Reader Question: Dukan Diet while Breastfeeding
I got an email a few weeks ago from a reader that just had TWINS who is dying to get back into shape. She had an emergency c-section and has been absolutely exhausted learning how to navigate the world of mothering twin babies. She’s ready to start working on losing the baby weight though and asked our advice about the safety of doing The Dukan Diet while breastfeeding and nursing.
Singer Jennifer Lopez and model Giselle Bundchen are reported to have lost all of their post-pregnancy pounds on The Dukan Diet so we know you can do it too!
However much weight you have put on during your pregnancy, the first thing you have to understand is that YOU CAN LOSE THE WEIGHT! I know it probably seems like an impossible feat, but I know you can do it. I can tell you honestly that it took me almost 2 years after the birth of my second child before I was sick and tired of the extra 35+ pounds I was carrying around and decided to finally do something about it. I kept telling myself that it would be too hard, that it was too much work, but it’s a LIE we tell ourselves when we are afraid of failure. You CAN do this!
I waited till I was almost finished nursing my son before I started The Dukan Diet, but you don’t have to. My son was weaning himself and we were only night-time comfort nursing so I was not concerned about the diet affecting the quality of my milk. He really didn’t need it anymore! (Note: We successfully nursed for 25 months.)
It is not advised to follow a super strict diet while nursing because it will affect the newborn baby’s nutrition. If you are nursing and your baby is less than 3 months old, start dieting slowly and carefully to make sure you do not decrease your milk supply. We put the utmost importance on baby’s nutrition!
Eat as if you were simply managing your weight during a normal pregnancy. Think of it more as “Eating Healthy” instead of dieting. If you have the book “The Dukan Diet: 2 Steps to Lose the Weight, 2 Steps to Keep It Off Forever” skip to page 134 for a brief outline of dieting while nursing or breastfeeding.
The book recommends that you follow the Consolidation Phase with the following adjustments…
- Have 2 portions of fruit per day instead of 1.
- Using 1 percent fat milk and milk products instead of nonfat ones.
- Skip protein Thursdays
If you don’t have the book, here is a general idea of what your menu should look like:
Click here to download the PDF printable version of the Dukan Diet Guide for Nursing Mothers
When you are finished breastfeeding, if you still have more than 10 lbs to lose, just start The Dukan Diet at Phase 1 and follow it to a T until you reach your goal weight.
Keep in mind, that you might not want to aim for a goal weight of exactly what you weighed before having children. Dukan says the average weight increase is about 2 pounds for every 10 years on your age, above 20 years old. Plus add 4 1/2 pounds for EACH child. So a woman who weighs 110 pounds at age 20, should weigh around 120 at age 25 including the 9 pounds she gained from two pregnancies. (Source: The Dukan Diet Book)
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a doctor or a nutritionist! I am a fashion writer! Consult your doctor, midwife or nutritionist if you have any questions or concerns!