Hiya all,

Well I took the holidays off from LC just from the Sunday before Christmas to the day after New Years and I gained 4.2lbs. I learned a great lesson. First I can't control myself off the LC lifestyle and second it does really work against cravings. The first thing I noticed after "going off" was that I nibbled on sweets all day long. I just couldn't stay away from the cookies and candies. How sad. Now that I am back on "induction" the cravings are completely gone again. I am still BF my daughter Ashley who is now 16 months old. However she is starting to wean herself abit she only nurses now before and after bedtimes and naps. So thats still like 4-6 times a day depending if she takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap. The biggest thing is remembering to drink lots of water. I started leaving a 1/2 gallon pitcher of water on the table to remind myself to take a drink everytime i pass by. Thats about how much we should all be drinking. Well hope all is well with you all, and that you all had a great holiday season.
Michelle

Hi everyone! I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Janie and I've just begun a LC diet and I am currently breastfeeding my 5 month old baby boy. I hope everyone is doing great on their lc diets!! I just began mine about a week ago and everything was going pretty well...the cravings were getting better everyday and I was beginning to see some results...HOWEVER, all day today I noticed that my milk supply was dwindling and by 4pm I didn't even have enough to feed my baby. I basically panicked and went and binged on just about everything in the kitchen... Has this happened to anyone else? Is there any way to keep my milk supply up while still low carbing...I would love to hear how you other ladies are doing it. Maybe I was just eating too low of carbs. (I was trying to keep it around 30-40/day). If anyone could share some insight, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks and good luck with your diets

Hi Janiebee,

I am nursing a 5mo boy, too! I am in my 2nd week of lowcarbing, and doing pretty good. I have lost about 4lbs so far, mostly water, I'm sure, but I'll take it! I feel great, have lots of energy and am able to exercise, and I have plenty of milk. That really stinks about your milk supply. I believe that the best way to keep your milk up is to get lots of protein, lots of water, and nurse as much as possible. Try to stay away from bottles of formula and supplemental water. I have been keeping my net carbs between 45-60g, incl a cup of whole milk daily, as well as 3-4oz cheese. Lots of veggies, too. I can't believe that white bread, sugar, pasta, potatoes, are necessary for an abundant milk supply. Quality calories are what you need! BTW, I am not restricting my calories, but I am watching them with FitDay, and so far they are between 1600-2200 (with the exception of a 3000 day due to ckn wings! )

Here's a thread I started, with a few other currently nursing moms participating. Feel free to stop by! Or you can pop by my journal, if you want. Good luck to you! http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=225123

Hi Dane,
Thanks for your reply and congrats on your success! I am doing all those things you mentioned though...lots of protein, water, and breastfeeding every 3 hrs. I haven't given him a single supplemental bottle. It's really important to me that I continue to breastfeed and I will give up dieting before I give that up. However, I do feel better and healthier now and I really don't know why this is happening...I'm eating much healthier now than I was pre-diet. Maybe I should try a cup of milk everyday like you...Thanks for the suggestion. If anyone else has any more suggestions, I'm listening with open ears!!

Be well everyone,
Janie

Hi there,

I am 9 months preggo and due any day now, and already beginning to research how I can somewhat LC and nurse and be successful at both. When BFing DS #1, my milk supply began to dwindle when I began the mini pill, so my doc recommended an herb called Fenugreek. Well, it worked wonders!!! I think trying this herb along with drinking water like it's going out of style should help. I don't know about you, but if I squeeze lemon into my water it makes me LOVE drinking it...otherwise, I would not be able to drink even 20 ounces a day of just plain water.

Hope to chat with you ladies soon!

Lisa
DUE 1-24-05 with DS #2, Logan Robert!!!

Hi Janie and Iluv/aka Lisa

Janie, Lisa had a great suggestion w/the fenugreek....I forgot about herbal supps. I have read alot about this herb, and Mother's Milk tea....over here I have Lacto-Tea, which has anise and I think fenugreek, too. I drink it occasionally...it certainly won't hurt to try it! And I was told somewhere, sometime..."it takes milk to make milk." Works for me! I hope you can figure something out, but I'm with you......do whatever you need to do to keep your milk. I think bf'ing is soooooo important for both, well, I'm sure you know the reasons!

Lisa, congratulations on the pending arrival of Logan! Don't ya hate the last few weeks? Anticipaaaaaaation!

Dane and Lisa,
Thanks for the suggestions! I tried starting out today again lowcarb...plus I was drinking a TON of water along with two glasses of milk, which seemed to help some, but my milk supply is still nothing compared to what it was. I will have to try some of the tea/herbs. As far as the fenugreek...is that like a vitamin pill? Can I get it in a health store or where should I look?
And Congrats to you Lisa on the upcoming bundle of joy!
Thanks so much to both of you for your help...Take care and hope to chat again soon!
Janie

Hiya,

It's so good to be BF'ing and LC'ing. For low milk supply try fenugreek capsules, Mother's Milk tea and at least half your weight in water (150lbs. mom drinks 75oz. minimum in water)every day. I started in September (daughter was almost 1) and so far I have lost 70 lbs. I had decreased milk supply for about two weeks then eveything was fine after starting the supplements. Go to your Natural Food Store and the owner/clerk can show you fenugreek and special tea. I have held firm to 20 carbs or less a day and my daugther still nurses 4-7 times daily. She eats table foods but nurses before and after naps and bedtimes. She nursed abit longer when my supply was low but that helped kick my body into a heavier production. Just keep to it. If I can do it you can to! My daughter is almost 16 months now and still shows no sign of wanting to wean. I am so pleased that she doesn't mind my diet change and that my supply is good for her. Added bonus is that mom is becoming healthier for family and baby Ashley is better for it too. Keep up the good work and healthy food choices.

