So I want to start fasting, as before I got pregnant I managed to lose 30 pounds this way and now I’m trying to do the same. Funnily enough I’m back at the same weight (+5 pounds) on where I started before. It’s extremely hard though as breastfeeding gives me strong hunger urges and I end up caving after 16 hours. Any advice from moms that went through the same thing? Or how much I should be fasting?
No fasting during breastfeeding.
Not never. Just not now.
If you don’t eat the nutrition your body needs to breastfed, your baby will take what it needs our of your bones and organs. No joke.
Not never. Just not now.
I am breastfeeding my one year old currently. She doesn’t fully rely on milk anymore so I’ve been experimenting with fasting. I can’t do fasts longer than 18 hours right now or it messes with my milk supply. My body also gets mad at me when I don’t eat enough. Crazy headaches and hunger and feeling faint. It’s just not worth it. I’ll get back to fasting when I’m done nursing.
Focus on healthy habits for now. Get some movement and strength training in. Easy things you can do at home. When your baby is weaning, start fasting and the weight will melt off. I know it’s so challenging when you don’t quite feel like “yourself” yet, but you’ll be there before you know it. Also, congratulations 😊
Supply would probably not be a problem. The problem is toxins are stored in your fat. As you lose weight, that fat is metabolized releasing those toxins into your bloodstream and eventually in your milk supply, into your baby.
I’m going to be honest I’m breastfeeding an 18 month old which means I’m only nursing at night. My main function of weight loss my entire life has always been fasting or some for of IF. I am on baby #2. I cannot for the l i f e of me cause my mental state and physical body to align with fasting. I keep trying to fight it and I have been unsuccessful to the point of insanity. This is simple biology. Ur body wants to make sure it’s getting the nutrients to feed the baby. I’m at my prebaby weight which was high but my body won’t go over plateau. It sucks. But what you CAN do is walk and walk and WALK!! Exercise. There will always be a time to lose weight but the window of breastfeeding ur baby is a small one in the grand scheme of life. Once u stop breastfeeding it’s gone and doesn’t happen again till ur preg. So I would say try to counter with walking etc and eating whole foods till u wean baby. My goal is to be done breastfeeding this month bcuz I made it to 18months. With my first born I was overweight with her too while nursing. Once I weaned her it was easy as PIE to stick to my weight loss goals and got down to my lowest weight !!
Another note to add alot of people here compare fasting to running….. fasting while breastfeeding is like suffocating….just give urself time/space to nurture ur baby then everything else can come after 💐💕
It may not only harm yourself, but also may harm your baby. Your body responds to baby’s needs and milk will contain exactly what it needs. Women who are not using entire milk and are putting some aside will notice differences in colour. Make your diet rich in vitamins, nutrients and cut sugar and baby will suck those calories out. What people think or say is the least important thing in your and your baby’s life at the moment.
I never had any problem with supply and I did 20:4 about two months after I gave birth. That way my supply was already established. I focused on drinking a ton of water and electrolytes during the day and during my eating window I ate all my calories for the day then. Lost weight and nursed for two years that way. Also cleared it with my GP and Midwife.
Edited to add that it really depends on your body. If you notice any negatives then stop immediately and go back to eating regular meals. As for me, I didn’t have any negative side effects.