The good news is that dieting is totally safe while nursing, but there are a few things you should keep in mind. Dieting should also be combined with work outs, as abdominal fat is hard to get rid of without exercise. Breastfeeding burns 200 to 500 calories a day on average. If the phrase "eating for two" got to you during pregnancy, don't let it carry you away now it is not, actually, necessary to eat more just because you are breastfeeding. Perhaps those burnt calories are nature's gift to moms to help them lose weight, or perhaps they actually build up that belly fat to ensure they will stay healthy while breastfeeding. Either way, eating good and healthy foods is far more important than focusing on how much you eat.
Studies have shown that breastfeeding mothers can safely lose around one and a half pounds a week. There is a catch though, or we should say two. Wait with weight loss until your baby is two months old and your milk supply has been established. And don't make a sudden drop in calories, but reduce your intake gradually. If you go on a radical diet, the chances are that your breastfeeding relationship will not be compromised but your own health will.
Besides dieting, exercise is the most productive thing you can do to lose weight. You can normally start with abdominal exercises at six weeks postpartum you need to give your abs time to close up again following birth or you risk permanent diastasis recti. If you're pumping for your baby, you may like to read best tips for better pumping as well.
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