11 replies to this topic

[joga93]

Hi All,

I started Jenny again last Saturday. I was put on 2000 calories and really followed plan. By Monday I started noticing issues with my milk supply. I was at the doctor Tuesday and he told me to hold of trying to lose weight until supply is on track, so I went off plan and its starting to come back now.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a way to lose weight and keep milk supply? I can't take fenugreek so I'm just wondering if I should totally quit for now or what?

My son will be 14 weeks next Tuesday and has been exclusively breastfed.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Linda

[sarah8475]

Hi Linda!
I am at a loss too...

My DD is 5 months, and with summer coming up I decided to get back onto Jenny. I started on Tuesday with 1700 cal (this seems way low to me given that I am nursing). She seemed fussy at first with gas, but I thought I would give it a week. I went in yesterday for a check-up (they do an appt within 72 hours at my centre now) and all was well...
Last night was TERRIBLE! I feel like my supply is low and what she is getting is so full of gas it is unbearable. My husband ended up giving her a bottle of formula (we keep in case of emergencies) and I was just devastated. Needless to say I am not doing the plan today.
I went on Jenny Craig for an easy way to keep my food in check. Now i am going to have to eat a million beano capsule, up my cals, and drink 12 glasses of water a day? no thanks! Really I should call my consultant, but I feel they are clueless when it comes to nursing.
Sorry no help, just needed to let you know I am right there with you!

Sarah

[mommatuck]

Hello girls. Maybe this will help. I started JC 4 weeks ago, and I breast feed my 1 year old. They started me on a 2300 calorie diet, but since then I have dropped it to 1700 because he is not as dependant. I waited to start my weight loss journey untill he was old enough, cause like you all was worried about my supply. You may have to deal with the weight untill you are ready to stop breastfeeding. The bond that you will get with your baby is worth it though! Just keep your heads up, you will lose the weight maybe right now is not the right time.

[Chopstickgirl]

I joined JC after my first daughter was born in 2005. She was 6m old and exclusively breastfed. They had me on 2300 but it was too much-I wasn't losing much. So my doc (bf'ing savvy) told me to lower calories by the 100s (weekly) and make sure my supply was ok and to keep lowering it til I was losing weight as long as my supply stayed steady.

I got to 1700 and it was fine, so I stayed there and lost a lot of weight, stopping JC only when I got pregnant again

FF to last year, I had my 3rd baby and was ready to finish this journey. I started up again when he was 6m old-seems like a good time, supply is established by then usually, solids are starting or starting soon (both my children didn't really start solids til 7-9 months) and so on.

This time around I have been doing btwn 1500-2000 calories b/c I am working out a ton, and since the beginning of the year, I have become a fitness instructor (crazy, hahaha) and so I work out a LOT and burn tons of calories daily.

Supply has been fine, little guy is 14 months and growing like a week.

So I would suggest 6 months is a good min. time to try, also look for things to boost your supply if you want to do weight loss NOW, and not wait-like mother's milk drops (all natural), eating oatmeal for breakfast (work it into your plan, substitute it for a JC breakfast b/c it has to be real oatmeal, not instant) and so on.

Good luck!

[Natalie_in_TX]

I first wanted to applaud you new moms for putting in the effort it can take to breastfeed. I nursed my daughter until she was 7 months and my son until 11 months. I am so glad I did that. The bonding was increadible and I think the health benefits, for both of you, are great.

I know that you really want to start getting back on track, but you may want to wait until about 6 months--like Jen mentioned. In the long run, that's such a short period of time in your child's life for the awesome benefits that it brings, you may want to pause your JC program until your baby is getting some nutrition from other things, like when they start solids, etc.

Other than that, you could contact your local Le Leche League--I used to go to monthly meetings--they are a great breastfeeding resource (and free). HOWEVER, it's possible they might tell you that eating 1700-2000 calories may be the reason your milk supply is hindered.

On the practical side, you can try to boost your supply (again Jen mentioned some of the natural things you can eat). You could also use a pump after feedings to try to boost supply. Or, if baby is having long periods of sleep, you may want to pump during that period as well. Try to find a few (2-3) times a day when you can pump IN ADDITION to regular feedings and that boost in demand may help. Just remember you can freeze that milk for emergencies and/or in a few months when you want a couple hours away.

Good luck to all you new moms!!! I miss those days (my youngest is 3 and I miss it already)

[Jmama]

I am a working mama with a 3 1/2 month old. I pump at work and nurse her when I get home. I was placed on a 1700 cal plan but luckily, my supply has not suffered. This is probably bec I was eating less than 1700 cals before JC?- no clue) I do know that I'm eating much healthier now than before. I ate a lot of junk and empty calories.

I think that pumping (frequently)has also helped with my supply. I have a medela PIS and pump every 2 1/2 hours at work. I bring home about 15 oz every day, nurse her, then pump once or twice (get approx 5-6 more oz) more before midnight. It's a lot of work but totally with it in my book. Of course I stay hydrated, eat everything on my plan and take my prenatals religiously. I've heard that Mother's Milk does wonders, along with Fenugreek and oatmeal. To be honest, if going on JC affected my supply though, I would put the diet on hold.

