Breast Feeding Diet: How to Safely Lose Weight While Breast Feeding

Pregnancy is a time when a woman's body under goes drastic change and also weight gain. One of the first concerns of new mothers is to lose the weight they have gained during pregnancy. Even though this is a valid concern mothers must follow a diet that provides plenty of nutrition to the baby while breast feeding.

Once a woman has delivered she is usually eager to regain her pre pregnancy weight. The joy of having a child is wonderful, but the change in figure and weight can be difficult to handle. Normally after child birth there is an initial weight loss of ten pounds but the remaining weight may be more difficult to lose. For women who are breastfeeding there is a concern over dieting and keeping the nutritional levels necessary to support both the infant and mother. The most important point to focus on is a healthy diet that will be nutritious for both the mother and child. There are important tips to take into consideration if you are concerned with the weight gain during pregnancy and after.

To insure that a minimal amount of weight is gained during pregnancy it is important to maintain a healthy diet during pregnancy. While pregnant, consuming the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables will result in a healthier mother and baby. Proper nutrition also provides increased energy and optimal health during child birth and after the baby is born.

Calorie Intake

Some experts recommend that breastfeeding mothers need an additional 500 calories in their diets. Recent research has shown that this may not be required. The important thing for breastfeeding and dieting women is that they get enough of the food groups and the essential nutrients to support both their baby and themselves. A woman should be able to eat a normal calorie diet and successfully breastfeed at the same time as she loses weight.

Fluid Intake

For both breastfeeding and dieting a woman needs to make sure she is getting enough fluids. A woman who does not take in enough fluids will not be able to make breast milk and will not be able to burn the fat to lose weight effectively. A breastfeeding woman needs to drink both water and milk for the best success in these areas.

Avoid Rapid Weight Loss

It is well known that rapid weight loss is not the best way to lose weight and this is especially true when breastfeeding. When a person loses weight too fast they are usually losing muscle and tissue rather than fat. The loss of these tissues will cause a build up of toxins in the dieter and in the case of a nursing mother these toxins may be secreted in the breast milk causing harm to the baby. A breastfeeding and dieting mother should only try to only lose one to two pounds a week. This may not seem like a lot of weight but over a couple of months most women will see all the extra pregnancy weight disappear.

Seek Advice

The most important thing for a breastfeeding and dieting woman is to seek the advice of her doctor and the babyā€™s pediatrician. Every mom and baby has individual needs and a doctor can identify these needs and recommend the best possible course for addressing the needs. What is most important for the mom and baby is that they both get all the nourishment they need to provide for the most important times in their lives.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Marie Remy

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