Many things about pregnancy make you feel like a new person. Your waistline grows, your breasts change, and your hair turns blonde. One of the things that doesn’t change is how your body needs to eat to grow and develop. Now that you’re a parent, you may be wondering if your body needs to adjust to having a baby in it. Can you lose weight breastfeeding? Is it even possible to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy?
Here, we answer common questions about losing weight while breastfeeding. We also talk about the pros and cons of each lifestyle choice so that you can make the right decision for your situation.
How Do You Measure Your Weight Loss?
If you’re interested in losing weight, the first thing you should do is figure out how you’re going to measure your progress. There are several online calculators that can help you figure out your pre-baby body type and how much weight you need to lose to get back to it. Once you know your starting weight, you can begin your weight loss journey.
You don’t need to lose a lot of weight to benefit from breastfeeding. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that new mothers gain 30 pounds before their babies are born to provide the best possible nourishment for their offspring.
Can You Lose Weight While Breastfeeding?
Many people wonder if they can lose weight while breastfeeding. After all, your body needs to provide nutrition for your baby which it does through the milk that you produce. Can you lose weight while breastfeeding?
Yes, you can lose weight while breastfeeding. The key is to make sure that you’re not only losing the fat, but the healthy weight that you need to maintain your body’s best form. There are a few tips to help you out with this. First of all, replace some of the foods that you eat with snacks that are higher in fiber. Grains such as oatmeal, wheat bran, and brown rice help to bulk up your stomach, giving you that extra weight that you need to shed. They also provide your body with nutrients that it needs to grow and nourish your baby.
Secondly, take advantage of the fact that you and your baby are both sleeping more during the day. Instead of having meals every three hours like you normally would, try having one large meal per day, preferably in the evening. This will help to regulate your appetite so that you don’t overeat. Studies have shown that eating frequent, small meals can help to prevent excess fat storage, especially in the abdomen area. Having fewer, but bigger meals per day can also help to keep you from getting too low on energy, so that you can continue to make it to the end of the day without having severe fatigue. Smaller meals are also easier for babies to handle, so it’s a win-win situation!
When Should You Stop Breastfeeding?
Once your baby starts receiving solid food, it’s important to wean them off of the breast. This will prevent any serious health issues down the line. Your body needs to heal after giving birth, and if you continue to eat while you’re breastfeeding, it can take up to six weeks for your stomach to get back to its pre-pregnancy state. During this time, you may experience some discomfort due to an overproduction of milk, as well as loosing your appetite. In order to wean your baby off of the breast, gradually reduce the amount of milk that they receive over the course of a day. Start with a quarter of the amount that they normally get and gradually work your way to half or even less. Once you’ve weaned them off of the breast, you can begin to feed them food solid enough for them to chew on, but not so much that it reaches their stomach easily. You should try to stick to this guideline for the first few months, until your body has had a chance to recover and establish healthy eating habits.
Is It Best For Your Baby?
If losing weight is a top priority for you and you feel like breastfeeding is the best option, then go for it! Your body will love you for it and your baby will be grateful to you for the enhanced nourishment that it receives. Just make sure that you’re not only losing the fat and gaining the healthy weight that your body needs. Be sure to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits to maintain the proper nutrition levels in your body.
Some people believe that it’s not best for your baby if they’re not getting regular breaks throughout the day. This is especially important if you’re expressing milk heavily and constantly throughout the day. Your breasts need some down time once in a while to rest and rejuvenate, so that they can produce the milk that your baby needs. Short naps and night feeds help to give your body the best chance at producing the right amount of milk for your baby. Forcing your body to work all the time may cause you to produce more milk than what your body is used to producing. The key is to find a healthy balance that works best for both you and your baby!
As a new parent, one of the things that you’re most likely to be bombarded with is advice on how to raise your baby. Whether it’s from well-intentioned family members or friends, you’ll no doubt hear a million things from above about what you need to do to make sure that your baby is healthy and safe. While it’s great to have so much support, make sure that you don’t get too overwhelmed, because there are certain aspects of baby-raising that you need to do on your own. One of these is how you feed your baby. Whether you’ve had a natural birth or had to go under the knife, your baby will still need to eat. Even in the case of a C-section, the surgeon will still need to cut the umbilical cord, and your baby will need to receive some nourishment from somewhere. This is where you and your body come in, and while you might not feel great about it, it’s important to ensure that your baby receives the nutrients that they need to grow and thrive.