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How To Reduce Weight During Breast Feeding?

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Posted on Wed, 18 Mar 2015
Question: Need advice on losing weight while breastfeeding
doctor
Answered by Dr. Srilatha Myaka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Eat healthy and nutritional food

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,welcome to healthcare magic.I understand your concern.
In my opinion weight loss after pregnancy requires time and you need to work with patience.
If you are normal weight before pregnancy and gained 10 to 15 kgs during pregnancy it
might take 3 to 5 months to shed off extra weight.
If there is overweight before pregnancy or gained more weight than required during pregnancy then it might take a year or so to get to normal.
Well balanced diet is very important to keep you healthy and also for proper breast milk.
Dont diet and take not less than 1800 calories.
Take high nutritious and low calorie and low fat food.Fruits and veggies provide you necessary vitamins and fibre example apple ,carrot ,wheat cracker etc.Fish is a good nutritional and low calorie food.
Lean meat,chicken and beans are protein rich and they keep you hunger free for long time.
Milk and youghurt provide you enough calcium which is very much needed to strengthen the bones.
Fluids upto 3 litres is very important for body metabolism.
Sleep about 8 hrs per day.But it might not be possible with baby so sleep when the baby sleeps .
Exercises like aerobics or muscle strengthening exercises can be preferred.
Brisk walking for half an hour per day might be helpful.
Avoid stress of any type because stress causes release of steroid hormones which increase weight.
Breast feeding also causes the weight loss.
Also take the opinion of your doctor and dietician if needed.
Dont worry by following the above things the results might be good.
All the best.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Feel free to discuss furthur.
Best regards...Dr srilatha
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Pradeep Vitta
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Srilatha Myaka (3 hours later)
Thank you so much for replying! My baby is 55days old and I am exclusively breastfeeding him. Is it alright if I start exercising from now on? Will it affect quality of my milk? I gained 20kg and 9kg I have shed already.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Srilatha Myaka (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
You can start the exercise

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,I got your query.I understand your concern.
It is good that you have already lost 9 kgs of weight.And as you are exclusively breast feeding there is every chance for you to loose this extra 11 kgs in coming time.And you might come upto normal even before a year.
Coming to exercise as long as the quantity of milk is not affected you can do it and you might need more calories.If you feel like the milk supply is decreasing you can stop doing exercise.So you can start and check it.There nothing wrong with exercise at these many months after delivery.
Quality of breast milk will not be affected by exercise. Only the food taken by mother affects it. So take high calorie diet.

Hope this satisfies your query.
Feel free to discuss furthur.
Best regards.Dr srilatha
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Srilatha Myaka

OBGYN

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 2422 Questions

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How To Reduce Weight During Breast Feeding?

Brief Answer: Eat healthy and nutritional food Detailed Answer: Hello dear,welcome to healthcare magic.I understand your concern. In my opinion weight loss after pregnancy requires time and you need to work with patience. If you are normal weight before pregnancy and gained 10 to 15 kgs during pregnancy it might take 3 to 5 months to shed off extra weight. If there is overweight before pregnancy or gained more weight than required during pregnancy then it might take a year or so to get to normal. Well balanced diet is very important to keep you healthy and also for proper breast milk. Dont diet and take not less than 1800 calories. Take high nutritious and low calorie and low fat food.Fruits and veggies provide you necessary vitamins and fibre example apple ,carrot ,wheat cracker etc.Fish is a good nutritional and low calorie food. Lean meat,chicken and beans are protein rich and they keep you hunger free for long time. Milk and youghurt provide you enough calcium which is very much needed to strengthen the bones. Fluids upto 3 litres is very important for body metabolism. Sleep about 8 hrs per day.But it might not be possible with baby so sleep when the baby sleeps . Exercises like aerobics or muscle strengthening exercises can be preferred. Brisk walking for half an hour per day might be helpful. Avoid stress of any type because stress causes release of steroid hormones which increase weight. Breast feeding also causes the weight loss. Also take the opinion of your doctor and dietician if needed. Dont worry by following the above things the results might be good. All the best. Hope this satisfies your query. Feel free to discuss furthur. Best regards...Dr srilatha