Losing weight while breastfeeding: why is this not a good idea?
For many new mothers, losing weight during breastfeeding cannot go fast enough: As soon as the baby is born, they would like to have the old body back immediately. Many of us lose sight of the fact that a few stubborn pregnancy pounds are something completely natural – and start directly with a diet. You can find out why this is not a good idea here.
Pregnancy pounds are annoying, but they exist for a good reason: with the extra fat deposits formed during pregnancy, the body ensures that the baby can be supplied with all the important nutrients that are passed on with breast milk even in the first months after birth. Why you should think carefully about losing weight while breastfeeding, you can find out here.
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ToggleIncreased energy requirement due to breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is exhausting, not only psychologically. The calorie requirement of a new mom is increased by about 300 to 600 kilocalories during breastfeeding. This is exactly where the baby pounds come into play: They should ensure that mom has formed enough reserves to be able to cope with this feat.
Contrary to the widespread pregnancy myth, a new mother does not have to eat for two, but she should keep an eye on how much calories her body burns and needs. Due to the additional energy expenditure of breastfeeding, many mothers lose weight on their own, but this varies from woman to woman.
Under no circumstances start a crash diet!
Due to the changes in the hormone balance, it may be that the metabolism has become sluggish and the body stores fats more long-term. Losing weight then becomes much more difficult. Out of frustration, however,a radical diet should notbe started at this point. Because the aggressive starvation of the fat deposits releases toxins that can migrate directly into breast milk – and thus to your baby.
Losing weight during lactation – and the diet associated with it – affects the composition of breast milk. This is especially true for the nutrients iodine, selenium, fluoride, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid and some fatty acids. Malnutrition affects not only your own health, but also that of your child. If you eat too little or even start starving, even your body’s own reserves are broken down if necessary – especially the calcium supply from your bones. Limited energy intake can also have a direct effect on milk production. If you eat poorly, your baby may no longer be full, you produce too little milk.
Losing weight during lactation: time, healthy diet and light exercise
Exercise and exercisecan help melt excess pregnancy pounds. However, this does not mean excessively doing sports and pushing the body to its limits. Pregnancy, childbirth and finally breastfeeding itself are a mammoth task for the body: give it the time it needs to recover. A healthy amount of exercise is perfectly sufficient, for the beginning even a walk is enough to get the metabolism going. If you are unsure when and how much exercise you can do after giving birth, talk to your doctor or midwife beforehand.
In order to lose a little weight, there is nothing wrong with focusing more on a healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and eating a high-fiber diet – and avoiding sweets a little more often. In addition, it is important to drink enough. Mamas should therefore reach for water, unsweetened teas or homemade infused water instead of consuming sodas or sugary drinks. After all, a healthy diet is not only important for mom: everything you have eaten is passed on to the baby via breast milk.