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Atkins (or otherwise low-carb) and BF?

lilone_06lilone_06
in Breastfeeding
I was on Atkins prior to this pregnancy and, along with a good exercise routine, was able to lose 15 lbs to get to my goal weight.  I've kept up the exercise, but obviously dropped the Atkins diet since getting PG.  I'm amazed at how quickly my body has 'softened', even keeping up a good exercise routine, so am looking forward to getting back on a restrictive diet to shed some of this fat.  (I'm not averse to gaining weight while PG, I know it's a normal part of PG and am totally fine with that; what I'm not fine with is my expanding and softening butt.)  My question is, is it safe to do Atkins or a low-carb restrictive diet while BFing?  Or, do I need to wait until I'm done BFing and just do my best to eat a healthy balanced diet meanwhile?  TIA!
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Re: Atkins (or otherwise low-carb) and BF?

  • ridesbuttonsridesbuttons member

    You should speak to a dietician or nutruitionist on this one, but my gut says no.  You shouldn't be on Atkins or any severely carb-restrictive diet when BFing.  Breastmilk is very sweet and I feel confident that having a low carb diet would 'sour' the milk somehow. 

     

    But talk to your doctor, or a LC on this.

    promised myself I'd retire when I turned gold, and yet here I am
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  • juniper19juniper19 member

    I cut a lot of calories after pg in order to lose weight and around 5 months postpartum I did have a supply problem.  The ped suggested I start increasing my calories, but 2 LCs said that my caloric intake wouldn't really have any affect on the quality or quantity of the breastmilk and that you have to be truly starving (like in a famine) for the milk to be affected.  I increased my calories anyway, but that didn't help my supply, so I am inclined to believe the LCs.

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  • Laura EmerickLaura Emerick

    LCs, OB and pediatrician all strongly urged me to do no dieting until I was finished BFing.  I, too, love the Atkins diet.  It is really effective for me.  But I didn't mess with my diet in any way while nursing.  They say BFing moms need an additional caloric intake (if I remember correctly - it's 200 calories/day).  Also, you need to be sure to not get dehydrated.  The OB told me that if you wait until you're thirsty, you'll never catch up.  Also, BFing causes you to shed weight faster than if you weren't.

     This book has a wealth of information...

     https://www.amazon.com/Womanly-Art-Breastfeeding-Seventh-International/dp/0452285801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243018588&sr=1-1

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  • ladyalmalthealadyalmalthea
    Atkins/low carb diets are horrible in the first place. You will lose weight quickly at first, but you will have adverse efects. Talk with your doctor about your weight concerns. Eat a balanced diet, avoid refined and procese carbs, go whole wheat. That alone will help get weight off.
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  • FutureSRCFutureSRC
    A low-carb diet will probably hurt your energy levels and your health while you're breastfeeding. Your body prioritizes making milk over your health, so whatever is missing from your nutritional intake gets taken from your body's stores. As pp have mentioned, you will lose weight just by breastfeeding. I'm an unusual case, but I'm 30 pounds lower than I was pre-pregnancy (and I was not overweight to start). I strongly recommend looking at Eat Well, Lose Weight While Breastfeeding by Eileen Behan(?). The fat you're gaining now is there to support nursing, so you'll be amazed at how quickly you can burn through that.
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