Everyday Systems

Hi!

I was here a few (4?) years ago and failed miserably. I was always an idiot on the weekends. Anyway, I ended up calorie counting and lost 65 lbs and kept it off until I got pregnant. Pregnancy was not kind to me. I was put on exercise restrictions and would get very sick if I didn't eat every 2 hours. So I gained roughly 50 lbs. One week post delivery I was down 20, so still up 30 from my pre-pregnancy weight.

My daughter just turned 6 months and I haven't lost a single pound since that 1 week post-partum weigh in. Part of it is due to breastfeeding. As soon as I drop my calories at all, my supply drops. I'd rather keep the weight on than have to stop breastfeeding.

In any case, my eating habits are out of control. I'd rather not go back to calorie counting because I want to demonstrate a positive relationship about food to my daughter. Also, she just started solids and will often eat from my or DHs plate. It's tough to count accurately when someone is taking food that you've already measured out off your plate.

I'm going to give no s another go with a mod. I need an evening snack while I'm still breastfeeding. A-I need the extra calories to keep my supply up (I'm going to have to keep an eye out and might need to mod more) and B- When I don't eat right before bed, I'm so hungry when I get up to nurse that I can't fall back to sleep. I'm hoping to phase out this snack as she starts eating more solids. I figure it's better than I'm doing now, so don't let perfect get in the way of better.

Congratulations on your baby girl! I breastfed my daughter for about 2 years. I found that drinking sufficient water was the key thing for me in maintaining supply. I also needed less food after she started solids. Good luck!

Congratulations on the birth of your daughter and good luck with your weight loss journey! Would love to hear how things go with your modded plan. Please do keep sharing your progress.

~Gracie

Hi,

I am new to No S after lurking for a few weeks and searched this topic just the other day but couldn't find any posts on it, so thank you!

I am feeding my 14m old baby and finding, like you, that I get hungry in the night. Sleep deprivation definitely doesn't help my tendency to overeating on S days. I find on days I am at work I manage N days pretty well but when I lack that structure I eat out of boredom.

Not sure I have any wonderful advice for you but just letting you know there is at least one other breastfeeding mum here your post has given me some determination to really go for it and commit to this! Good luck, and happy feeding!

By the way, I was not on No-S while breast feeding, and in fact, I ate 2 breakfasts most days. I ate before we left the house, around 7, and then ate a second breakfast at the cafeteria at my grad school after my first class. I never ate in the night though - I was too tired, and thankfully I was able to sleep.

Congrats! Must be a lot of cute moments.

Couldn't you fix a teeny plate of food for your baby so she doesn't pick from yours? Then again, she can't be taking that much, can she? If you don't want to give her a plate (plastic), what about just putting a couple of extra spoonfuls of something you think she'll eat on yours and call it a day no matter what.

Have you heard of "Bringing Up Bebe," written by an American journalist who had her children in France? Very interesting reading. I have a feeling the moms don't have children taking food off their plates, even at a young age. (French Kids Eat Everything was a good read even for childless women like myself.)

Go with your mod and see what happens.

Welcome back and congratulations on your bub!

My kids often "share" things with me at the table, both eating from my plate and wanting to give me a "try" of their food. As long as it isn't excessive, I wouldn't worry about it. I found it was a great way to encourage little eaters to try something new - hey, if mummy and daddy like it, it must be good!

This is where I think No S gives you so much freedom, just serve a moderate plate and forget about it. A half spoon of avocado give or take doesn't matter.

When I was still breastfeeding I didn't do strict No S for the first few months and then I introduced the rules one at a time. So, I started out with one plate meals, then no sweets during the week. Then I moved to no snacking after night feeds - if I was really starving and couldn't fall back too sleep I would have a glass of milk. For me, sleep debt masquerades as hunger - when I'm tired all the time it can become overwhelming. Then I finally tackled snacking between meals in the days.

Your mods sound very reasonable, and if you find that it's not working out, you can always amend to find something that is moderate, but still protects your supply.

Very best of luck, let us know how you get on!