World Breastfeeding Week on August, 2024: Breastfeeding?

World Breastfeeding Week 2024.

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You can diet while breastfeeding within reason, just no crazy starvation "only eat cabbage" diets. And the weight watchers one is really good. Of course you *may* not need to diet as breastfeeding burns about 500 calories a day.

Anyway here are the "rules" for dieting and exercising while breastfeeding -of course you should always listen to your body and all moms watch their babies all the time to make sure they are getting enough milk. Ultimately though remember that women who have access to very little food (like corn or millet, with a few veggies) and have to walk an hour for water manage to breastfeed just fine.

Do I need to maintain a perfect diet while breastfeeding?

The short answer to this question is NO – you do not need to maintain a perfect diet in order to provide quality milk for your baby. In fact, research tells us that the quality of a mother’s diet has little influence on her milk. Nature is very forgiving – mother’s milk is designed to provide for and protect baby even in times of hardship and famine. A poor diet is more likely to affect the mother than her breastfed baby.

It's common to hear women say that they want to wean (or not breastfeed at all) because they miss drinking coffee, or want to have an occasional glass of wine, or don't like worrying constantly about everything they eat. Guess what? You can drink caffeinated beverages (in moderation), have an occasional drink, eat what you want and still provide your baby with the absolute best nutrition and immunological protection - mother's own milk.

According to Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D., breastfeeding researcher and anthropologist, women throughout the world make ample amounts of quality milk while eating diets composed almost entirely of rice (or millet or sorghum) with a tiny amount of vegetables and occasional meat.

Are healthy eating habits recommended for mom? Absolutely! You will be healthier and feel better if you eat well. It is best for anyone to eat a variety of foods, in close to their naturally-occurring state, but this is not necessary for providing quality milk or for maintaining milk supply. Although it is certainly not recommended, a breastfeeding mother could live on a diet of junk food – mom would not thrive on that diet, but her milk would still meet her baby's needs.

Exercise and Breastfeeding

Can I diet while breastfeeding?

Low carb diets and breastfeeding

Breastfeeding?!?!?!?!!?!?

Breast milk is the world best superfood, I have breast feed all my gremlins, I have had some problems with engorgement(swollen breasts), and a blocked milk duct, that my baby cleared for me. I had the flu, 3 weeks ago, everyone got it except daddy(he had the needle) and my 5 month old, because he is breastfeed...MAGIC!!! My boobs are bigger now than they ever were, and no never got stretch marks for breastfeeding, and mine went at one stage from a c cup to an e cup!! amazing little things aren't they, and I can say my husband has had any complaints about his toys either! My advise if you breastfeed, invest in great nursing bras!! Also it is scientifically proven it is not breastfeeding that makes your breast sag/change it is pregnancy, so you see, breastfeeding makes no difference, just does all the good in the world for bub!