Michelle

Michelle,

That is so awesome that you have managed to lose 70lbs!!!!! Congrats...you should be so proud of yourself! And to still nurse your little one, too! I took my first to 2 years, and plan to do the same with this one. I was a forum lurker when you first started posting in here, and I am pleased to see you back, and doing so well!

Hi Janie and Dane,

Janie: Go ahead and check at your local vitamin/health store. I am almost positive that it would be at most pharmacies but I am not 100% sure on that. Also, the water alone did not help increase my supply...it was the day I took Fenugreek that suddenly it came pouring out!!!

Janie & Dane: Yes, I am not loving the last few days of being pregnant but at the same time I am cherishing each full night's sleep I've been getting. I normally sleep 7-8 hours a night and only get up to pee once or twice. I am also enjoying being with my 1st son Gavin, who just turned 3 years old. He is at the age where everything he says and does cracks me up.

Have you guys and anyone else read the other thread about women GAINING weight while breastfeeding? Those posts kind of freaked me out. When I breastfed my 1st son, I lost at a steady pace for the 1st 6 weeks postpartum (I lost 30 of the 50 I gained) and then was stuck with 20 extra pounds, so I counted my calories (had 1600-1800 a day for about 2 months) and took walks to the park, and was able to those 20 and maybe 5 more. This time around I plan to do a combo plan of watching calories and staying lower carb...though I can't imagine doing Induction while breastfeeding and managing to keep my milk supply up.

Talk to you guys soon...I am looking forward to keeping in touch with other BFing moms!

Lisa

Hey Lisa,

Yeah, I've been participating in that other thread about gaining. I just had a light bulb moment, though ........ I gained postpartum, but eating high carb! So I'm not surprised I gained. Also wasn't watching calories, and I'm sure they were sky high. This time, I'm watching calories (they're around 2400), keeping carbs between 30-60, and exercising, and I'm losing. 4lbs so far, in a little over 2 weeks. I feel great, plenty of milk, etc. I'm sure you won't have any trouble.

Hi Dane,

Thanks for the reply. I just realized that you are from Hungary...wow, how cool is it that I've met someone from there!!!

So, you think you gained postpartum because of high carb? I am just so afraid that this weight is not going to come off like it did with the first, but I guess it's up to me. (as I sit here and eat vanilla ice cream with mashed M&M's in it...probably one of my last desserts before I become a 2nd time mom...any day now).

Take care and hope to hear from you and other breastfeeding LCer's soon!

Janie...did you try the fenugreek yet?

Lisa
Due with #2 any day now

I've been living here for the past 4 years, married to a Hun, but I am a FL girl at heart.


Now that I've been playing with FitDay and the progress tracker here, I am convinced of it. I was eating TONS of calories along with those high carbs.



Tell you what.......whatever it takes to get you through these last few days, and then the first month or so pp!!

Greetings everyone,
I see it has been over two years since the last posting and I'm just wondering if anyone has heard any current information on the effects of ketosis on breastmilk. My situation is very similar to those posted. I am still nursing my 9 month old, but mostly at night. He has taken very well to table food and I really want to try the induction phase of atkins. This is my fifth child and I had done really well on atkins prior to this pregnancy. I know it won't take too long to get back to my goal and I miss the energy I had from doing atkins. I think he would be fine with his nutrition, etc. as long as there is nothing harmful passing thru the milk. I'm trying to be patient, and probably will continue to be, if there is no hard evidence in favor.
Any information will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jill

Well, I apologize, I am new to any type of forum and just realized when I posted that there were 8 pages to this thread!! I just fininshed reading every posting and I am really happy with all the info especially, arnoldmj's information from her doctor about the possible toxins, etc. THANK YOU!!
I have been talking with people about this for months and finally found this site yeah! I think I will start up tomorrow, and keep a close eye on how my guy reacts. Thanks, so, so much.

Congratulations to all , I feel like I've just met so many people with very similar situations and feelings on motherhood, children, etc. I see there have been no postings for almost a month, but I would be happy to talk to anyone out there who wants to.

Hi Jilly,

Check out the Parenting Forum in general.... there are several threads from us nursing mommies. When I started LC in late Dec/early Jan, I was eating around 35g carbs or so, and I was in ketosis with that. My baby nursed just as much as ever, so he didn't mind the taste change, if there was any. As my is now 6.5 months old, I'm not worried about keto-milk, and I eat more towards 60-70g carbs now. Once he's eating mostly solids, and nursing only early morning/late night, I'm going to drop carbs back again to lose a bit faster. My only concern about ketosis is you will lose fat faster the lower carb you go (IMO), and I think that combined with nursing, might be a bit too stressful on the old bod! (Plus the fact I do strenuous exercise). Welcome to the forum!
Lisa