7 Effective Tips to Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

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Nothing is more frustrating than looking in the mirror and not being satisfied with your own body. It’s hard, because you’re so grateful for your body for creating your sweet baby. But at the same time, you just want your body back. Losing the baby weight can be hard! But you’re already making a good choice by nursing.

Breastfeeding actually burns up to 800 calories a day! And the nipple stimulation causes the uterus to contract, helping to tighten up your tummy as well. Here is a list of ways to safely lose the baby weight while breastfeeding, and a list of foods that will help to keep your breast milk supply up as you drop the weight. 

breastfeeding

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The Secret Weapon for Losing Weight While Breastfeeding

I found it! The secret weapon for losing the baby weight. Sadly, it is not a magic pill, or a cleanse, and it won’t make you lose 10 lbs in three days. But, it is the seriously one of the coolest things I’ve stumbled across… are you ready for it? It’s the Postpartum Cure.

What is the Postpartum Cure?

It is a super affordable recovery plan designed for moms to help them lose weight while breastfeeding, heal diastasis recti (your abs), help strengthen your pelvic floor, and continue a healthy lifestyle as a mom!

Here’s what it includes:

  • Meal plans
  • Grocery lists
  • Snack ideas (designed to replace your favorite comfort foods)
  • Supplement information for increasing breast milk supply
  • Workout plans (with video tutorials)
  • Plans designed to heal your abs (diastasis recti) and your pelvic floor and the rest of your body
  • A Facebook group to keep you accountable
  • And so much more!

Katie, the girl who created this course, knows what she’s talking about! She went to college for nutrition, is very well educated in physical fitness, and she has had to recover from multiple rough pregnancies. She’s developed the perfect strategy for healing, both mentally and physically, as a new mom! So please, check out this course!

Tips for Increasing breast milk supply that will also promote weight loss

breastpump, breastmilk, bottle

1. Avoid bottle feeding when you can, nurse as often as possible. 

Our bodies are simply amazing. They will adjust to your babies needs, almost always! As your baby’s saliva travels in through the nipple, it sends signals as to what the baby is lacking. If your baby’s immune system is compromised, your milk will change in order to help your baby’s immune system get back to normal.

Also, if you’re nursing often, it’s telling your body that baby isn’t getting enough milk because they’re still hungry. So your body will adjust and start pumping up production to try to meet baby’s needs. This isn’t the case with every breastfeeding woman obviously, as some women struggle to produce enough milk. But for most women, the more you nurse the more you’re going to produce.

2. Pump after feeding.

As soon as your finished feeding, pump after. Similar to baby nursing often, your body will assume you are in need of more milk, and it will adjust. You can also pump on one side while your baby nurses on the other, especially in the beginning when the baby isn’t eating much, and your milk is overflowing as it comes in.

3. Offer both sides at each feeding. 

When baby stops feeding, they might still be hungry, and they weren’t satisfied with how much was coming out of breast number one. So try offering the other one to see if they are still hungry. If not, pump from that side.

4. Avoid feeding your baby anything but breast milk, if possible.

Breastmilk is all your baby needs for the first year of life. It can be really exciting to give your baby “solids” for the first time, but it’s not necessary. It’s actually not recommended at all until at least 4-6 months of age, as their little tummies just aren’t ready for it yet.

But especially if you’re trying to increase your milk supply, just nurse them. Unless of course you really aren’t making enough and they really aren’t getting enough. In that case, talk with your doctor about supplementing formula.

5. Try supplements 

There are tons of supplements out there that help with increasing your milk supply, such as mother’s milk tea, fenugreek or fennel capsules, lactation cookies or smoothies, and a ton of other stuff! You can read all about the Body Armor breastfeeding drink that’s on the rise!

But, you should still always check with your doctor before taking any supplements or medications of any kind.

6. Eat foods that are good for weight loss AND increasing breastmilk production.

There are quite a lot of foods out there that have proven to help with increasing your breastmilk supply, that is also great for losing weight! These are a few of the foods that can help you lose weight while breastfeeding:

  • OatmealOatmeal is a great breakfast for a nursing mother, as it provides you with lots of lasting energy and keeps you filled up for a while. This will help you to avoid excess snacking, which can make losing the baby weight hard.
  • SpinachSpinach is one of the easiest things to add to your food because it’s almost flavorless! You can add it to your smoothies, scrambled eggs, stir fry, anything really!
  • Mixed nutsMixed nuts are a responsible snacking choice! They’re high in protein, so they are actually filling you up, you aren’t just eating a bunch of empty calories. They are also high in healthy fats, which are very important in a healthy diet as well!
  • CarrotsCarrots are an easy food to add to your diet because you can snack on them raw, eat them with peanut butter to get rid of a sugar craving, or steam them as a side dish for dinner. They’re good any way you eat them!
  • EggsEggs are one of the best things you can eat while trying to lose weight. They are high in protein, helping to keep you feeling full longer. You can eat them for breakfast any way you’d like, or hard boil them and eat them as a snack or as a topping on your salad.
  • WaterYes, water is not technically a food, but it is so beneficial for increasing breast milk supply and losing the baby weight! A lot of people who think they’re hungry are really just thirsty. Before you eat anything, drink a glass of water. If you’re still hungry, the water will help to keep you from overeating. Drink another glass of water following your meal, to help speed up digestion. 

If you’re stressed about your milk supply, check out this online course from a breastfeeding master –> Master Your Milk Supply Course to really get your supply up.

I hope these tips help you to lose weight while breastfeeding! Don’t forget to check out our Breastfeeding Page for more tips and tricks!

*If you’re really concerned your breast milk supply is dropping and nothing seems to be working, be sure to talk to your doctor about supplements, or other strategies to get your supply back up! 

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Kayla is the content creator over at motviationformom.com. She is a wife and mother who loves to share all of the tips, tricks, and life lessons that she has learned over the years with all of her readers. Her primary focus is on children’s education, motherhood, and healthy family relationships!


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