Does anyone have any guidelines for the number of carbs for a nursing mother? I find that I can't stay under 20 carbs without feeling completely awful. I know that if I consume more than 60 or so, then I stall out. So...is induction healthy for nursing mothers. If not, are there any recommendations out there for carb limits for nursing mothers?

Hi there!

I don't know the answer, but we have a LC parenting/pregnancy forum, and I bet it's somewhere in there. Here's a link: http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=95

I'm no expert for sure, but I will tell you my experience with it. I followed the Brewer Diet (Dr. Tom Brewer, Blue Ribbon Baby) during pregnancy, and it is very high protein and relatively low carb. I stayed on it for the first three months of my son's life, and my milk supply was great! I started Weight Watchers when he was about 3 months old, and even with the extra points given for BFing my supply tanked. I stopped and went back to eating basically the same way I did when pregnant and my milk supply went back up. He weaned right after his 3rd birthday.

I wasn't trying to be LC, I was just trying to avoid any pregnancy complications and grow a big, strong, healthy baby, but in hindsight it was a very healthy way to eat and very low carb by default. He recommends so much protein that you don't really have room left for any simple carbs.

From what I know, induction is not pregnancy/BFeeding friendly, you don't want to be in ketosis in either of them..

I think the right thing to do is avoid sugar and white flour/pasta/rice/bread, and eat mainly protein, veggies & fruits..

I hope your baby grows strong and healthy How old is he/she now?

Dr Atkins said that none of the weightloss phases are suitable for a pregnant or nursing mother.

You need to move to Maintenance phase instead.

Maybe aim at eating about 60 net carbs, mainly from the lower OWL rungs with occasional servings from the higher ones like starchy veggies, higher GI fruits and whole grains if they do not give you any of the blood sugar symptoms he listed until the baby is weaned.

Awww...thanks you guys! I really appreciate your responses to my question. While reading them, I remembered that my midwife from my first pregnancy told me to stay out of induction and eat plenty of protein, fruits, veggies. Basically, she wanted me to eat "whole foods". She said that in doing that, I might still lose weight, simply because I had a lot of weight to lose and that it would correct my metabolism so that I processed foods more effeciently. So, anyway, that's basically what I am doing now, because I've found that induction makes me feel so weak and drops my milk supply. I just try to focus on unprocessed foods and seem to be losing weight slowly, although it has picked up recently since I've started to reduce my white sugar intake. I just want to be healthy and to have healthy kids. My oldest nursed until he was 21 months...then he said "no, mama!". He loved nursing, but knew that it meant bedtime for him. Smart little guy! My second son is almost 17 months old. I've lost a total of 51 pounds since he was born, which has happened in spurts. I'll lose some, get comfortable and then maintain. Then I'll increase my exercise and cut out my 2-3 desserts per week and drop a bit more. So...little by little....Thank you all for your advice!

My youngest is almost 5, and I'd not even really heard of LCing as a healthy way of eating until last year (I always thought it was just a fad thing). It made so much sense when I first read about it on Mark's Daily Apple that I immediately jumped into it and I have often thought over the last year and a half, with much regret, how much I wish that I'd know about LCing when I was having babies and nursing, so that I could have given them a healthier start. I'm a little jealous of you moms who know better at a younger age. You've got to feel so great about what you're doing for your children.

Mims: Thank you! I'm trying...I sometimes worry about my 4 year old, because even though I was sticking to protein, veggies, and fruits during my pregnancy and nursing, he still has a big sweet tooth. I limit his starches (only one serving per meal) and try to save desserts for a once a week splurge, but it's hard wondering if I'm feeding them right. I want them to have the best start possible and I feel like I've done that. But now, I'm wondering if I'm feeding them like I should. 3 out of 4 of my neices and nephews are obese/overweight. Of course, they have soda and limitless snacks and junk food with little exercise. I don't want my children to fight this battle of obesity that I've had to fight. They are both at healthy weights now and the doctor said they look great and are thriving...so...I must be doing something right. Thank you for the encouragement.

I've read many articles recently on the increasing understanding of the importance of fats for the infant and young child. This is how their brain develops!

I have nursed all of my babies when I had a "normal " diet. Looking back I believe that ketosis would have been the best way to nurse and to go through a pregnancy. Ketosis is a healthy state to be in and the ketones help with brain developement. I would not hesitate to do that if I had the opportunity to go through any one of my pregnancies again.

I have a 9 week baby and am starting day 10 of induction while BF. I was nervous as well but my supply is fine. My son did react to something (I am guess a change in taste, or something unrelated??) but he has since gotten used to it and nurses just fine. He is a healthy 15 pounds so I was not nervous about him starving and I did look into it and was as sure as I could be that it would be OK for us. Each mom must assess her situation and make the tough calls, right?

Gee, I lost all my pregnancy weight by nursing. I never realized what a chow hound my daughter was.

Goodness, how ironic was this. I posted this a couple of months before finding out I was pregnant again. Wish I'd remembered having written this post... maybe it would have helped me to stay more on track with my eating during this pregnancy. I've been trying to eat LC, but failing regularly. Went awol from this site for quite awhile, but am really wanting to do the right thing by baby so I'm back here to keep myself accountable for these last couple of months of the preganancy and during breastfeeding.

MiniMim, congrats on the pregnancy and good luck. Life is a journey, so don't let the detour you have been on change your final destination. You can do this, both now and after the baby arrives.

I'm a member on atkins.com and Collette the nutritionist there says that a nursing mom needs to stay at a minimum of 50 carbs.

I'm a nursing mom too. I have 3 kids and have been nursing for almost 5 years consecutively. I'm also on induction. I feel AMAZING! So, here's what my instincts say as a mom.

Don't go under 50 until you baby is on solids. (for me this is between 6-8 months old when I start solids on my kids). Then do go as low as you feel good at, and don't loose supply. Even at 20-30 carbs a day (where I'm at) I feel amazing and don't lose supply.

Hope that helps, you can also pop on the forums over there and read it right from the experts.