Weight loss while breastfeeding can be easy to be achieved for the reason that your body burns extra calories when lactation.
It is normal to store extra fat during pregnancy to be used up while breastfeeding.
After delivering the baby, it is better to lose the extra weight gradually, by sticking to a healthy breastfeeding diet and adding in some extra exercise.
Does breastfeeding assist in weight loss during pregnancy?
Breastfeeding may assist you in losing weight following pregnancy; however, the amount of weight lost varies by individuals.
Breastfeeding burns approximately 500–700 calories per day. To lose weight healthily while breastfeeding, it’s critical to follow your doctor’s calorie guidelines. Additionally, you must obtain approval from your physician before starting activity following childbirth.
Continue reading to learn more about nursing and postpartum weight reduction.
Weight loss while breastfeeding, how to do that safely?
It is typical for pregnant women to store additional fat to be used up during breastfeeding. Mothers lose this excess weight at varying rates – some in the early weeks, some later, and some not at all until after they have ceased breastfeeding.
However, it is critical that you remove this excess weight at some point and do not carry it into another pregnancy or later life.
If this occurs, it makes it significantly more difficult to regain a healthy weight in the future. While producing breast milk requires kilojoules, it is unknown whether breastfeeding aids in postpartum weight loss.
1- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
Limiting your carbohydrate intake may assist you in losing pregnancy weight more quickly. However, ensure that you are supplementing with a sufficient amount of protein, fruits, and veggies. Maintain a daily caloric intake of at least 1,800 calories, and consult your doctor before beginning any new diet postpartum.
2- start your daily workout routine safely
Once your physician has approved you to exercise, gradually resume your workout routine. Concentrate on postpartum-safe workouts such as yoga and strolling with your baby. You can begin by exercising for 20–30 minutes every day. Weekly, perform up to 150 minutes of moderate activity.
Remember to breastfeed your baby before exercising to avoid engorgement.
3- stay hydrated while breastfeeding:
It is critical to stay hydrated while nursing. Each day, aim to consume 12 cups (96 fluid ounces) of water.
Consuming water and clean fluids will also assist your body in flushing out excess water. Additionally, if you’re attempting to reduce weight, avoid sugary beverages high in empty calories.
4- practice intermittent fasting safety while breastfeeding:
Intermittent fasting can be save during breastfeeding but only if you’re able to meet your daily calories and nutritional and fluid requirements. Source
Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. You can start by eating only during an eight hour period each dweay and fast for the remaining hours which include the sleeping hours.
5- Having enough sleep hours is critical in weight loss while breastfeeding
Sleep is very important for losing weight. A lack of sleep postpartum can increase appetite by changing hormones, make moms more likely to eat unhealthy foods and of course consuming more calories.
Sleeping also can increase metabolism. Many studies showed that sleep deprivation commonly leads to metabolic dysregulation. Source
Also reducing sleep hours results in having less energy for exercise and physical activities making you less likely to be able to go walking or doing any other workout.
The solution for this problem is by following these simple tips for coping with mom’s sleep deprivation postpartum.
6- less stress, less anxiety, less depression make weight loss easier
Postpartum depression and stay-at-home mom depression are real things that happen to a large number of mothers around the world.
These two kinds of depression, just like any other depression, can leads to gain weight or make the weight loss harder because it can increase the appetite by turning food into a coping mechanism.
If you feel depressed, ask for help, or see your healthcare provider. Alternatively try these 15 natural remedies for postpartum depression or these tips to battle stay-at-home mom depression.
7- Be patient
The most critical step to weight loss while breastfeeding is patience. Avoid self-inflicted pressure. Your body has just undergone significant alterations. While you’re probably eager to slip back into your skinny jeans, it’s wise to give your body time to heal. Given that it took nine months to gain that weight, set reasonable goals for losing it.
Remember you should always be proud of your postpartum body. Whether you gained weight or not, whether you had stretch marks or not, whether you scares or not. You did the most amazing and the hardest job on the world, you gave birth to a new human being that will fill your life with joy and happiness.