Diet for Hypoglycemia

can i do the low carb diet while still breastfeeding?

My son is 4 months and i want to start a diet for the new year....is the low carb dangerous to my baby if i do it while breastfeeding? or should i wait to start any diets?

Public Comments

1. I've always heard that you should never diet while breastfeeding. Wait until after the baby is weaned....
2. Have you looked into weight watchers? They have programs designed for breastfeeding moms. Good luck, and congrats on the little guy!
3. I wouldn't recommend it. My take on this is that a balanced diet which has carbs is highly recommended by many doctors. My personal take is that humans have evolved to need carbs. The baby inside of you also needs those same nutrients. Just a thought... why go on a low carb diet to lose weight? A healthy baby is more important than you being on a weight loss diet.
4. i don't recommend it. low carb diets help you lose weight but aren't healthy in terms of nutrition. carbs are necessary for proper growth a baby and if they lack it they are at risk of being malnurished
5. Just eat healthy carbs such as lots of green veggies, and fruits.
6. definitely do not do a lowcarb diet while breastfeeding! your body is burning a lot of calories, and you need that energy from carbs. talk to your doctor about a safe way of lowering your caloric intake without affecting breastfeeding. when i was exclusively nursing, no matter how much i ate (and i ate a lot!) i was always hungry. so i can't imagine having gone lowcarb at that time. i'm sure you look fine, don't be so hard on yourself. you just had a baby 4 months ago, your body is still recovering.
7. There is a whole page on it at the ever-reliable kellymom.com -- "Low carb diets and breastfeeding" http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-lowcarb.html
8. You are better off doing almost any other kind of diet. Weight Watchers has a great plan for breastfeeding women. Low carb diets and breastfeeding http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-lowcarb.html High protein, low carbohydrate diets like the Atkins diet and the South Beach diet are very popular. These diets can be helpful for diabetics and people with gluten intolerance. In these diets, protein and high fat foods are not restricted; vegetables are limited. The main difference between Atkins and South Beach seems to be that the South Beach diet is less structured and emphasizes eating healthier, mostly unsaturated fats. The primary objections I've seen to these and similar diets -- and this applies to everyone, not just nursing mothers -- is simply the fact that they are not balanced and thus have the potential to make you feel unwell. These diets tend to be low in phytochemicals, antioxidants and folic acid. They also tend to be low in fiber and minerals (including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus & potassium), and the Atkins diet may be high in saturated fats. Because of this, long-term adherence to these diets may increase your risk for various health problems. Since some of the weight loss from these diets is simply due to water loss, dehydration is a risk if the dieter is not careful to drink plenty of water. Some moms have found that very low carb diets decrease milk supply. Going off the diet generally brings milk volume right back up again. Can I diet while breastfeeding? http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-weightloss.html Wait until your baby is two months old before dieting It's best not to do anything consciously to lose weight until after the second month. This gives your body enough time to successfully establish a healthy milk supply that is less likely to be adversely affected if your caloric intake is restricted. Breastfeeding your baby, on average, burns 200-500 calories per day (above what you needed to maintain your pre-pregnancy weight) -- so keep in mind that even without a weight loss program you are burning extra calories. Breastfeed without restriction Research tells us that both more frequent breastfeeding and breastfeeding longer than six months increases maternal weight loss. Eat at least 1500-1800 calories per day While nursing, you should not consume less than 1500-1800 calories per day, and most women should stay at the high end of this range. Some mothers will require much more than this, but studies show that going below this number may put supply at risk. Keep weight loss at less than 1.5 pounds per week Most moms can safely lose up to 1.5 pounds per week or 6 pounds per month after the second month and not affect milk supply or baby's well being. One study has suggested that short-term weight loss of 2.2 pounds (1 kg) per week is not a problem (in this study, moms dieted for 11 days). Decrease the calories gradually A sudden drop in calories can reduce milk supply. Some moms notice this during an illness, although dehydration and/or medication use could also be a factor in reduced milk supply when mom is sick. It has been hypothesized that a sudden calorie decrease can cause mom's body to go into "starvation mode" and cut nonessential resources such as milk production. Avoid quick-fix solutions Liquid diets, low-carb diets, fad diets, weight loss medication, etc. are not recommended while breastfeeding.