South Beach and Nursing?

  • Popping in once again---a little history: In May 05 I started SB and lost a good 25 lbs, started a new job, gained 20, got pregnant in Nov 05, and now...drumroll...had the baby! (She's a beautiful and healthy almost three week old. ) I gained 10 lbs during pregnancy, and she was just over nine.....so far, 23 has come off without trying. I have a LONG way to go, and am wondering---how do I do SB while nursing? Phase one? Should I start on a modified kind of Phase Two? Anyone have experience with this? I'm feeling so motivated, because I'm about where I was after I lost the weight last year, so I feel like I can pick up the pieces, especially since my metabolism is racing with little piglette's voracious appetite. Any advise? Thanks! Noell
  • Congratulations on your new little (or not so little) one! South Beach, great as it is, is not recommended for nursing moms. I'll bet the weight will keep coming off with a less drastic diet ensuring your little one's nutrition.
  • fyi
    South Beach Diet Q&A: I'm a Nursing Mom ... Is the SBD Right for Me?
    From Jennifer R. Scott,
    Your Guide to Weight Loss

    Question:
    What are your thoughts about a nursing Mom doing the South Beach Diet? - Susan

    Answer:
    First off, I want to be sure that you have discussed going on a diet with your doctor. You need to get an official okay from a medical professional before beginning this -- or any other -- diet.

    That said, Dr. Agatston states that the South Beach Diet is acceptable for breast-feeding moms as long as they have their doctor's approval. However, it is very important that they follow skip Phase 1 altogether and follow Phase 2 instead.

    No nursing woman should do Phase 1 of The South Beach Diet. Phase 1 drastically cuts carbs and that's not something you need to be doing right now. It's important for you to eat some good carbs while you continue to breast feed, which Phase 2 includes.

    (For the record, if you doctor says Phase 1 isn't a good idea for you -- whether you're nursing or not -- skip it and follow the guidelines set forth in Phase 2.


    Children, pre-teens, teens, and endurance athletes should also skip Phase 1.)
    Please note that there is a modification to the meal plans that Dr. Agatston recommends breast-feeding moms should follow:

    He says you will need to add the consumption of three cups of 1-percent or fat-free milk per day to your meal plan while you are nursing.
  • South Beach phase 2 is just healthy eating. When you add in the extra milk, then you are eating the variety of vegetables and whole grains that will help both you and your baby to be healthy.

    Congratulations! I wish I had found South Beach when my son was a baby. You will want to make sure that you are eating enough calories. Oh, one suggestion. I nursed for 3 years and I do know that some babies don't like the taste of certain foods in the milk. If you are adding foods that you haven't been eating (I think onion and garlic were two that could cause problems), you might add them gradually and see if your baby likes them. While most of us use a lot of Splenda and it probably is perfectly fine, I did eliminate artificial sweeteners when my son was nursing.
  • Thanks for the input----after I posted above, I did some research and found what Debhope posted, too. It makes sense, because it is healthy eating. I'm a little divided on the Splenda thing,too, and have been even before. Doing a kind of Phase 2 is what I was thinking, and it's nice to know Dr. Agatson recommended the same. Now, I just need to get to the library and check out the book again (still too cheap to buy it!) And thanks for the warning about certain foods--so far, we've been fine, but I haven't done much sweet peppers, and they were a mainstay for me last summer. When my son was nursing, they were a major no-no, so we'll see. I'll probably be jumping on now and then as time allows--see you all next time!