Is it safe to diet while nursing?

Is it safe to diet when I'm nursing? I just had my first baby and can't seem to lose the 35 pounds I gained.

A healthy weight gain in pregnancy is between 25 and 35 pounds, but losing that extra weight can be tough. While some women are back in their normal clothes in just a few months, it usually takes a year to lose all the weight. Breastfeeding can help -- nursing burns an extra 300-500 calories a day. But what if you want to lose the weight more quickly -- is it safe?

Well, according to a recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM 2000;342:449-453), the answer is yes, breastfeeding moms can safely lose a pound a week without hurting the growth of their babies. Starting one month after childbirth, 40 breastfeeding moms and babies were randomly assigned to a program of diet and exercise or to a control group. Women in the study group cut 500 calories a day and exercised 4 days a week. The results were encouraging. After ten weeks, the diet and exercise group had lost an average of 10 pounds, compared to a 1 pound weight loss in the control group. But, while they were losing weight, their babies continued growing right along. Babies in the two groups had similar amounts of growth, both in terms of their weights and their lengths.

This is great news for nursing moms. Losing those extra pounds with the tried and true method of moderate exercise and calorie restriction is safe and should not affect your baby. But be sensible. The secret is moderation. No crash diets! Losing a pound a week is a safe, healthy goal. You're more likely to stick with it and keep the weight off in the long run when it's done gradually.

Labels: Back in shape, Pregnancy health, Weight gain