Dieting and reduction of milk supply?

**jonesso** · 30-11-2005 12:14

Hi mummies

I have recently started dieting and exercising as I am about 30kg overweight and feeling awful. I've reduced my meal sizes, stopped snacking and cut down on a lot of dairy and carbs that I was having before. The good news is that I am starting to lose weight and my bub is less colicky than he was, but the bad news is that my already lowish milk supply is fading fast. At the moment the only breastfeeds that satisfy bub are the night feeds and the one first thing in the morning. The rest leaves him screaming and screaming.

Prior to the diet bub had 5-6 breastfeeds and 2 bottles of 150mL formula each day. The past three days I have had to give him 4 bottles of formula as only 3 of the breastfeeds have satisfied him.

My bub is 4 months old and getting very active, rolling everywhere and trying to get up on all fours, so part of it may be that he is hungrier than he used to be too, but there is definitely less milk than before. If I try to hand express after he comes off v. little, if anything at all, comes out.

Is it the diet? Is it just that bub needs more? Is it feesible to keep the 3 feeds I can still do going and bottles for the rest? I'd be quite happy with that if it were possible.

Thanks girls.

**Manxie** · 30-11-2005 17:05

Hi Sonia

Sorry I dont know the answer but thought I'd help get your post back out there

. Also I've just started cutting the "crap" out of my diet so do have a vested interest in someone giving you some answers

Gd luck

**drewid** · 30-11-2005 17:20

Hi there

I just want to start off by saying its not recommended that you diet while breastfeeding. (According to all the literature I've read) Your body needs all that caloric intake to be able to sustain your body, and to produce your milk. Its a big job!

Also, I've read that when you are supplementing with formula, that also discourages your milk supply. Plus, if bub is having bottles and breast, he might not be working as hard at the breast, and therefore your breasts aren't getting stimulated enough to keep producing the same amount of milk.

I'm sure he is getting hungrier as he grows and gets more active!

Also, the amount you can express isn't a good indicator of your supply. I have hardly been able to express at all, and yet I know I have a good supply cos bub is happy and thriving.

I think you need to work out what is going to work for you. If you dont' think he is satisfied on the breast, then go with the formula. Just follow his cues and feed him when he's hungry, its all you can do!

**drewid** · 30-11-2005 17:21

Originally Posted by Manxie

Hi Sonia

Sorry I dont know the answer but thought I'd help get your post back out there

. Also I've just started cutting the "crap" out of my diet so do have a vested interest in someone giving you some answers

Gd luck

Oh, just wanted to add. Its a GOOD thing to cut out the 'crap' from your diet. But just make sure you are eating enough, including lots and LOTS of the good stuff, fruit,veg etc. You need to make sure your body has enough fuel to do what it needs to do.

**aardvark** · 30-11-2005 19:59

My understanding is that breastfeeding women should never diet below 1800 calories per day.

I'd be more inclined to look at something like a Low GI regime, which is based on protein sources, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and the right carbohydrates - the ones which are slowly metabolised.

I've followed a Low GI regime during my pregnancy, and it has controlled the weight gain compared to my previous pregnancies.

I'll be sticking with it when I am feeding, but not restricting the amounts - I'll be eating if I am hungry, but eating the right stuff.

OM · 30-11-2005 20:05

Wow up on hands and knees already, that is wonderful.

As for the milk diet prob, what sort of diet are yo following at the moment?

**Manxie** · 01-12-2005 08:27

Hi

See I'm hijacking this thread now Sonia!

Nicole79- Your advice sounds right

, I had just got a bit out of control and evil choccies and biccies etc had crept into my diet to give me those extra calories. So I am just trying to eat more fruit, veggies etc.

aardvark- I'm a big fan of low gi and suprise suprise since I've reduced my "crap" intake dont feel so hungry anymore.

One question though and I know that we need the calories to maintain the supply etc but the thought does cross my mind-can you body use any of your fat stores to help produce the milk? I guess I just see all the mums and my mums and bubs group and they seem to not have an ounce of fat on them and I want to look like that too

I have PLENTY of fat stores.

Thanks

**LucyE** · 01-12-2005 13:47

One question though and I know that we need the calories to maintain the supply etc but the thought does cross my mind-can you body use any of your fat stores to help produce the milk?

Everybody's different but for me, a big, definite YES. I was a size 8/10 pre-pregnancy, went up to a size 12/14 for the first few months after the birth (because I had a HUGE appetite from exclusively breastfeeding DS) and 18mths on, I'm now back to a size 10. My DH is so jealous that I've lost so much weight so easily

**FluffyDucks** · 01-12-2005 17:56

Hi All,

I have been wanting the post the very same question to get the opinions of other dieting/breastfeeding mums out there as I really want to lose weight but dont want my supply affected.

The only problem with this topic there seems to be different information wherever you go (I guess thats the same with any topic!).

To quote from What to Expect when your Expecting, p 361; "The levels of protien, fat and carbs in your breast milk arent usually affected by the levels of nutrients in your diet; however some levels of vitamins are. But though the quality of your milk isnt always directly related to the quality of your diet, the quantity of milk usually is. Women whose diets are deficient in protien and/or kilojoules for example may produce milk of good composition but in smaller amounts".

And from What to Expect when your Expecting, p 368; "Breastfeeding mothers with considerable excess body fat can cut their kilojoule intake somewhat without cutting into milk production and also lose weight. They will usually take off any remaining excess kilos when they wean their babies".

So does that help? Well from what I have read I am not going to drastically cut my kilojoules as I dont want to lose milk production but I have cut back somewhat and am slowly but surely losing weight. I have 1 1/2 kilos to go to get back to pre-pregnancy weight but as I was overweight anyway I am still going to keep going.

But if you are really keen to lose weight my health nurse said that Weight Watchers has a program specifically for breastfeeding mothers.

And re: low supply the have a look at ABA website -

HTML Code:

http://breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/lowsupply.html

Cheers,

Michelle

**jonesso** · 01-12-2005 20:52

Originally Posted by Manxie

One question though and I know that we need the calories to maintain the supply etc but the thought does cross my mind-can you body use any of your fat stores to help produce the milk? I guess I just see all the mums and my mums and bubs group and they seem to not have an ounce of fat on them and I want to look like that too

I have PLENTY of fat stores.

That's my thought exactly.

Let me give you my scenario - it may help you to understand why I am so keen to lose weight now...

When I fell pg I was 98kg. I put on 15kg during pregnancy - that's 113kg. Bub arrived, I breastfed, ate quite a bit as I was hungry and told "the weight will fall off, eat what you want as your body needs all the cals to make milk" and 2 weeks ago weighed in at 115kg

I have never been this big and feel awful, it is wrecking my head. So I decided something had to be done and I could not stay this way any longer.

To be honest, I did not think about the possibility that dieting could affect my milk supply, but it obviously has. However, I won't stop what I'm doing as it has come to a point where my own mental health outweighs the benefit of breastfeeding. Surely a healthy mum is better than having me curled up in the corner in the foetal position depressed because of how huge I have become and how physically awful I feel. I would love to have it both ways as I love breastfeeding my boy and I think it is so important for bubs to get the best start in life through the goodness of breastmilk, but honestly I have to do this, and if it means that having less milk - or worse case scenario, no milk - then it has to be.