Pia wrote:
<< << When a mother has to cut dairy products (cow milk protein) from
 her diet, she must eat LOT to get enough calories and proteins.
 That is 2-3 warm meals a day, put additional olive oil to her meals,
 a lot of vegetable margarine on her bread and the most important
 is to eat a lot of meat (250 g / day) to get enough proteins.
 Many mothers have also noticed that they feel better if they eat
 some sweet delicacies, too. When I ate like this, I didnt lose
 weight too rapidly. Later I have been skipping some meals and
 lost more weight. >>

Judy wrote:
<<Eating more meat , or any at all, is not necessary to maintain weight, (
everyone who knows me knows that I am not wasting away...:) and for
vegetarian moms it is not an acceptable suggestion anyway. Healthy fats and
proteins can be gained by eating hummus, refried beans made with vegetable
oil, soy shakes, guacamole, etc... For moms facing the loss of their typical
diet, espcially in a dairy-laden culture,  it can require lots of rethinking,
so it's good to be armed with lots of yummy, acceptable alternatives!>>

I could not find the original post from Pia that others were responding to,
so I am glad Judy posted it w/ hers. I do find the recommendations quite
surprising. The assumption seems to be that we as humans are placed at
serious risk w/o cow's milk products. I see so many babies w/ allergies to
cow's milk being miserable and fussy at the breast. Often these moms have
increased dairy consumption during pregnancy on the mistaken belief that it
will be good for their babies. Eating a lot of meat is certainly not a
health-promoting recommendation, nor is eating margarine, which is a major
source of trans-fatty acids. Again, I wonder about the recommendation of
olive oil. Flax oil would at least add nutritional value in the form of EFA's
(you cannot cook w/ it, though). Many people do feel better when they eat
sweets, but this is a red flag warning of too much insulin in the body from
over-consumption of carbohydrates and sugars.
    While I tell mothers that they do not have to change their diets to bf, I
also tell them that if they have poor eating habits, they will not feel very
well and that this may be the ideal time to correct behaviours they will
model for their children. I think that part of the comfort w/ ABM is our
misinformed belief that cow's milk is good food.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

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