Brad – as I’m wanting to lose “baby weight” after my 6th baby just 7 weeks ago I’m wondering your thoughts since I’m a nursing mother and getting enough nutrients to be sure my baby girl has enough. Is that not a concern since you actually do eat every day? Or would a 16 hour fast be better nutritionally for my baby?
Thanks so much -
Vanessa
From the research I have read, a women’s breast milk is unaltered during periods of short term fasting. The common belief is that the nutrients in breast milk come from the mother body-stores and not the immediate food derived sources.
I personally know of two women who have successfully lost baby weight while following ESE. First was my wife, and second was Lindsay, whom you can read about HERE.
BP
PS- This is one of those touchy amost medical questions, so I should point out that my comments are not medical advice, and are only my opinion based on my education and my review of the current and available research.
PPS- Wow, that almost sounded beer commercial-ish 
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I’m someone with some experience in both nursing and pumping, although I only have two kids to Vanessa’s six. That being said, I nursed for a total of 23 months combined, and pumped while working full-time for 15 months combined. So I do have enough experience to form opinions. That being said, I’ll say two things for Vanessa:
1) Make sure you get plenty of fluids during a fast. Being dehydrated will affect your milk supply, and without the fluids you’d normally get from your food, you’ll need extra water or tea during a fast.
2) If you are pumping, be congizant of how fasting affects your production, since pumping will not be as efficient as your baby is when she eats. You may want to avoid timing your fast on days where you will need to pump, if you notice a drop in pumped supply on those days.
Nursing gives you a weight loss advantage, so don’t stop nursing to lose weight, but if ESE affects your supply negatively, hold off on using the ESE technique until after you and your baby decide you are done with “mommy milk.”
I have similar personal experience to Liz, but I’ve recently recieved training to support women in normal breastfeeding situations. Before this training, my advice would have been exactly the same as Liz’s, and honestly, it’s not bad advice in any case.
However, one thing that really stuck in my mind from the training is that the latest research is that, as Brad indicates, it takes serious amounts of dehydration and malnutrition (like famine amounts) before your body stops producing the right amount of milk for your baby. Based on that, ESE should not be a problem.
If you’ve nursed all your children, you know what’s normal – If you try it, and it doesn’t seem right, then you hold off, but I agree with Brad that it probably won’t have very much effect.
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