# herbal life while breastfeeding.. yes or no?



## zaiahsbeauty (Jun 11, 2004)

thats all i wanna know. can you or cant you? im also walking but i also wanted to know if you could take that while breastfeeding


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## OTMomma (Aug 12, 2003)

My bestfriend is doing it and says that she knows other moms that do, her baby is 10 mos and eating a little table food but not a lot. I think she does the plan with an extra snack or something if she needs it, she says she is loosing weight, feels good and hasn't noticed any problems with the baby/milk. Though her periods returned just a few weeks after she started, hard to know if that affected it or not. Hope this helps.


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## zaiahsbeauty (Jun 11, 2004)

did she get consent from her babys doctor or did she ask? ill call his doc tomorrow but right now their closed. thanks


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## OTMomma (Aug 12, 2003)

Sorry, I went to bed last night.







She didn't talk to her (or the baby's doctor), but she did read up on the program and the Herbal life people say it is safe while nursing, most programs don't do that. Good luck.


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## stafl (Jul 1, 2002)

doesn't that have ephedra in it? Not something I would want in my body, much less in my baby's even in the tiniest amounts. Just because it's herbal or natural doesn't make it safe.

http://www.fda.gov/oc/initiatives/ephedra/december2003/


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Read here: http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mo...eightloss.html


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## slightly crunchy (Jul 7, 2003)

No way.

I wouldn't trust any company that says their product is safe while nursing. Do they have studies to prove it? These products are not regulated by any agency, so they can say whatever they want.


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## zaiahsbeauty (Jun 11, 2004)

think ill just continue you walking and eating or tryingto eat right and walk everywehre as much as i can. and when i start to wean him and then strictly bottle thenill take it, thanks ladies for your input


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## OTMomma (Aug 12, 2003)

I read the jar, there isn't any ephedra in the Herbal life stuff. Though there are some herbs like dandylion and a number of weird things. The shakes are mostly vitamins and soy protien. Personally, I don't think dieting while nursing makes any sense either, but I wanted to clear up the ephedra question.


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## slightly crunchy (Jul 7, 2003)

I thought all products with ephedra were taken off the market by order of the FDA, anyway. Ephedra has been linked to strokes and heart attacks.


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## KarmaChameleon (Aug 25, 2003)

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!

I used Herbalife before I got married and it was great (gross, but it worked)

When my dd was 8 months, I figured, Hey, it's safe and I am chubby, why not?

I'll tell you why not. I almost lost my milk...I had to supplement, my dd and I both got pale and pasty and sallow looking...everyone noticed and was asking if we were sick. We looked awful...and that was after only 2 weeks on it. I never finshed out the third week...I had to nurse rounmd the clock to get my supply back up after I started, but we regained our health and our nursing relationship.

FWIW, I started walking 4 miles a day and I went on Weight Watchers and I lost 25 lbs in the 5 months that followed w/o compromising my milk supply.

Sounds like you already decided not to do Herbalife...just wanted to put my experience out there.


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## stafl (Jul 1, 2002)

I think they use the chinese word for ephedra, Ma Huang, or something such. Might have changed formulation since last I looked into such things. I'm sure there are other herbs out there that have similar properties. I don't really know, but that was my first reaction to the OP.

Kellymom says it is in Herbalife... according to that link, above.


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## sohj (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *zaiahsbeauty*
think ill just continue you walking and eating or tryingto eat right and walk everywehre as much as i can. and when i start to wean him and then strictly bottle thenill take it, thanks ladies for your input

In my experience of looking at the ingredients of weight-loss herbal mixtures, they have been loaded with

stimulants (nope, don't want _that_ in the breastmilk)

diuretics (well, that's likely to reduce the breastmilk as my fluid intake will go through my hepatic system quickly)

laxatives (nope, breast milk poops are loose enough







already, don't want that either)

SOOOOOOO, if it were me, I would just keep nursing, eat properly, not overloaded on empty simple carbs, eat lots of grains, greens, and legumes, nuts, fruit, and good, clean protein and KEEP NURSING. And lots of walking and other kinds of exercise. Yoga is great and some yoga centers have Baby and Me classes.

I read an interview with Helena Bonham Carter who called breastfeeding "natural liposuction".


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