Additionally, mothers of young children often just grab whatever food is handy, usually high-calorie treats and prepared foods. You may find it helpful to keep a food diary to record everything you eat. I would also recommend a trip to your care provider to rule out any medical causes of your extra pounds. He or she may also recommend a visit with a registered dietician to help evaluate your diet and guide you toward reasonable changes. Weight loss during lactation is best attained by lowering fat in the diet and exercising.
Most women can safely lose about one pound per week while breastfeeding.
Women eating about 2200 calories a day, a calorie reduction of about 25 percent, will usually lose weight. A breastfeeding mother should not reduce her calories lower than 1800 calories a day. Dietary adjustments can also safely be enhanced with a moderate exercise program. You should avoid any crash or fad diets that restrict you to single food groups or encourage very rapid weight loss. Riordan, J. and K. Auerbach, Breastfeeding and Human Lactation , Jones and Bartlett, Boston, 1999.