Diet and Exercise While Breastfeeding: What's Safe and What's Not?

After giving birth, one thing that might be on your mind is losing the baby weight! You have your own body back but it's just a little heavier than before and you are so ready to be able to wear jeans that actually zip and button! But you might be wondering if it is ok to start a diet and exercise routine now that your nursing. Is it ok to diet while breastfeeding? What kind of exercise is safe for breastfeeding? Well you're in luck! I'm going to share with you some information about both dieting and exercise while breastfeeding and let you know what is safe and what is not!

Dieting while Breastfeeding

First, don't start any sort of dieting at all until your baby is at least two months old. Second, studies show that nursing mothers maintain an abundant supply taking in between 1800-2200 or more per day. If you've counted calories before that may seem like a lot but you have to remember your feeding another human being now. If you really want to decrease your calories, kellymom.com says you can SLOWLY start to decrease your calories to between 1500 and 1800 per day. 

My personal suggestion is to eat as much as you need to to keep up your energy and milk supply. The first few months of nursing I was hungry all the time! I can't imagine trying to diet then. Instead of counting calories I suggest maybe just changing some of your eating habits. Incorporate lots of healthy fruits and vegetables in your diet, and stay away from the cake and cookies as much as you can. These simple diet changes will prove to be very effective without having to count every little calorie. 

Also remember  to drink plenty of water! Drink to your thirst.  A lot of women find themselves more thirsty when they are nursing and it is definitely ok to drink water all day long to keep yourself hydrated and quench your thirst! 

Exercise while Breastfeeding

Exercise is a great thing! It keeps your heart and muscles healthy, it decreases stress, and it gives self-confidence! Exercise is definitely recommended for everyone, including nursing mothers! According to kellymom.com, moderate exercise should not affect your milk supply or the quality of your milk. 

My personal tips for exercising while breastfeeding are to do what you feel comfortable with and not to overdo it. Don't start an exercise routine right after giving birth until your doctor approves you to begin. Then start off slow, if you need to, and work your way up. I started with just pushing my boys in the stroller on walks and then worked my way up to doing the 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels. You may want to nurse your baby before you work out and wear a supportive sports bra so you are comfortable while exercising. Also, remember to stay hydrated throughout your exercise routine as well as before and after. 

Losing the baby weight is a big factor for mothers after having a baby. We all want to look and feel good. If you follow these tips for dieting and exercise while breastfeeding you'll be on your way to feeling great! 

Overcoming Breastfeeding Struggles

When I was pregnant with my first child I knew I was going to breast feed him. I went out and purchased breast feeding books and searched the Internet for any and all information that I could find. I remember day dreaming about having him and how he would instantly latch on and everything would be perfect. Little did I know...

Shortly after giving birth, I began to have problems with breast feeding. Thankfully, there were lactation consultants at the hospital who helped me. They helped me to figure out getting him to latch. But as soon as we got home, I remember that first night being awful. I couldn't get the hang of it and I was starting to stress out if he was getting enough milk. I ended up supplementing a little those first few days.  I decided to google and thankfully found a local lactation consultant, because I was so determined to breast feed. 

            source 

The above picture shows a generalization of how big an infants stomach is in comparison to how much milk a baby needs. 

I found a lovely office and I remember going there probably  5 times (not even kidding) within a two week period. Those ladies helped me so much. They worked with me on finding the right latch, position, what my husband could do to help me, handouts, and were just there for that encouragement I needed to continue. If it wasn't for finding those ladies I can say for a fact that I would have called it quits. I don't know how it is for others, but in my family  most people didn't/don't breast feed and have no idea what to do regarding it. It was a totally new experience for me. I strongly urge you if you are pregnant or currently nursing and you need breast feeding help to google your local lactation consultants or your local La Leche League. 

I really feel like the hardest part with breast feeding is the beginning. Once you get past the first few weeks, I promise you it gets so much easier. I went on to breast feed my oldest until he was 23 months old.  I am so proud that we made it that far after such a rocky-ready-to-throw-in-the-towel beginning.  The World Health Organization actually recommends breast feeding until 2 years old. Many people aren't aware of that or feel like once a child is one breast feeding somehow loses it's benefits which is not true at all. As long as mom and child are comfortable breast feeding then I personally don't think it matters. 

