Healthy Weight Loss Diets For Nursing Moms

Like many women who get pregnant, you look forward to the day that the baby is born -- mostly to see the healthy baby, but also because you can finally reclaim your body as your own. However, if you choose to breastfeed your baby, you will have to take your milk production and your baby's feeding needs into account when you are making your weight loss plan.

Components

When you are dieting and breastfeeding, you must ensure that you get enough nutrients to support yourself and produce the milk your baby needs. To do this, you must eat a diet that includes dairy products, whole grains, lean protein, vegetables, fruits and a limited amount of fats. MyPyramid.gov offers a personalized diet program based on your baby's age, your age, your activity amount, your height and your weight.

Identification

A woman who is breastfeeding needs approximately 200 to 500 calories more each day than a woman who isn't breastfeeding. The BabyCenter website notes that this increase in calories means that a breastfeeding woman needs at least 2,000 calories per day. When you count the calories you eat each day, you must count the food you eat and the beverages you drink. Even if you choose to eat until you are full, the La Leche League International notes that you can still expect to lose weight at a rate of 1.3 to 1.6 lb. per month.

Considerations

In addition to eating a healthy diet, you will have to exercise daily if you want to lose weight. Since you are breastfeeding, you should choose workouts that allow you and your baby to stay close to each other so that you can breastfeed as needed. Walking while your baby is in a stroller is an effective workout. A 30-minute walk with your baby twice per day in between breastfeeding sessions lets you get a full hour of exercise a day.

Time Frame

It isn't suitable to start dieting right after you deliver your baby. Instead, the La Leche League International suggests waiting two months after delivery to start dieting. The waiting period allows your body time to heal properly before you start restricting calories. This doesn't mean that you can't eat a healthy diet; it simply means that you shouldn't cut calories.

Warning

Going on a strict diet that severely restricts calories while you are breastfeeding can lead to a decrease in your milk supply. If you find that you are losing weight at a rapid weight of more than 2 lb. per week or you don't seem to have enough milk to feed your baby, you need to increase your caloric intake.