Is keto recommended during breastfeeding or not? Is the ketogenic diet and breastfeeding possible or does it harm the mother and the child?
During breastfeeding, the main priority of every mother should be to provide all the nutrients the baby needs, and in the meantime, you must know that your baby does not need anything other than breast milk for six months.
Breast milk contains all the energy, nutrients and fluids a baby needs for healthy growth and development, as well as protecting the baby from infection and disease, and has long-term health benefits for both mother and baby.
For this reason, it is important to follow a balanced diet during breastfeeding. But what about famous and popular diets?
In this article, we will specifically examine the ketogenic diet in breastfeeding. Stay with us.
Is keto diet allowed while breastfeeding?
If you have a baby, but you’re not breastfeeding, you can try the ketogenic diet, but breastfeeding moms who aren’t using any infant support programs have a few important things to keep in mind: your body after giving birth experiences significant changes and weight gain is normal during this period.
Although according to researchers, there is no rush to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy, but fitness and reaching a balanced and healthy weight is the desire of all mothers.
As you know, keto or ketogenic diet is a very popular diet in the world that helps many people lose weight and manage their blood sugar. This is a low-carb, high-fat diet that puts the body into ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
However, if you’re tempted to try this diet while breastfeeding, be aware that:
- Till now, not much research has been done on following a ketogenic diet while breastfeeding. As such, we can only rely on a few case studies published in medical journals, along with the experiences of people who have tried it.
- Some users on online forums say they can be on a ketogenic diet while breastfeeding as long as they keep their calories high and drink plenty of fluids.
- Others say they had to eat more carbs while breastfeeding and keto has reduced their milk supply.
- A major concern for many breastfeeding women is how their diet may affect their milk supply and quality. Your body needs a certain amount of calories and fluids to produce enough milk. Therefore, it is important not to follow any extreme and overly restrictive diet during breastfeeding.
- There are also several reports of a condition called ketoacidosis in lactating women following the keto diet. Ketoacidosis with high ketone levels and changes in blood gases cause the blood to become too acidic. This is a serious illness and requires immediate medical attention. Ketoacidosis can cause shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, or chest pain. Ketoacidosis is rare, especially in people who do not have diabetes.
Note: Remember that giving your baby all the nutrients he needs should be your top priority. Your baby needs nothing but breast milk for six months. Your milk contains all the energy, nutrients and fluids your baby needs for healthy growth and development. It also protects your baby from infections and diseases and has long-term health benefits for both you and your baby. This is why it is important to follow a balanced diet while breastfeeding.
Benefits of Keto Diet in Breastfeeding
As we said, scientific research on keto diet in breastfeeding is very limited, and in this little research, not much has been said about the benefits of ketogenic diet in breastfeeding.
However, the keto diet in general can have the following benefits for us:
- weight loss
- improve acne
- reduce the risk of certain cancers
- improve heart health
- improve brain function
- reduce seizures
- improve symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome
Although these benefits are generally impressive and great, but during breastfeeding, a mother’s priorities should be focused on maintaining the health of herself and the baby, as well as producing enough and healthy milk, and she should experience a weight loss diet under the supervision of a doctor.
But as we said, if you don’t feed your baby with your own milk, you can benefit from Dr. Kermani’s ketogenic diet for quick but healthy weight loss.
Tips for Successful Breastfeeding on the Ketogenic Diet
Breastfeeding is important, and no mother wants to put her baby at risk with poor nutrition. We’ve said before that it’s possible to follow a ketogenic lifestyle while breastfeeding (although we don’t highly recommend it!), but you have to do it right. Here we review the essential points of the ketogenic diet during breastfeeding:
Starting Keto Before Pregnancy
When you first start keto, your body needs to go through an adjustment period and you may experience flu-like symptoms. This condition is called the “keto flu,” and if you’ve never experienced it before, you may feel sick.
You shouldn’t have to go through this adjustment period while trying to learn the special art of breastfeeding. So if you have chosen the ketogenic diet while breastfeeding, it is better to start it even before you get pregnant.
