It shouldn't surprise us that breastfeeding women differ in their body's
response to a given diet (or anything else). What I have found is that
*some* women can diet--even the low-carb one-- and not affect their milk
supply, others will notice a marked reduction in it.

I do believe however, that if a woman is used to a certain level of
calories, an abrupt drop from dieting or illness has the possibility of
reducing her supply. I would want to alert a mother to this possibility,
stressing that it is only a possibility for *her*.

Some women can take BCPs and just sail along with a fine milk supply, while
others will almost dry up. And some women find that the herbal galatagogues
boost their supplies quickly, while others find no improvement.

Even in the Leningrad experience (Thank you Virginia for sharing your
story.), some women probably reacted to the stress with diminished milk
supplies and others had excess. The emotional component in providing milk
for our babies is so variable. One mother will lose her supply because of
family criticism while another will dig in her heels and feed her baby
bountifully for years.

My recent experience with mothers using the Atkins diet reinforced for me
that I can't truthfully say that it will compromise her milk supply or that
it won't. If she is determined to try it, I encourage her to monitor her
baby. If she calls and says that her supply did, in fact, go down, then we
will work to restore it.

The longer that I do this work the fewer "absolutes" are in my knowings.

Pat Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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