Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Eating regular meals and healthy snacks
• Part 2 of 4: Making healthy choices
• Part 3 of 4: Staying active
• Part 4 of 4: Get enough rest
• Tips
• Warnings

Breastfeeding is not only healthy for your baby, most women also burn some calories with it, which makes it easier for them to lose those extra pounds they gained during their pregnancy. If you want to lose weight while breastfeeding, you need to be careful. By eating the right foods, exercising and taking good care of yourself, you can properly manage your weight loss after giving birth. Breastfeeding and caring for a baby is time consuming making it seem almost impossible to lose weight as well. But with just a few adjustments to your daily routine, you can create a safe and appropriate diet that works well with your organization and your baby's needs. Be aware that your body needs a few extra pounds while you are breastfeeding (about 2 to 4 kg). As a result, you will not immediately gain weight before your pregnancy until you stop breastfeeding.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Eating regular meals and healthy snacks

1. Try to eat something every three hours. This may go against your habits, but it is important to eat regularly if you want to lose weight. If you are breastfeeding you should never eat less than 1500-1800 calories per day and most women need even more. Starving yourself is never good, and even dangerous when you're recovering from childbirth and breastfeeding your baby. Eating too few calories also has a counterproductive effect on your weight loss in the long term.
   • When you breastfeed, you also burn around 300-500 calories per day. Most women have been shown to lose their postpartum body weight as a result, even without dieting. You must eat enough to absorb enough calories and follow a healthy diet.
   • Although studies do not show a clear link between consuming enough calories during breastfeeding and milk production, eating too few calories can harm your health and lead to fatigue.
   • Eating meals and snacks at regular times prevents hunger and makes it easier to control what you eat. If you get too hungry, you will end up opting for easy and quickly prepared food products instead of a healthy alternative.
   • If you don't take in enough calories, your body goes into "fat burning mode," also known as adaptive thermogenesis, which limits the energy level you expend, including calorie burn. This can be counterproductive to your weight loss.
2. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Eating something tasty in between meals such as nuts, apples, or carrot sticks is a great way to reduce hunger. Nursing mothers, regardless of whether they work at home or outside the home, don't have much free time. It is therefore a good idea to prepare your healthy snacks in advance if you have some time to spare.
   • Keep your healthy snacks on hand while breastfeeding your baby. You sit still for a while, making this the perfect time to nibble in between.
   • Keep non-spoiling snacks, such as nuts and dried fruit, in your purse or diaper bag, or in your car on the go.
   • Wash all fruits and vegetables. Wash fresh products under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking them. There is no need to use soap or other commercial laundry products.
3. Aim to lose weight over a longer period of time. It is advisable to wait at least 2 full months after giving birth before you actively start losing weight. During this period you can get into the habit of eating healthy and avoiding junk food as much as possible. Once this period is over, it is better to lose weight slowly, but surely, rather than quickly. Half a kilogram per week is a reasonable goal.
   • Avoid fashionable diets, cleanses, weight loss products, fat-burning medications, tablet diet products, and natural supplements. These things can pose risks to anyone and especially to someone who is breastfeeding.
   • Studies show that if you lose weight too quickly, you put additional pressure on your cardiovascular system. Childbirth and breastfeeding already demand a lot from your body, so don't put extra pressure on your body.
   • When you crash diet, your body mainly loses muscle and water instead of fat. This makes it more difficult to maintain your weight than when you lose weight over a longer period of time.
4. Be patient. Losing weight after giving birth is different from woman to woman. You should view your weight loss as a long-term healthy lifestyle and not an immediate goal. You shouldn't lose heart if you don't lose pounds as planned.
   • You can lose some pounds quickly in the first few weeks after giving birth, but remember that not all pounds will disappear so easily.
   • Do not expect immediate results. It can take more than a year to lose the weight you gained during your pregnancy. Losing your pregnancy kilos takes time unless you are a celebrity with a personal trainer, dietitian and nanny living with you.
   • Some women find it very difficult to lose weight while breastfeeding, but lose more weight once they stop. This may be due to a lack of routine and sleep, which makes it easy to overeat.
   • Your body also produces the hormone prolactin during pregnancy and when you are breastfeeding, which stimulates milk production. Some studies show that producing more prolactin can mess up your metabolism.
   • When thinking about how much weight you want to lose, keep in mind that you will usually have an extra 1.5 kg of tissue in your breasts while you are breastfeeding.

