one good deed you can do for the general health of your body; regardless of efforts of weight loss or not. In terms of weight loss, water helps you to naturally lose weight as it:
i. Plays a role in regular bodily functions such as digestion, transporting nutrients, production of milk, blood circulation etc.
ii. Helps the kidneys get rid of toxins therefore keeping the body free of toxins.
iii. Inhibits overheating.
iv. Protects the skin from harmful UV rays by forming a protective barrier when it combines with the oil in the skin.
v. Boosts your metabolism.
vi. Reduces your appetite.
N.B: It is believed that drinking a lot of water increases the production and supply of milk. This is not the case. Just as much as a huge percentage of breast milk is water, water consumption and the production and supply of breast milk are completely unrelated. There is no need to overdo it. Increasing your intake of fluids does nothing to the milk volume.
- Eating a healthy diet.
Eating a healthy diet does not necessarily mean being on a diet. Instead, it means that you consume foods rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals, enough food to give you the nutrients and calories you need on a daily basis. As it is, you’re burning a lot of calories whilst you’re breast feeding and when you add exercising to the equation, it can bring about problems is caution is not taken. Some of the meals you can take include:
i. Fruits: they are a great source of nutrients such as potassium and vitamin A. Some of the fruits include: bananas, mangoes, oranges, apricots, red or pink grape fruit, prunes.
ii. Vegetables: they are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. A sufficient amount consumed goes a long way in filling the nutrients required to produce milk. Some that you can consume include: spinach, carrots, cooked greens, tomatoes, pumpkin.
iii. Grains: they provide important nutrients mainly whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread. Others such as quinoa have high protein content, and fortified cereals provide additional nutrients. It is advisable to only consume whole grain cereals since they do not have added sugar.
iv. Protein: foods such as beans, peas, lean protein (beef, pork, and lamb), nuts seeds, sea foods such as crab, oysters, salmon, sardines etc are recommended. Emphasis is put on sea food as it has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial in the development of the baby’s brain.
The nutrients that you need can be grouped into two and are sourced from fruits such as:
GROUP ONE NUTRIENTS;
v. Vitamin B1: can be gotten from pork, nuts, beans and fish.
vi. Vitamin B2: is found in cheese, red meat, almonds, eggs etc.
vii. Iodine: sourced from dark green leafy vegetables, iodized salt, milk, cod etc.
viii. Selenium: obtained from fruits such as seafood, turkey, whole wheat.
ix. Vitamin B6: gotten from chickpeas, nuts, potatoes, bananas, dried fruits, fish, poultry etc
GROUP TWO NUTRIENTS;
x. Foliate: found in asparagus, lentils, avocadoes, leafy greens etc.
xi. Calcium: legumes, cheese, leafy greens, legumes etc.
xii. Copper: potatoes, beans, whole grains, nuts etc.
xiii. Iron: red meat, pork, poultry, sea food, beans, green vegetables etc.
xiv. Zinc: dairy, poultry, beans, oysters, red meat etc.
The following food choices should be avoided during lactation:
- Spicy or deep fried foods. This may cause a stomach upset for your baby.
- Junk food or any food that contains saturated fat.
- Caffeine or drinks rich in caffeine.
- Alcohol and drugs.
- Sea food such as tuna, swordfish, mackerel and shark as they contain high levels of mercury.
- Sugary beverages as they have empty calories in plenty.
- Processed soy foods such as faux chicken nuggets.
- Diet sodas.
- Limiting the amount of carbs you consume on a daily basis.
Reducing the intake of carbohydrates daily can go a long way in helping you bounce back to your pre-pregnancy weight and body. But you should also ascertain that you’re replacing it with lots of protein and fruits and vegetables. Ensure you still consume a t least 1800 calories daily and also consult with your doctor before getting started on a new diet postpartum.
- Avoid skipping meals.
Having a new born has its own challenges; which can deem stressful to the mother. And such stress can take a toll on the mother’s health and eating routine. At all costs, you should not skip meals. Since you are a breastfeeding mother, you need all the calories and energy you can get in order to breast feed. And surely, skipping a meal or two is certainly no help.
It is never a good idea to starve yourself and is dangerous especially when you are on the road to recovery from childbirth. Skipping a meal tend to slow down your metabolism and causes a rapid energy loss, which makes it more difficult for the mother to actively take care of the baby.
- Take small frequent meals.
It seems counterintuitive, but eating frequently is important when you’re trying to lose weight. Eating and snacking regularly helps mitigate hunger and allows you to easily manage what you’re eating. If you get hungry too much, you might go for the easiest meals to fix; most likely junk or fast food.
Also, try keeping some healthy snacks in handy. Having treats such as nuts, apples or even carrots in between meals is an awesome way of controlling hunger. You can have the snacks near you so that you can grab a bite whilst you’re still breastfeeding.
- Exercising regularly.
During pregnancy, your belly stretches to accommodate the growing baby; and a rapid loss of weight can make it difficult for the abdominal muscles to reconnect. Having a well planned diet is only half the battle. In order to lose weight during lactation, you’ll have to exercise. With a breastfeeding infant, doing exercises can be somehow difficult. It is recommended that you should start exercising after six to eight weeks after delivery. Going to extremes can affect your body and the ability to produce milk.
Gently ease in to exercises. Once you are cleared by your doctor, you can start slowly by going to yoga, doing some kegel exercises and walks. Also avoid lifting heavy items. And before you start to work out, try to breast feed your baby; this ensures you do not encounter any engorgements.
- Pump and breastfeed frequently.
If possible, try to pump the milk as any times as you can. Probably every three to four hours. Pumping will stimulate the hormone that is responsible to produce milk thus burning energy. Ensure you are hydrated enough and consume enough nutrients that you require.
Also, it is advisable that you breast feed more frequently. For sufficient production of milk, the body will use the stored fat; and breastfeeding will burn a lot of calories as it uses energy.
- sleep
Having enough sleep with a newborn can be difficult. However, the importance of sleep cannot be stressed enough. Sleeping helps the body repair itself and makes it get back to its former healthier state.
So how does your body become healthier with enough sleep?
i. Your muscles tend to relax.
ii. There is increased blood supply to the body organs and muscles.
iii. There is the release of the growth hormone.
iv. Blood pressure is stabilized (if it was increased during the day due to stress)
So even if you are doing everything right and you are sleep deprived, there might be difficulty in shedding those few kilograms. It is recommended that you should sleep for about seven to eight hours every night.
Breast Feeding Diet That Helps You Lose Weight While Still Lactating
