Do you know there are Weight Watchers for nursing moms you can follow while breastfeeding to stay fit?
Yes, that’s right!
If you are planning to lose weight during breastfeeding, there are some vital things you need to be educated on. They range from what weight watchers are, to how it works, and how they can help you. We understand how difficult it is for a breastfeeding mom to lose some weight.
In most cases, you might have been told you need to stop breastfeeding before you can achieve that.
However, with weight watchers, you can achieve that easily even while breastfeeding.
Keep reading this guide to weight watchers for breastfeeding moms as it answers your questions about weight watchers. You will also be guided on the best weight watchers for you and your baby.
What are Weight Watchers for nursing moms?
Weight Watchers for nursing Moms is a weight loss program that helps breastfeeding moms lose weight. The weight loss program makes use of small, endurable changes to their diet and lifestyle.
This weight watcher program is based on the points system, which requires a certain number of points for each food. The food is assessed based on its calorie content, nutritional value, and portion size.
The program also encourages breastfeeding moms to exercise regularly and make other healthy lifestyles. Examples of healthy lifestyles include drinking enough water and getting enough sleep.
How weight watchers during breastfeeding works
Weight Watchers is a strategy of counting points of calories taken. Starchy foods have additional points while fruits and veggies have zero points.
This idea encourages you to eat as many fruits and veggies as you wish.
There are various customized plans for breastfeeding moms to specifically achieve their goals.
These plans allow for more flexibility with eating and consider your favourite foods so you don’t feel like you are being caged.
However, it is a safe and effective way to lose weight while breastfeeding. There is also a specific program for nursing mothers that includes extra points for breastfeeding.
You will need to enlist in the Weight Watchers program and attend weekly meetings to take part in the program.
Guidelines for Weight Watchers for Nursing Moms
As a breastfeeding mom, there are a few things to keep in mind when you are following Weight Watchers.
- Make sure you are eating enough calories to support both your weight loss goals and your milk supply for breastfeeding.
- You must also ensure that you drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. They are essential for both weight loss and milk production.
- Pay keen attention to your baby’s cues.
You must be sure if your baby is fussy or not gaining weight.
These signs might indicate that you are not eating enough calories or a need to adjust your Weight Watchers program.
The Best Way To Do Weight Watchers For Nursing Mom
Weight Watchers programs during breastfeeding focus on nutrition rather than points. As such, you need to save all your points for a huge pizza for dinner and try to balance all your nutrients throughout the day. This is because your body needs nutrients to keep up a healthy milk supply.
Your baby needs these nutrients such as fat, Omega-3s, and protein that go through the breast milk. You can also crave a lot of sugar while breastfeeding. This may lead to all your points going to bread, crackers, cookies, and other sweets.
You may need to put these into consideration while doing Weight Watchers:
- Ensure you get the nutrients needed to fill up nutrient-dense foods.
- Ensure you make fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and healthy carbs a high preference.
- Establish the point goals that are unique to you and can throw the milk supply out of whack.
- Take advantage of all the point-calculated recipes all over the internet.
Best Food To Eat During Weight Watchers For Nursing Moms
To start with, ensure you are prepared for this program. As such, you are staying active and not giving in to your cravings.
During your weight watchers for nursing moms programs, you must be mindful of the foods to eat.
This is important because you must ensure you get enough protein and calcium nutrients. These nutrients are helpful to you and your baby’s health.
However, you can get protein from lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and beans.
Calcium can be gotten from milk, yogurt, cheese, and leafy green vegetables.
You also have to focus on eating various fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods contain nutrients and fiber, which will keep you filled and satisfied.
Furthermore, you must limit your intake of sugary foods, processed foods, and alcoholic beverages. They can undermine your weight loss efforts and may not be the best for your baby.
You may also need a support system from a friend, family member, or online community. They can help you stay accountable and motivated.
In addition, you should not go too overboard with zero-point foods because they make you feel fuller. This is because your calories add up if you eat lots of them with no limit.
Lastly, you can achieve Weight Watchers for nursing moms if you follow the guidelines and tips above. It can help you lose weight safely and effectively while breastfeeding.
Sample Meal Plan For A Day On Weight Watchers For Nursing Moms
Here are some planned-out meal and their points that can help with your weight watcher routine as a breastfeeding mom:
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Puffed Egg White Omelet with Vegetables: 1 to 2 points | Chicken, Grape, and Walnut Salad: 6 to 11 points | Farfalle with Shrimp and Pesto: 10 points |
| Whole wheat toast: 2 points | Baked sweet potato: 2 points | |
| Tropicana Lights and Healthy Orange Juice: 1 point | Apple with 2 teaspoon peanut butter: 5 points | |
| Greek yogurt with berries: 3 points |
When you follow this meal plan, you will have total points of 33-36 for the day.
How To Calculate Your Points During Weight Watchers
When you sign up for some Weight Watchers programs, they have an app that allows you to easily track and calculate your points.
In this app, you can indicate that you are breastfeeding and the regularity of it.
You will get the following points added for you:
- Exclusively breastfeeding – 12 SmartPoints extra
- Partially breastfeeding – 5 Smart Points
These apps will help you track your points for a few days and closely monitor your milk supply and baby. You can also modify it if you need to.
