My Real Take on Breastfeeding and Diet
add_circle Pros
- My baby thrived on breast milk, and I didn't have to worry about allergies or digestive issues.
- The diet helped me lose weight quickly and easily - I mean, who doesn't love that?
- I learned to cook healthy meals from scratch, and my family still benefits from it today.
- The gradual introduction of new foods helped my baby's digestive system adjust, and reduced the risk of allergies.
- Breastfeeding and dieting together helped me feel more confident and in control as a new mom.
- I also noticed a big difference in my energy levels and overall health.
remove_circle Cons
- Following a strict diet can be tough, especially when you're craving something specific.
- I had to give up a lot of my favorite foods, including red fruits and veggies, which was tough.
- The diet restrictions were overwhelming at times, and I felt like I was losing my freedom.
- My baby still had some digestive issues, despite the diet and breastfeeding.
- It took a while to figure out what worked and what didn't, and there were some trial and error moments.
- I also had to deal with some pretty intense cravings, especially in the first few months.
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Editor's Summary
I've been there, done that, and lost the weight to prove it. As a mom who's breastfed twice, I've learned a thing or two about what works and what doesn't. When my first kid was born, I was eating whatever I wanted - cookies, butter, and cheese galore. But things changed when my baby developed severe allergies, and I had to follow a strict diet. I'm here to share my real take on breastfeeding and diet, and what I wish I'd known before. It's crazy how much of a difference it made in my baby's health and my own weight loss.
Specifications
Hello everyone!
I know a thing or two about breastfeeding and diet - I've done it twice, and I've got the weight loss to prove it!
When I was in the hospital with my first kid, I was starving and eating whatever I wanted. My husband would bring me snacks - mostly cookies, butter, and cheese. I was eating like a queen, and I didn't have to follow any special diet.
But things changed when my first kid had severe allergies. The doctor put me on a strict diet right away. I had to cut out a lot of things - no red fruits and veggies, no sweet treats, no fatty foods, no fried foods, and no processed snacks.
Grains were okay, but I had to be careful with rice.Hard cheeses were fine, but I had to avoid soft cheeses.Chicken was a no-go, but I could have turkey.Bread was okay, but I had to avoid crackers.Baked apples were fine, but I had to avoid fresh fruit.Air was basically all I could have sometimes - I know, it sounds crazy!It was tough, but I did it. I lost a lot of weight - from 75 kg to 50 kg - because I was only eating grains with water. I was eating a lot of grechka, which is basically just plain old buckwheat.
I even made homemade chicken sausage to make myself feel better, but that was eventually taken away from me too.
Despite all this, my baby was thriving. The doctors were amazed that I wasn't supplementing with formula, and we were both chubby and happy.
It wasn't until later that I found out my kid had an allergy to three types of products - chicken, rice, and eggs. We did an allergy test, and it was a huge list of things to avoid.
I was eating rice and chicken without realizing it, and that was making my kid sick. It was a real wake-up call.
So, if your kid has an allergic reaction, don't mess around - get to an allergist ASAP and do the tests. Don't torture yourself with restrictive diets from pediatricians. It's not that hard to get tested nowadays.
The point of the diet is to exclude allergic reactions and stomach pain - or at least, that's what I was told. But I'm not so sure about the stomach pain thing - it's not proven that food affects colic.
Personally, I think it's just a nervous thing - the baby's nervous system gets overwhelmed and turns into a screaming fit before bed. Their tummy might hurt, but it's not always the cause of their tears.
My second kid and a different diet:
Five years later, with the experience of atopic dermatitis under my belt, I had my second kid. I approached the diet in a much simpler way. I found a blurry photo of our hospital table, and it looked just like the first time - no restrictions. You can see the buns on the photo.
I stuck to my own diet when we got home. I cut out candy, fried foods, and all sorts of sausages and cold cuts. I ate super simply for the first month - rice and meat, all steamed, no sauce.
Even an eggplant was on the menu, but just a little bit. Crackers were my snack. It lasted me a month, and then my daughter was in summer and berries were in season.
I have to admit, I couldn't resist and started eating everything, including watermelons. But be careful with them - they can cause a milk surge. I almost got mastitis.
But the fried food was a different story. I was hesitant to introduce it into my diet at first. We made some pastries on the steam.
My husband brought back some salmon from his business trip. Red meat is a no-go by logic, but I ate it and nothing happened. Everyone was happy.
Then my menu went back to normal.
I don't even mention alcohol here - it's a no-brainer when it comes to breastfeeding.
The only time I overdid it was on my birthday in July when I had a huge cake. My daughter got a bit of a rash, but that was it. I basically ate the whole cake by myself.
Three months after giving birth, when the colic subsided, I was back to eating fried food too.
You don't need to stick to any diet when breastfeeding.
If your baby isn't allergic, you can have everything, but in moderation. For example, my friend had a huge bowl of cucumbers and her baby got diarrhea. But having one cucumber is fine. It's all about balance.
With this approach, motherhood becomes a joy.
I ate everything, including sushi and pizza, until my baby was six months old. And you know what? It worked for me.
When my baby turned one, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight.
I was around 70 kg (+/-) before.
I'm thrilled to share my post-weight loss photos - I've lost 50kg!
So, what did I learn?
Every body is different, and what works for my kid might not work for yours. It's all about trial and error to find your balance. Just remember, don't overdo it - you need to treat yourself to some goodies too!
A happy mom with a happy baby.