By doing this your body has time to learn how to efficiently use fat and ketones for energy. Additionally, keto has been shown in many cases to increase the chances of getting pregnant and to help lead an overall healthy lifestyle.
Preventing dehydration
One of the biggest causes of lack of milk is not drinking enough water during the day. Drinking plenty of water is important for any breastfeeding mother to produce enough milk, especially those following the keto diet, as the body loses more water due to the reduced carbohydrate intake.
Your body uses the extra water to produce milk and heal postpartum wounds. So for the hydration you need to maintain your electrolyte balance on a ketogenic diet, you need to drink more water than you might think.
Intake of nutrients and vitamins
Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals is very important to avoid any negative side effects such as headaches, loss of energy or dizziness for the keto diet while breastfeeding.
Consuming high-quality fats
You need to ensure that you have a steady source of energy throughout the day for you and your baby. Consuming enough calories and good quality fats is another key to producing enough healthy milk.
Healthy fats for this age include:
- MCT oils such as coconut oil,
- butter and grass-fed meats
- MUFA unsaturated fats (found in extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, almonds, Brazil nuts, etc.) and PUFA (found in flaxseeds and flaxseed oil and chia seeds),
- fatty fish and omega-3 fatty acids
Consuming enough fiber and vegetables
Getting enough vegetables and fiber is very important for both your health and your baby’s health and development.
Make sure you eat plenty of vegetables to ensure you get some phytochemicals and antioxidants.
If you don’t have enough time to prepare vegetables (because taking care of the baby takes time!), use a vegetable supplement for your nutrition.
Try a low-carb diet instead of keto
If you’re having trouble producing enough milk, try starting with 50 to 75 grams of carbs a day and gradually reducing carbs each day (say, 5 to 10 grams a day) and check this out that how this affect your milk supply? Make sure you get your carbs from healthy sources, such as plenty of vegetables, nuts and seeds, and berries. Avoid white bread, pasta and other refined foods.
Dos and don’ts of ketogenic diet in breastfeeding
In general, low carbohydrate diets can cause the lactating mother’s body to secrete ketones, which can be dangerous for the baby. Ketones are chemicals that are created when the body does not have enough insulin in the bloodstream.
When ketones build up rapidly in the bloodstream, serious illness and even coma can occur.
However, the keto diet is a little different because even though it cuts down on carbohydrates, it emphasizes high consumption of high-fat foods.
Although it’s important to note that most pediatricians probably won’t recommend anything other than a balanced diet while breastfeeding.
Another thing to consider is hydration. The keto diet can cause dehydration, so you should commit to drinking enough water to compensate. Other possible side effects of the ketogenic diet in breastfeeding include “keto flu”, fatigue, bad breath, smelly urine and some digestive problems that occur in the early days of the keto diet.
Keto in breastfeeding FAQ
Is the ketogenic diet allowed in breastfeeding?
Some can stay on a ketogenic diet while breastfeeding as long as they keep their calories high and drink plenty of fluids, but others may have to eat more carbs while breastfeeding and keto will cause their milk supply to decrease. For this reason, you should consult your doctor whether you are ready for such a weight loss diet or not.
What are the benefits of keto diet in breastfeeding?
Losing weight, reducing the risk of certain cancers, improving brain function and improving the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome are among the benefits of the keto diet for nursing mothers.
What are the dos and don’ts of ketogenic diet in breastfeeding?
The keto diet can cause dehydration, so you should commit to drinking enough water to compensate. Also, if you notice a decrease in your milk, be sure to consult your doctor to modify and continue the diet or abandon it.
Bottom line
We are coming to the end of the review of the keto diet in breastfeeding and the relationship between ketogenic diet and breastfeeding. As we said, published research on the effects of the ketogenic diet on breastfeeding is limited.
Some people say that they used the keto diet easily while breastfeeding and there was no interruption in their milk supply. Others claim that it was very difficult to follow this diet while maintaining milk and health. It is important to know that following a ketogenic diet while breastfeeding may increase the risk of developing a serious condition called ketoacidosis, especially if it is implemented incorrectly without consulting a doctor. For this reason, if you still want to try keto while breastfeeding, be sure to consult a nutritionist, doctor or lactation consultant.
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