While breastfeeding in this program, ensure you are choosing foods that are best for both you and your baby.
You should also focus on eating various fruits, vegetables, and whole grains packed with nutrients and fiber. They help you feel full and satisfied.
What Are The Cons Of Weight Watchers For Nursing Moms
The major disadvantage of weight watchers during breastfeeding is if your points aren’t calculated correctly per day.
If this happens, it can leave you starving, dismal, and wanting to give up at the end of the day.
Breastfeeding can throw a major curve ball into your point calculation. This is because every mom burns a unique amount of extra calories while breastfeeding.
This could depend on your metabolism. You could only burn an extra 200 calories a day, while another mom can burn more or less than that.
If you begin the day with the wrong daily point goal, you could end up giving up or losing some of your milk supply.
This is why it is important to focus on nutrition by eating the right foods and eliminating other foods that don’t do any good nutrition-wise.
Your weight watchers program can involve getting your daily target and sticking to it.
You need energy intake to make or break your weight loss.
If the energy comes from very nutrient-dense sources, you will lose weight faster, and have plenty of nutrients. This will be beneficial for you and your baby.
However, if the energy comes from refined sources, you will feel unsatisfied even after your daily points are met.
Nutrient-dense foods that are beneficial to breastfeeding, help keep you, your milk supply, and your baby happy.
Weight Watchers For Nursing Moms Review
Amanda, a Certified Lactation Counselor® and a former exclusive pumper recount her experience on how she lost weight in her 3 pregnancies. She gained 55lbs, 50lbs, and 63lbs in her first, second and third pregnancy respectively.
Her pre-pregnancy weight was restored within 6 months postpartum after engaging in Weight Watchers during breastfeeding.
A similar review of Weight Watchers was that of a busy breastfeeding mom by Sarah, a SAHM. She describes weight watchers as a plan that is logical and customizable. In this plan, people can simultaneously go about their daily lives and make healthy choices in the long run.
A budget and weekly balance are given in this plan and you must balance your body’s checkbook weekly to lose weight. She says for every food you eat or exercise, you will get daily, weekly, fit and smart points.
Daily points differ from person to person depending on:
- Starting weight
- Goal weight
- If you are breastfeeding exclusively or partially
Weekly points are like an additional allowance. You have the freedom of utilizing everything in one or two days or not eating anything.
Fit points are earned by engaging in exercises, thus making you active. You should eat more calories if you burn more calories.
Smart points represent each item’s value. The price of everything you eat, drink and do is simply a smart point.
This weight watchers for breastfeeding moms review highlights 2 membership options in Weight Watchers. They include:
- Online-only membership- The app and all tools are given to you to track on your device. An account on Connect (WW Facebook) will also be opened for you.
- Weekly meeting membership- This membership is expensive. You will be weighed privately and you gain access to support from a meeting leader. The reward will be given to members who were able to achieve weight loss goals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Weight Watchers for Nursing Moms
What is Zero Point Foods?
Here are some examples of zero points foods:
- Potatoes and starchy veggies
- Fruits
- Low-fat or fat-free yoghurt and cottage cheese
- Brown rice and whole grains
- Avocados
- Fish and shellfish
- Oats and oatmeal
- Poultry
- Whole-wheat pasta and noodles
- Tofu and tempeh
- Corn and popcorn
- Beans, peas, and lentils
- Eggs
How much weight should you lose on Weight Watchers during breastfeeding per month?
Weight Watchers programs recommend that nursing moms don’t lose more than 4.5 pounds per month.
Most health professionals also recommend around 1 lb per week for bearable weight loss. This will have less effect on the milk supply for breastfeeding moms.
What if I can’t lose weight doing weight watchers?
If you discover you are not losing weight while following the Weight Watchers routine, you should check with your doctor.
Your doctor will check if there is no medical reason for your weight loss plateau.
You may also need to reassess your diet and exercise routine. There may be a need to increase your activity level or make changes to your diet.
What if my baby isn’t gaining weight properly during weight watchers?
If you have noticed that your baby is fussier than usual, or has a drop off their growth chart, you may have to re-evaluate the Weight Watchers routine.
The outcome of your re-evaluation will determine if it’s the appropriate weight loss solution for you.
What is the best diet for breastfeeding moms during weight watchers?
The best diet for breastfeeding moms must have a variety of foods and meet their energy needs.
You must eat a wide variety of foods across all core food groups. It will ensure you and your baby are meeting your nutritional requirements to stay healthy while breastfeeding.
Here are some of the food groups that can help during breastfeeding:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Grains (cereal) foods
- Leans meats and poultry like fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, and seeds
- legumes/beans
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and alternatives that mostly reduced fat
It is also important that you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water as the body uses extra fluid to make breast milk.
You can have at least 8 cups of fluid per day, and improve your intake during warmer months.
Final Note
Weight Watchers for nursing moms is a great way to lose weight safely and effectively during breastfeeding.
In this article, we have discussed extensively how best to do weight watchers, the best food for weight watchers, and some guides to affect weight watchers’ routines.
Following the guidelines shared in this article will help you ensure that you are successful in your weight loss journey.
Thank you for reading from us!