Breast feeding is such a beautiful bonding experience for mother and child.  There are a countless list of benefits for mother and child as well. I am very thankful for the opportunity to breast feed both of my babies and to help other mothers to have a successful breast feeding relationship. Just remember there are resources available to help you! Also, look into your local mom groups on Meetup.com as well for support if your family is like mine was and clueless about breastfeeding. 

If you have any questions regarding breastfeeding, please feel free to comment below! Remember the first few weeks is always the hardest, you can do this! 

Happy World Breastfeeding Week! 

This post is written by Malanda a mother of two boys, wife, and lover of all things crafty. In addition to being a contributor of The Not So Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom, you can also find me at Outnumbered  By Little Boys! 

Ten Tips for Moms-to-be Who Plan To Breastfeed!

I only breastfed my oldest son for about 4 months. Most of that time I pumped and fed it to him in a bottle. I contribute only making it that far on pure ignorance. I didn't educate myself on breastfeeding, how it worked, and what it would be like. So if you are reading this and you plan to breastfeed here are ten tips that I want to share with you that I wish someone had told me about breastfeeding!

1. Do your research before baby is born. Before I had my first I didn't really do any sort of research on breastfeeding. I just assumed it would come naturally. Boy was I wrong! When I got pregnant again, I really wanted to succeed with breastfeeding this baby so I read a lot of information and even took a breastfeeding class. I learned so much and it was all very helpful after the baby was born! Even if this isn't your first baby, it's always good to refresh your memory on the ins and outs of breastfeeding. 
2. Remember, it may take a few days for your milk to come in. Sometimes it takes up to 5 or 6 days! And the good thing is, your baby only needs the colostrum those first few days anyway so it will be ok! Put the baby to breast often to stimulate your hormones to make milk and then try not to worry. 
3. Remember to eat and drink! When baby comes things get busy and hectic and tiring and I remember some evenings I would think "did I eat today?". It is very important to remember to eat and drink plenty after baby is born, especially if you are nursing, because it will nourish you and also help with your milk supply. 
4. Babies have a big growth spurt between 2-3 weeks old! So if baby is fussy around that time, won't sleep, and wants to eat all the time, please don't automatically think you aren't making enough milk! Nurse your baby on demand as much as he/she wants to and just hang in there! The growth spurt won't last that long and your milk supply will adjust to how much your baby needs as he/she grows! These growth spurts happen every so often as baby gets older so just know that they are coming and everything will be fine as long as you continue to nurse when your baby is hungry! 
5. Those first few weeks your nipples WILL hurt! I've heard a lot of people say your nipples won't hurt unless something is wrong, like the wrong latch technique or lip tie. But that's not necessarily true! This is what I tell people to remember. If it hurts for more than 30-45 seconds after baby latches, then yes, there is likely a problem. But if it only hurts for those first 30-45 seconds, there likely isn't anything wrong! Your nipples are just adjusting to having a baby sucking on them every few hours around the clock! They have to toughen up and adjust! Just give it time! The best thing I could do for my nipples those first few weeks was lots of nipple butter and lots of air! I would walk around topless in my bedroom after I showered just so my nipples could get some air! It helped so much! 
6. Let other people help. They may not be able to help with feeding the baby, but it is completely ok to let your spouse or other family members help out with housework or other children or even with baby in other ways. Let daddy get some snuggles in between feedings while you go take a nap or shower. Let other family members cook dinner and do the laundry. You need that time to rest, recover, and create a good nursing relationship with your new baby.
7.  Have some nursing bras on hand. They have sleep nursing bras now that are kinda like sports bras. They don't have all the underwire and fancy lace and those were my favorite during the first few months, because they were so much more comfortable than a regular nursing bra! I suggest getting a few nursing bras before you have the baby and then going back for a few more after baby is born and your milk has come in so you get a good, comfortable fit with your "new" breasts.  
8. Have other supplies ready for breastfeeding. I remember the first full day home with my second baby we couldn't find my pump! It was nowhere to be found! So I had to send hubby out to buy me a new one! Supplies like the pump are great to have ahead of time because you just never know when you'll need it. Also, a nursing pillow is great to have and great to bring to the hospital. Don't forget other supplies like nursing pads, nipple butter, nursing tanks, and even a nursing cover if you want to use one.
9. Rest and Sleep. I know everyone says sleep when the baby sleeps, and sometimes it is so hard to convince yourself to do, but you really should! Newborns nurse around the clock for the first month or more! If you are the only one who is feeding baby then that means you will be up around the clock too! So even if it's the middle of the day and you the dishes need to be done or laundry needs to be folded, let someone else do it and go take a nap with your baby. Believe me, you'll be happy you did! 
10. Find support! I can't stress this one enough! Find other mothers who are breastfeeding and who know what it is like. Whether it be a local group in your community or an online group, it is great to have support. Your spouse can be supportive, but let's face it, he's never breastfed. It's great to have a group of mothers you can ask questions to or vent to about the ups and downs of breastfeeding. It's great to talk to other mothers who have been through or are going through the same experience you are going through and to encourage and lift you up. 