Part 2 of 4: Making healthy choices

1. Choose foods with high nutritional values. Go for foods with iron, protein and calcium instead of foods with "empty calories" or high fat or sugar. Foods high in protein are very important as they help you feel fuller for longer. Try to avoid foods that are highly processed or contain only carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, cookies and sweets. This allows you to lose weight without risking nutritional deficiencies.
   • Good sources of iron include whole grain products, dark leafy vegetables and citrus fruits.
   • Eggs and milk products, like lean meats, soy products and meat substitutes, vegetables, lentils, seeds and whole grains contain protein.
   • For calcium you eat dairy products or dark green vegetables. You will now also find products that are enriched with calcium such as fruit juices, cereals, soy milk, yogurt and tofu.
2. Avoid highly processed foods, fatty foods, sugar, and caffeine. Not only will you lose weight, a healthier diet will also improve the nutritional value of your milk. Junk food and fast food mainly provide empty calories that do not give you the necessary energy to take care of yourself and your baby.
   • It is generally better for you to avoid the salt, sugar, and preservatives present in processed food products.
   • Reduce your fat intake to 20-25% or less of the total calories you consume. Replace these fat calories with foods that contain less fat but more protein.
   • Watch out for hidden sugars in fruit juices and soft drinks that provide extra calories with no nutritional value. Many soft drinks also contain caffeine, of which you can drink less than 2 or 3 cups per day. Drinking more caffeine can disrupt your baby's sleeping habits (and yours).
3. Track your progress. There are creative ways to track your weight loss progress. A chart that charts your weight can help you see how much you've lost weight in a day, week, month, and even year.
   • Create your own chart with Excel. Here you can process the most relevant information.
   • Download a weight loss chart.There are different types of charts that you can quickly find online. You can find and print them for free.
   • There are other types of online charts to keep track of your body measurements. You can compile your own chart based on what other people suggest.
   • If you want to chart your progress every day, weigh yourself at the same time of the day. Remember that you weigh the least in the morning when you wake up.
   • You can quickly become obsessed with your weight if you start tracking it in detail. Therefore, be reasonable and do not weigh yourself more than once a day. Also, don't get frustrated with your weight going up and down.
4. Try to de-stress. A new baby brings stress, but try to keep the stress at bay as much as possible. Stress can interfere with weight loss. When you're stressed, your body produces cortisol, which increases your appetite and makes you eat more. Stress can also cause you to store extra "visceral fat" around your waist, the place where you want to lose weight the most.
   • To reduce stress, write down your feelings and frustrations during the day so that they don't keep you awake at night. Keep a journal of your experiences with motherhood, breastfeeding, and weight loss efforts.
   • Talk about your feelings. Share your thoughts with your partner or a friend or loved one you trust. Talk to other moms online or in person about the challenges of having a baby.
   • Try to focus on the good times with your baby rather than the difficulties you face as a mother. Remember that your baby will only be breastfed for a short time.
   • Ask for help. If you are overwhelmed by the responsibilities of motherhood and breastfeeding, get help. Make sure your partner is carrying his or her share of the load. Ask grandparents to care for older children or to cook.