I know that having the extra weight is tough, but I promise you, the weight will come off eventually. Perhaps wait another month or so then try JC again? I'm so sorry.

[Jmama]

I am a working mama with a 3 1/2 month old. I pump at work and nurse her when I get home. I was placed on a 1700 cal plan but luckily, my supply has not suffered. This is probably bec I was eating less than 1700 cals before JC?- no clue) I do know that I'm eating much healthier now than before. I ate a lot of junk and empty calories.

I think that pumping (frequently)has also helped with my supply. I have a medela PIS and pump every 2 1/2 hours at work. I bring home about 15 oz every day, nurse her, then pump once or twice (get approx 5-6 more oz) more before midnight. It's a lot of work but totally with it in my book. Of course I stay hydrated, eat everything on my plan and take my prenatals religiously. I've heard that Mother's Milk does wonders, along with Fenugreek and oatmeal. To be honest, if going on JC affected my supply though, I would put the diet on hold.

I know that having the extra weight is tough, but I promise you, the weight will come off eventually. Perhaps wait another month or so then try JC again? I'm so sorry.

Also wanted to add that I echo the pp's suggestion about contacting a lactation consultant. Good luck, mamas!

[joga93]

Thanks for all the replies! I put my weight loss on hold after having supply problems. I think I might try starting again, but adding some more carbs on top of what they have me eat. I know that I eat healthier when I'm on Jenny rather than on my own. It's hard enough to cook healthfully when you're working and taking care of a baby. Even if I don't lose much, anything lower is better. I want to be healthy so that I can take care of my boy better and be around for him longer.

Sarah, I hope things are working out for you. Let me know how it's going for ya.

Take care,

Linda

[Carolyn Pujo]

Just want to encourage you to keep on breastfeeding! Remember the long term health benefits for both you and baby.

Some people lose weight after weaning, and some people gain. I gained 10 lbs after I weaned my oldest. So, since you never know how weaning would affect your weight loss...just keep on keeping on.

[tinytina]

I was a breastfeeding mom of an almost 7 month old 3 weeks ago when I started Jenny Craig. He was never an EBF baby, so and actually started losing my supply when he was about 5 1/2 to 6 months and switched my birth control to one that had estrogen. I was still feeding until I started the program when my son decided to go on a breastfeeding strike. I guess it has to do with the food. I agree, it has made me VERY gassy, and probably bothered his stomach too. Because he's already on solids and was only part-time nursing I decided now is as good of a time as any to ween. He's not interested and it now takes me 3 days of pumping to make enough to supplement him with 1 breastmilk bottle.

On the plus side, I have lost 5 lbs. I know it's not the popular choice, but it was my choice to stop breastfeeding now. I was tired of being in maternity clothes and carrying a breast pump instead of a purse. I would have loved to do both, but think that at this point I would have way too much trouble regaining my supply anyway.

Hope it helps! Just wanted to let you know that some people do something that's not popular and better for themselves. Sometimes you have to take care of yourself first.

[BeachyMichelle]

So glad you posted this question! I've noticed that if I don't eat my 2,300 calories, my milk will suffer. I have a 3 month old (and a 2 year old- I nursed him until 14 months). It is possible to diet and breastfeed but there are a few tricks if you want to try it:
-Eat ALL your calories and if you milk is still low, talk to your consultant about upping your calories
-WATER- you have to drink LOTS of water when nursing. If you do not, your small intestines can 'spasm' causing gas. A GI once told me this when I was nursing my first child and after I upped my water- the gas decreased.
-A supplement called Fenugrek. My lactation consultant swears by it. Take two pills a day, three times a day. You can buy at any health food store and it's totally safe (according to the hospital I delivered at).
-Decreasing your calories 100 at a time. I'm at 2300 now, but I plan to take it down 100 at a time each week. It's the quick calorie drop that makes the body decline on milk (according to my LC).

Hope this helps and as always, talk to your doctor before starting any supplement while nursing just to be safe!

[CherylNew]

Hi All,

I started Jenny again last Saturday. I was put on 2000 calories and really followed plan. By Monday I started noticing issues with my milk supply. I was at the doctor Tuesday and he told me to hold of trying to lose weight until supply is on track, so I went off plan and its starting to come back now.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a way to lose weight and keep milk supply? I can't take fenugreek so I'm just wondering if I should totally quit for now or what?

My son will be 14 weeks next Tuesday and has been exclusively breastfed.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Linda

Every woman is different and has various needs for babies. But I do believe--It was mentioned earlier that waitting untill the baby is 6 months would help because then she starts eating baby food. Once your supplement more of one for the other--your milk supply decreases hince less /shorter feedings. How much fluid you retain is how much milk you should produce. I say that being overweight just for a couple of months is worth breastfeeding your baby for the first six months. But, this is coming from someone that doesn't care about other's judgements, I am comfortable the way I am.