After giving birth to your new baby, the first thing on your mind should be making sure that you tend to every single one of your baby’s needs. Beyond that however, once the initial period has passed, you may start to feel some anxiety over your current fitness and body weight. You want to get your pre-baby body back, but how?
The good news is that breastfeeding itself will help you shed some weight as this act alone burns a couple hundred additional calories a day. In addition to that however, you need to be sure that you are eating correctly.
Here are some do’s and don’ts that you need to know regarding your post pregnancy breastfeeding diet. Remember, your diet is directly going to impact the nutrition that you provide your baby, so it’s a must you are eating right.
Do
* Add a few more healthy and natural calories a day to keep up with the new energy demands – around 300 should be sufficient while still promoting healthy weight loss. 1/2 a cup of cooked rice = 170 calories, 113g/4oz of sweet potato = 100 calories
* Do choose plenty of low-mercury protein containing foods like lean cuts of meat, eggs, dairy products, and poultry as the foundation of your diet
* Do include wholesome, low sugar carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, lentils, and beans to keep your blood sugar levels stable
* Do eat plenty of vegetables and a moderate intake of fruits to keep your calorie intake in check
* Do pay attention to how your baby is reacting to the milk you provide in conjunction with what you are eating. Your food choices will impact the taste of the milk, so you can learn his or her taste preferences
* Do stay hydrated with plenty of water and milk
Don’t
* Don’t try and lose any more than one pound/1/2 a kg/500gms per week – this is a safe rate to aim for while breastfeeding
* Don’t consume high mercury fish at this time
* Don’t let yourself give in to food cravings for sugary or high fat deep fried foods – now is a time that you must nourish your body with healthy, natural food
* Don’t get hung up if progress isn’t as fast as you hoped – remember that weight loss is second to having the energy to care for your baby
* Don’t restrict yourself to only a few foods – the more variety, the better
If you can keep these nutritional tips in mind, you can feel confident you are on your way to a successful post-delivery weight loss.
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