Keto is one of the most popular weight-loss diets nowadays for many reasons. But, it’s important to follow a keto breastfeeding meal plan that will get you results and protect your milk supply. This post looks at the common misconceptions of doing keto while breastfeeding as well as the benefits and a sample 3 day meal plan to get you started.
So, what is the best Keto breastfeeding meal plan for breastfeeding moms? With lots of myths and misconceptions surrounding the Keto diet plan, concerned moms are bound to have doubts. Well, don’t worry because here’s everything you need to know about Keto before jumping on this way of eating so you can confidently make the decision.
If you want to quickly understand the Keto diet while breastfeeding, check out my Keto While Breastfeeding Workshop and Quickstart Guide.
What Is Keto?
Keto gained the limelight recently, but the concept of consuming mostly fat and restricting the intake of carbohydrates has been around for years.
The Ketogenic diet, popularly known as Keto, is a diet that consists of plenty of healthy fats, moderate proteins, and as minimum carbs as possible. Our body uses carbs to fuel the brain and other organs. When enough carbs are not present in the body, it uses the available fat molecules (ketones) to perform bodily functions, consequently helping with healthy weight loss.
The Popular Misconceptions About Keto And Breastfeeding
Now we have the Keto diet explained, let’s look at some common myths around Keto and breastfeeding:
Milk production will be affected.
It’s far from true that if a new mother starts a low-carb diet, her milk production would be adversely affected. In reality, a mother’s breast milk on the Keto diet is filled with more nutrients and energy, thanks to healthy fats and proteins. However, it can be affected when water intake, electrolytes, and not enough carbs are consumed (this is why it’s important to understand each of these before starting).
Fats are dangerous for the baby.
The Keto diet consists of 75% fats, but it’s not dangerous for you or your sweet little baby because when a baby is born, they are naturally in a state of ketosis. They need the fat to grow and develop. Hence, Keto while breastfeeding is the perfect way to provide them what they really need.
No carbs at all
Many think that Keto is a no-carb diet which is completely untrue. Keto encourages consuming healthy carbs like veggies and eliminating or reducing the harmful ones to a bare minimum. For example, avoiding sugar, grains, and processed carbs will not affect your or your baby’s health at all. On the contrary, it will make a mother and her milk nutritious and healthy. Eating around 50-75 carbs while breastfeeding is a good place to start.
It’s unhealthy to starve a body and a baby with diet plans
Keto is not about starving or calorie deprivation like other traditional diets. Instead, it’s the healthiest diet plan that you could ever follow. It only encourages healthy eating of plenty of vegetables, proteins and, good fats and avoiding unnecessary carbs and sugars.
Benefits of Keto while Breastfeeding
A Keto diet is targeted to bring the body into a metabolic state of ketosis, giving numerous advantages to the body. However, what benefits can a mother-baby duo enjoy while following a Keto breastfeeding meal plan? Let’s take a look.
1. A whole food diet
When a mother follows a Keto diet, she is focusing on having real food, meaning vegetables, berries, nuts, oils, dairy products, fattier pieces of meat, butter, and much more. This all will give extra energy and much-needed fuel to her body. As a result, she will be more active, healthy and would be able to supply better nourishment to her baby as well.
2. Extra energy
Fried food, extra-sugary sweets, and other such items tend to make a person sluggish, but Keto gives a chance for all breastfeeding mothers to observe a healthy lifestyle by consuming nutritious food. A Keto diet will provide constant energy to a mother while also ensuring that her little munchkin remains healthier.
3. More calories for the baby
A study conducted in 2009 concluded that the babies fed with the milk of Keto observing mothers were more energetic and strong as the milk provided them with more good fats and higher calories. Research shows that breastmilk is 50 to 60% fat. With the Keto diet plan in action, babies can have a rich supply of fats from their mothers.
4. Lose weight naturally
A correctly observed Keto diet helps mothers lose weight and safely bring their body back in shape while breastfeeding their little ones. Carrying out the Keto diet in a safe way will not in any way affect your baby’s health and will also have a positive result in achieving a body that you desperately desire.
The 3 Day Sample Keto Breastfeeding Meal Plan
Have you given thought to how to prepare a proper meal plan for yourself while breastfeeding? Here is a Keto breastfeeding meal plan for you that is healthy and will provide all the required nourishment to your body. Add in electrolytes throughout your day as well through an electrolyte replacement powder and always keep an eye on your baby’s growth and diaper output to ensure the baby is getting plenty to eat. If you think your milk supply is going down, increase your carbohydrate count to 50-75 per day.
Day 1
- Breakfast: Full-fat Greek yogurt with 1 cup of fresh strawberries, 1tsp of honey, and 1tbsp of chia seeds.
- Lunch: 4-6 oz fish or chicken, ½ cup boiled brown rice, and 2 cups of cooked vegetables. 1-2tbsp of olive oil with some spices as per your liking.
- Snacks: Protein bar with low sugar (my favorite are IQ bars)
- Dinner: A glass of whole milk with 2 slices of sprouted whole wheat bread, 1tbps of jelly, and 2tbps of peanut butter.
Day 2
- Breakfast: 1 slice of wheat bread with vegetable scramble made with 1 egg and 2 egg whites and some leftover veggies along with a slice of cheese.
- Lunch: Low-carb zucchini noodles with pesto and herbs along with some fatty yummy salmon.
- Snacks: Herb crackers with cheese and olives
- Dinner: Grilled beef steak with some broccoli pre-marinated with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add in a half sweet potato for some carbs.
Day 3
- Breakfast: Make a delicious smoothie with coconut milk, some nuts, berries, and hemp seeds. You can add frozen fruits and vegetables of your choice.
- Lunch: 3 all-beef meatballs cooked in a half-cup tomato sauce (like Rao’s, with no added sugar) served with a half-cup whole wheat pasta (or chickpea, black bean pasta, etc.) and some parmesan cheese.
- Snacks: 1 apple with peanut butter or a small hand full of pistachios.
- Dinner: Make a salad with some spinach topped with almonds, strawberries, grilled chicken, cheese, some fresh herbs. Squeeze some lemon to make it more delicious.
Keto Diet when Breastfeeding
Miracles do not happen in a day. Restoring your body to its former condition and keeping your baby healthy can be challenging for a new mom. However, losing weight while breastfeeding can be easier and natural with keto. All you need is to consume a healthy keto diet, and you will be on your way to natural weight loss while breastfeeding.
Other related posts to this Keto Breastfeeding Meal Plan you might like:
How to Lose the Baby Weight Doing Keto and Breastfeeding
Tips for Losing Weight While Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Protein Powder: What Is It & Top 9 Protein Powders For Breastfeeding Moms
Keto and Breastfeeding Video Workshop + Quickstart Guide
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