Is breastfeeding ok during fasting?

Breastfeeding safety for the baby while on fasting has been a common question question for lactating mothers. They want to know if the increased release of toxins will hurt the baby. It is certain that fasting increases toxins in the mother’s milk and whatever is in the blood ends up in the milk in trace amounts. The baby does have an immune system. Will there be damage, possibly. But, the greater question is, why be labeled insane. Friends and family will think you are a crazy heretic who does not care about her child. That is unwise. They will not even want to understand. All your pleading for understanding and logic will fall on deaf ears. Where there is a will there is a way and you and your baby will both be blessed with the joy of health.

Fasting Recommendations

If you need to fast due to health problems, then juice fast with the addiction of 7 to 10 egg whites per day. Include 2 tablespoons of essential fatty acids, (fax and hemp mixture is good) vitamin E and a multi B vitamin.

Breastfeeding Diet Recommendations

Here is a simple method to supply the maximum amount of balanced nutrition for both you and the child and allow you to lose weight gained during pregnancy.

• Drink fresh juice daily.
• Have some veggie juice with 5 blended egg whites.
• Make nut milks and drink1 glasses per day.
• Powder some nuts and add them to the salad or add some tuna to the salad.
• Take essential oils 2-3 tablespoons per day or make a salad dressing with it.
• Eat one small salad with several vegetables to get a wide spectrum of nutrients.
• Eat fruit salads daily.

Breastfeeding and Fasting Research

Breastfeeding research tells us that short-term fasting (not eating) will not decrease milk supply, but that severe dehydration can decrease milk supply.

There have been a few studies on short-term fasting and breastfeeding. Prentice et. al. studied women in West Africa who were fasting for Ramadan (no food or fluids between 5:00 am and 7:30 pm) and found that milk volume was not affected but milk composition did change to a certain extent. The researchers noted that the women appeared to super hydrate themselves overnight when fluids were allowed to lessen daytime dehydration.

Research in the United States by Neville et. al., Neville & Oliva-Rasbach and Tigas et. al. also showed no significant decrease in milk supply after a short water fast. The breastfeeding woman’s body makes several metabolic adaptations during short-term fasting to ensure that milk production is not affected.

By Tom Coghill of Fasting.ws Articles  may be copied or reproduced as long as the back links to fasting.ws are intact and the author’s name is included.