Part 3 of 4: Staying active

1. Do cardio exercises regularly. A simple exercise such as power walking can help you manage your weight quickly and efficiently, including your stomach. There are several fun ways to stay active while taking care of your baby.
   • You can power walk or jog while pushing your baby in the pushchair in the neighborhood where you live. This way you combine sports with a walk for your baby in a fun way.
   • There are many strollers with which you can exercise. Some are designed to walk fast, others are designed to walk briskly. Choose one that suits your needs.
   • If you don't like to push all that weight, you can also buy a baby carrier or wrap that you can use to go outside with your baby.
   • Turn your cardio training sessions into a social event. If other mothers with young children live nearby, invite them to join them for a walk. This is a great way to go out and spend time with others, which is not always easy when you stay at home to take care of your baby.
   • Do everything in moderation. Don't train until you drop, but solid workouts can be done while breastfeeding (of course, you should get the green light from your doctor after delivery).
2. Prepare your workouts. As a breastfeeding mother, you need to take some precautions for your own comfort and that of your baby. It is important to take good care of your body and breasts for milk production and breastfeeding.
   • Wear a sports bra that provides good support when you do energetic exercises. By supporting your breasts with a good bra you prevent nipple friction and discomfort. Now there are sports nursing bras for active mothers.
   • Drink a little more water before and during exercise. Drinking two or three extra glasses of water will prevent dehydration, which can affect your milk production.
   • Breastfeed before exercising. This keeps your baby calm when you take him or her with you and exercising without swollen breasts is much more pleasant.
   • If you sweat a lot while exercising, rinse your breasts with water before breastfeeding. Some babies don't like the taste of salt.
3. Try resistance or strength training. You don't have to overdo it to get results from strength training. Exercising any amount of muscle mass will burn more calories, even when you rest. Building general strength is also good for carrying your baby.
   • Use elastic bands or weights for resistance training and take breaks between intense exercises.
   • Working with small weights is just as efficient at building muscle as exercising with heavy weights and you have less risk of injury.
   • If you regularly lift weights or do exercises with repetitive arm movements, it is important to do this in a calm manner. If you notice that your breasts are becoming irritated or have a blocked milk duct, stop doing these exercises for a while.
4. Do exercises that strengthen your abdominal area or your center. You don't have to do 1000 sit-ups to see results. Regularly working your abs will strengthen the muscles in this area.
   • Pilates or yoga integrate many efficient exercises that strengthen your center. With yoga you have additional benefits, such as correcting your posture after walking around with a stroller or carrying your baby for a day.
   • Try planking or exercises in which you hold a position for a short time. Planking has the advantage that you work on different muscle groups at the same time, including the muscles in the front, on the side, in your stomach, back and even of your arms.

Part 4 of 4: Get enough rest

1. Get enough sleep. Most people need 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. This is a challenge for breastfeeding mothers who often breastfeed at night. However, it is important that you get enough sleep to lose weight.
   • When you are tired, you will be more likely to eat a quick energy snack in the form of carbohydrates or sugar. The reward centers in the brain become more active when you are tired and therefore you are more likely to look for a quick shot of energy.
   • A study has shown that sleeping too little can lead to eating larger portions and thus additional calories. As a result, your slimming plans can quickly get lost.
   • You are also often less physically active if you have not slept enough. It is difficult to exercise or go to the gym if you have had too little sleep.
   • Consider expressing your milk so that your partner can take over one or two feedings at night so you can rest.
2. Try to schedule a nap during the day. This is especially important for mothers of infants. The advice “sleep while the baby is sleeping” is worth its weight in gold. Accept help from family or friends who suggest keeping your baby for a few hours so that you can rest.
   • Don't use all the time your baby sleeps to do household chores. Take some time to rest while your baby sleeps. Leave some household chores to others. If you have older children, you can let them do simple chores appropriate to their age, such as doing the dishes, vacuuming, or taking out the trash cans.
   • Lying down in itself is very healthy for your body. Remember, your body works extra hard to make food for your baby, so take care of it.
   • Resting has additional benefits apart from the fact that it aids weight loss. A recent study found that mothers who rest are less fatigued and interact more positively with their babies.
3. Make your rest and sleep a priority. As a brand new mother you can easily put other people first. It is important to take good care of your baby, but it is equally important to take good care of yourself. Here are some tips to get as much rest and sleep as possible while breastfeeding.
   • Refuse additional responsibilities in school and work. Don't give in to the urge to participate in everything at your older child's school or to work overtime. Make time to rest and to be physically active. Put you and your peace of mind first.
   • Avoid caffeine, especially later in the day. Caffeine keeps you awake and wastes your chances of getting some precious hours of sleep.
   • Let the evenings pass slowly. Avoid watching television or using the computer or phone before going to sleep.
   • Make your bedroom a sleep paradise by keeping it quiet, dark and fresh. If necessary, you can use a sleep mask to make it as dark as possible.

Tips

• Multivitamin or nutritional supplements can complement your and your baby's nutritional needs well. Continue to take the vitamins you took before giving birth while you are breastfeeding. If you are vegetarian, your doctor will likely recommend a daily vitamin B12 supplement.

Warnings

• Talk to your doctor or midwife when you can start exercising again. Whether you can start again quickly or have to wait a little longer depends on how your pregnancy and delivery went. If you've had a vaginal delivery without complications, you can often start exercising as soon as you feel ready. If you have had a caesarean section, many stitches or a difficult delivery, discuss with your doctor when you can exercise again.