As you plan and prepare for your new little one, just try to remember things won't always be easy and tears may be shed, but it will always be worth it. The love you will feel for that child will make everything completely worth it. I hope these tips help you to establish a wonderful nursing relationship with your new bundle of joy! 

Five Things I Miss About Breastfeeding! {World Breastfeeding Week 2013}

My sweet baby boy is not so little anymore. He's 20 months old already! He's moving at full speed these days and in to everything! I love watching him grow and learn, but I do miss him being my tiny little baby like he is in the picture above. One thing I miss most is breastfeeding him. We had such special moments while nursing. He weaned right at 14 months. There's a lot I miss about it, but here are the top 5 things I miss most about breastfeeding.

Sweet Snuggles and Moments of Peace. I miss nursing Isaac right before bedtime in his room in the glider and just snuggling and enjoying that quiet moment of peace. It was such a special time for us and so relaxing for the both of us. I think that is what I miss most about nursing. 

Convenience Nursing was so convenient! Seriously! Out and about and baby is hungry? No problem! You can't forget your boobs! Fussy baby? No problem! Just offer the breast, I bet they'll calm down quickly! I have the hardest time remembering sippy cups now that Isaac isn't nursing anymore! And when he's having those toddler meltdowns I sometimes really wish I was still nursing and could calm him down with a quick nursing session! It was always so convenient! 

My Boobs! Yes, that's right, I miss my boobs! My boobs were amazing when I was nursing! Now they are barely there! I think they actually shrunk even more now that I'm not nursing anymore! I'm barely a B cup! It's sad! 

Mommy for Comfort Isaac is on an only wanting Daddy kick lately. My husband has been working a lot lately so when he's home, both boys want to spend as much time with daddy as possible. Which is great, don't get me wrong! But now when he falls and gets a boo boo or wants something, he goes to daddy. I used to be his only source of comfort when I was nursing. Even if it was only for my boobs, he wanted me, and that was special to me. Now others can comfort him, which is not a bad thing, but it doesn't make it any less sad for me. 

So Many Other Uses for Breastmilk! Stuffy nose? No problem! Let me give you a squirt of breastmilk! Pink eye? It works for that too! My itchy psoriasis flaring up? Yep, that too! I loved how breastmilk worked for so many other things too! 

Breastfeeding was awesome. I'm not going to lie, during some of those middle of the night feedings I would dream about the day he was not nursing anymore and imagine how it would be to have my body back to myself, but now that it is over, I do miss it. I will always cherish those breastfeeding memories for years to come. 

What do you or will you miss most about breastfeeding?

A few other blogger mamas have come together and we are linking up our breastfeeding posts during World Breastfeeding Week! So now you can check out all kinds of different breastfeeding topics in the linky below!