I did some research last night regarding breastfeeding and found out some really bad things.
Any time you're losing weight, you go into ketosis, according to some medical sites. In return, all the toxins, chemicals, and preservatives from your fat end up in your milk supply. That's bad! My baby is way too young to get those things in her system.
I don't know what to do to be honest. I can't wean her, she is miserable when I try to introduce a bottle of formula to her. I even tried again today, she's very attached to nursing. I can't NOT lose weight. I feel like if I don't do it now I never will. The last time I nursed, my other daughter, I gained 30 lbs from wanting to eat all the time. I can't bare to go through that again. I've gotten bigger than I ever have been now and that's just horrible!
Should I switch to Atkins and do the pre-maintenance plan where I lose very slow due to intaking around 30-35 grams of carbs I think it is. I don't have that book anymore so I'm not sure how it works, but maybe that would be a better plan for me. That way I can customize it better?
I don't know what to do. Any advice would be appreciated. I don't want to wean though, no matter what.

I followed CAD while breast feeding for about a year or so. My daughter was never sick and was very resistant to childhood illnesses. She used to bring the germs to me and I would get sick, lol!!!, I never had a problem. I kept my calories up and lost about a 1/2 pound or so a week with a few whooshes.

chemicals and preservatives are in "regular" foods as well. I breastfed both my kids, but didn't "try" to diet. I just tried to eat healthy. I cut out caffeine, AS, anything that I wouldn't feed my baby. I also lost weight. I also got my kids to take a bottle first with expressed breast milk before trying to give them formula. That way, they get the food they're used to, but learn to accept a different vehicle. I think you probably could follow CAD. Just eat more food at your CM's. If it were me, I'd probably add the CS too. And take your vitamins.. I don't know what to say about water though. I have no problem drinking water. Perhaps you would do better with bottled? I know "city water" as opposed to well water is nasty to me. I can understand it being hard to quit sodas though. It took me three years, but I finally did it. Good luck...

"I gained 30 lbs from wanting to eat all the time." If you follow the CAD, it should keep your insulin surges low, which will keep your appetite under control..

Im no expert... but I dont think I agree with that "if you are dieting you go into ketosis" thing... The carbs in CAD at RM I would think would keep you out of ketosis. maybe double check that part ...I could be seriously misunderstanding how ketosis works though.

Please under no circumstances go into ketosis I went on atkins induction whilst breastfeeding and I did not realise that I shouldn't.When my appitite went down so did my babies and his weight plummeted.In the end I just balanced my meals 1 cm,2 balanced 1/3 1/3 1/3 and maintained for 2 years untill I weaned my son.

By getting the right balance for yourself it gets rid of the constant hunger I had whilst breast feeding my other 2.

Jaden- my professor in my human anatomy 2 class told me that any time you diet and lose weight that you are burning ketones. He said you have to be actually losing weight though. He may be wrong, but he has a doctorate degree, so I wasn't about to question him. lol
Lusana- I bought some ketostix today to monitor myself to make sure I don't get into a ketosis. However, when I tested a couple of hours after lunch it showed "small amount". It was the slightly darker pink color. I don't know what to think. I'm obviously already in ketosis. I am very afraid of how this is going to affect Gabriella. She's been nursing like crazy today, but what if she stops? :-( I've eaten a good amount of carbs I think.

I agree that while nursing you shouldn't be on a strict diet. You need around 700 more calories a day to nurse, while when pregnant you only need 300 more.

Most mothers do lose weight while nursing however. If nothing else you will be losing alot of retained fluid. Your body will also be working to reshape itself and your ab muscles which have been stretches and seperated will work to heal and repair themselves.

During this time when nutrition is so important to you and baby, the answer is not to carb load. Refined sugar and flour is never healthy. Yes you should be having maintanance carbs however.

Make your meals as nutritious as possible. Each day try to include tons of veggies, a few servings of fresh fruit, Dairy (though this can sometimes cause colic in babies, try switchign to goat's milk if you have problems), some whole grains, and of course alot of protien and fats.

I would recomend you look into the maintanance phases of different plans to see what they recomend. With Atkins there is a book "A Mother-To-Be Does Atkins" which is by an Atkins doctor who was pregnant with twins. There is also the Atkins for life which seperates things into foods to eat often, in moderation, and rarely. Protien Power has a Protien Power Life Plan book which is it's maintanance level.

With CAD the only maintanance thing I've seen is it recomends adding more carbs into the reward meal. I don't know if I'm quite comfortable with that plan of maintanance. It depends on what works best for you tough, and how you can best get in the nutrition you and the baby require. Remember too it is still important to be taking your prenatal vitamins while you are nursing as you need the extra suppliments.

Hi Ladybelle! You're absolutely right regarding a strict diet while nursing. So I've started Atkins now, only I'm not being real strict with it. I'm having my low carb soy milk with decaf coffee and a small amount of Splenda. I haven't tried to limit the soy milk that much since it's only .5 gr carb per ounce. I've added a little more cheese for more dairy. Little things like that, that aren't allowed on the real strict Atkins but still low carb none the less.
I am taking my prenatals everyday. To be honest, the last couple of days, since I stopped the reward meals, my energy is so much better! I feel pretty good with the change. It is best I switch anyhow because I've always been very addicted to sweets and having them out completely is actually easier for me. I've stallled out in weight-loss so I'll have to see if Atkins will kick start it again. I hope. I don't want to lose super fast by any means with the nursing, but I would like to see a pound or two at most a week.
Thanks for all the help ladies!