There is no doubt that breastfeeding is the best way to feed a newborn because a mother’s milk contains essential vitamins and minerals that the baby needs in order to grow stronger and healthier as the days pass by. What’s more, breastfeeding helps mothers to heal after giving birth but even though breastfeeding burns a lot of calories, sometimes, it is not enough to reduce the amount of fat that they gained during their pregnancy. Of course, going on a diet can be worrisome because it may affect milk production so what can new mothers do to lose weight while breastfeeding?
Health experts recommend that mothers follow a meal plan that contains healthy ingredients and accompany it with light to moderate workouts for better weight loss results. Here are some tips that nutritionists recommend for breastfeeding mothers.
- Prepare a well-balanced diet. One of the best things about breast milk is that your baby is still getting his much needed nutrition even though the kind of food you eat isn’t perfect. However, you shouldn’t think that just because your baby won’t get affected by your diet it doesn’t mean that you will stick to your usual eating habits. Keep in mind that your baby will be constantly hungry and the more you feed him, the more energy your body will need to supply milk. Without fueling yourself with the right kinds of food, not only will your milk production will be limited but you’ll also grow more tired and unable to keep up with the demands of your baby.
- Go for slow but steady weight loss goals. There are some mothers who just seem to shed those excess pounds with ease while others don’t. Instead of pushing yourself to lose weight quickly because you want to achieve your goal faster, give your body time to adjust. Keep in mind that the weight you just put in took you nine months so it won’t be a smart move to lose weight in just a few months. At best, you should give yourself a year before you can achieve your weight.
- Avoid counting calories. There is no given number of calories that a nursing mom requires because it usually differs from one woman to the next. However, in general, women who are breastfeeding need to have 500 calories more which means that they will need around 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day. But it’s not really a good idea for you to count calories but rather follow what your body is saying. If you’re feeling hungry, go for snacks that are healthy and not those that are high in sodium or sugar content. There are many factors that can affect how hungry you are such as your weight, your metabolism, age, and even genetics. Just pay attention to what your body is saying and use it as a cue as to whether you should eat now or later.
These are just a few tips on how you can make your diet plan work for you especially when you are breastfeeding. Keep in mind that as a new mother, you will also need to take care of yourself while breastfeeding which includes losing weight that you have gained for the past nine months. A word of caution, don’t push yourself to lose weight fast because your body may react to it negatively.
