Intermittent fasting while breastfeeding isn't typically recommended. Here's why: when you're breastfeeding, you're basically the all-you-can-eat buffet for a rapidly growing human, which means you also need more nutrients and calories than usual.
Research shows that intermittent fasting could make it more challenging to meet these increased needs. For instance, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics1 found that eating fewer than 1800 calories per day could potentially decrease milk production.
It's not just about quantity, but also quality. Your breast milk contains crucial macronutrients like proteins, fats and carbohydrates that your baby needs for growth and development. If your diet is lacking because of fasting, this could affect the nutritional content of your milk.
Also, fasting can influence hormone levels in your body, which could potentially interfere with milk production.
As always, it's a smart move to chat with your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes while breastfeeding
