Trim Healthy Mama While Breastfeeding

Update: Read my Top Five Tips for Trim Healthy Mamas While Nursing here! To read my personal story, keep reading below. 🙂 

I shared my experience with THM during pregnancy, but I have to say I have had much more success with Trim Healthy Mama while breastfeeding. I really, really don’t want to do a “look at me” post, but I want to encourage those who are considering the Trim Healthy Mama diet while nursing a babe. It isn’t always easy, and the journey doesn’t look the same for every person. This is just my version of the story for those who are interested! 🙂

Those who follow this type of diet tend to use a certain “lingo.” 🙂 The intention is not to leave anyone out of the loop, but to simplify the discussion of what kind of meals we are eating. I highly recommend purchasing and reading this book to further understand these concepts!

The biggest difference about following Trim Healthy Mama while nursing is the inclusion of more Crossovers in your diet, and the shortened waiting period between meals, if you feel you need either of these things. It is typically suggested to wait three hours between meals or “switching fuels” (switching between an S meal and an E meal), but for pregnant women or mothers nursing a hungry baby every 2 hours around the clock, eating when you’re hungry and staying hydrated is very important. Including more protein in your meals and snacks will fight off any blood sugar spikes that lead to excessive weight gain, or, ya know, being a hangry Mama bear. 😉

All in all, each person is unique, and will find they have their own needs. I personally found that while I was pregnant with Samuel, I felt most satisfied if I had one crossover every couple days, and I could usually wait the entire 3 hours between meals. However, while I was nursing, I needed to eat smaller portions every 2 hours. For a couple weeks toward the end of the Summer, the scale stopped moving, but I wasn’t quite where I wanted to be. I realized I had been sticking to mostly S meals. I started eating almost all crossovers, and committed to exercising at least 10 minutes a day, five days a week. Within a few weeks Samuel was chubbier than ever, and I was definitely less so. Wahoo!

If none of that makes sense to you, here’s a simple version. 🙂 Trim Healthy Mama recipes include ingredients like coconut oil, real butter, oatmeal, lentils, wild-caught salmon, ground flax seed, eggs, grilled chicken breasts, lean ground turkey, sprouted grain breads (like Ezekiel Bread or Gwen’s Nest Homemade Bread), quinoa, brown rice, chia seeds, and lots of yummy greens. Most of all, desserts sweetened with stevia and made with almond or coconut flours are what really keep me from falling off the wagon every day.
P.S. If you need more recipe ideas, I have a ton pinned on my Trim Healthy Mama Pinterest Board!

If you want to know how to lose weight while breastfeeding while still maintaining a healthy milk supply, THM is a fantastic resource. If you are willing to work at it, this way of eating provides a framework for a healthy lifestyle. This is not a crash diet, nor a get-skinny-quick scheme, but a way of eating that is enjoyable and sustainable for a lifetime of changing seasons, including pregnancy and breastfeeding.

What are your questions about diet while nursing a baby? I’d love to chat with you!
Love,
H