How can you lose weight while you are breastfeeding

If you are asking your self on  How can you lose weight while you are breastfeeding?

The answer is Yes, if you are healthy. You may have put on a bit of weight while you were pregnant, and it’s fine to shed some it while you’re breastfeeding. Losing about a kilo (up to 2lb) a week should not affect the amount of milk you make.

It’s not a good idea to go on a strict diet when you are breastfeeding, but eating healthily and doing some gentle exercise will help you to get in shape. It is also safe for you to increase how much you exercise six to eight weeks after giving birth, if you feel up to it.

The Basics of Weight Loss While Breastfeeding
Here are some basic principles to help you begin losing weight after delivery while making sure you are producing adequate milk to meet your little one’s needs.

• Eat balanced meals and snacks every few hours. Newborns generally eat every three to four hours or more often, which means your body is using energy to produce milk that often.
• Drink plenty of water. Breastmilk is 50% water, and water is also an important part of the metabolic process. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least eight ounces after every nursing session around the clock.
• Hunger cues are the way the body lets you know it is in need of more energy. Do not ignore hunger cues or delay responding, even if you only ate a short time before. If you’re hungry just an hour or two after eating, perhaps the meal or snack was high in carbohydrates. Since they are a primary energy source, your body burns through them very quickly. Make sure you also have protein or fat with your carbohydrates to see if this pattern changes and you are satisfied longer.
• After you have been released for exercise by your medical provider, it is important to include some into your post-pregnancy plan. Work to establish a fitness routine that gradually increases in frequency and duration. Be sure to include both cardio and strength training exercises that focus on your core. Try to include baby when possible. Strollers or front-of-the-body baby carriers provide wonderful resistance to help get your heart rate up while walking. Get outside or to a mall to walk and spend time with baby. Your little one can also be a great partner for strength training as well. These demos will help you learn how.
• Remember that you gained weight slowly and you should lose weight slowly. Don’t try to do anything drastic to lose weight faster. Instead, work on establishing healthy eating and fitness habits that will allow you to maintain a healthy rate of weight loss without dieting. Remember it is important to include a variety of foods in your healthy eating plan. (Use the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for help.)
• If you are exercising, have a physically demanding or active job, or spend much of your day running around after other children and caring for your home, you may need even more calories than you think. Most times, hunger will help guide your intake to meet these increased needs as you work or care for your family. As long as you are listening to your hunger cues and eating enough to satisfy those cues, you should be meeting your body’s needs. A good rule of thumb if you are very active is to eat an additional 100 calories for every mile run or 15 minutes of exercise over and above the increased needs you have for breastfeeding. So, if you run three miles, you’ll need to add 300 calories throughout the day.
• Some new breastfeeding moms will continue to lose more weight after reaching their pre-pregnancy weight because they have developed an efficient metabolic rate. This may seem ideal, but it can lead to a decrease in milk production, which is not desirable if you hope to continue breastfeeding.
• If you want to drop below your pre-pregnancy weight, realize that your body may or may not cooperate. If weight loss was difficult before pregnancy, more than likely, you will have trouble both losing additional weight and providing an adequate milk supply. Instead of focusing on losing weight, consider your return to a pre-pregnancy weight a great success and focus on strength training to increase muscle strength and definition. The added muscle will help boost your metabolism!