If you are a new mother, breastfeeding and wanting to shed some weight, you may enjoy this common FAQ. If you have any experiences to add, please comment; we would love to hear from you.

My sweet nephew Beau

Client FAQ:

“I’m looking to jump start losing the rest of my baby weight and was thinking of going paleo, as I have before with significant other. However, I do have some concerns about changing my diet THAT much since I am breastfeeding. My question is: do you have any info on the affects of paleo while breastfeeding? Is there a way to ease into it so that it won’t affect my milk supply? Any info you can find would be so helpful.”

Answer:

While my response is not black and white everyone, hence I do not know exactly what foods are currently being consumed, I believe it is advisable and surely should not negatively impact milk supply switching to a whole food diet, such as a paleo diet. Yet, it is crucial to keep calories adequate. With breastfeeding calorie needs can increase by 200-500 calories. Keeping hydration up is almost, if not more important too. Drink that H2O.

While I am not yet a mother, there are testimonials of moms who have breastfeed their children on both a paleo diet and a Standard American Diets and have found these observations:

  • Paleo breastfeed babies (meaning mother ate a paleo diet) had better sleep, fewer spit ups, less gas and few to no rashes on the bum or face.

Of course this is not scientific data, and all babies are different, but do a Google search and see what you find. I think there is some truth in the consistency of the above noted trends.

Overall, making the change to paleo or to a cleaner diet, you need support. Whether it’s your significant other helping you, family or frineds, I too am happy to coach you along. Please don’t hesistate to ask.

Hands down, you are a wonder woman. Having a baby is not a piece of cake and these breastfeeding months are not a bed of roses either. Changing a diet, and setting standards for yourself can be stressful. Go at a pace of making change that works for you and if you slip-up, no stress. There is tomorrow and the next, wide open for you to be successful with this goal.

Overall some suggestions of transitioning to a paleo diet is to be sure to get good fats (coconut oil, avocado, grass fed butter, etc) in along with some solid protein sources, such as wild fish, grass fed meat, free range, organic eggs. Fill up on vegetables and some fruit. The amount of fat recommended is likely more than you have been eating. Do not be afraid of fat  it is good for you, good for weight loss and good for your baby.

Cheers to you and good health,

Kel