It doesn't help that OBs, Peds, GPs...just about everyone suggests a VHC diet for breastfeeding mothers. I was told to avoid LC at nearly all costs because Eli wouldn't get the right about of sugar in the milk. Odd, because nutrition tells us our bodies can convert just about anything to sugar. And didn't my body put on 10 to 15 pounds of fat during pregnancy solely to provide proper nutrition during bfing?

The carbs stimulate the insulin to allow energy storage as fat for growth; the protein content is low by percentage of calories, but based on weight, the right amount for the weight of the infant and growing child - protein content increases and carbohydrate content decreases as an infant grows and matures to weaning and protein content of the diet increases with the introduction of solid foods. Fat content remains, from what I've read, fairly consistent throughout the breastfeeding period, between 50-60% of calories.

You put on the fat to have the energy your body needed to provide milk.

My son prefers meats like turkey and pork, vegetables such as green beans, and fruits like strawberries and grapes. He doesn't really go for carbs like bread or noodles when I give those to him. His natural preference is for real, unprocessed food. But, I bet if I keep giving him noodles and bread, he will eventually prefer those. For me, this is proof enough that we are not designed for as many complex carbs as we eat. But the human body is very adaptable, and will learn to function on whatever crap you pour in it. Just may not function "ideally". I would like mine to function more "ideally". As for breastmilk, the nutritional needs of a breastfeeding baby are quite different from a mature adult. The person arguing this was comparing apples to oranges, in my opinion!

hmm - shame I never got my milk tested then...

My daughter never had a pacifier, I was a walking pacifier for her and I was breastfeeding until she was nearly 4. Thankfully someone invented the baby slings, otherwise I would have never gotten anything done.

I have no idea what my milk consisted of, but I was eating high-everything during that time. I was eating double-portions of normal meals and chocolate on top (and still lost weight, sigh...I wish those times were back).

I am wondering if breastfeeding mummies should maybe eat a similar diet to what they say Breastmilk is made of, as one certainly needs their calories and energy if feeding for more than the minimum 6 months.

Pregnant and lactating moms of primitive cultures indulged in meat, especially organ meats and greasy guts.

I was a NICU nurse for many years, and several years ago BYU did a study on Breast milk and how it adapts as a baby grows. A premature baby's mother will produce a breast milk completely different for that child than a full term baby. Likewise by a year old (when most babies in the US are eating a wide range of food) breast milk is nearly like water, with very little nutritional value to the breast milk. I'm sure in countries where diet is not as varried the breast milk at older ages would have a higher nutritional content.

Also as far as the antibodies a baby gets from breast milk the vast majority is supplied in colostrum, the first liquid a newborn gets from mom before her milk supply comes in. There is very little antibody support from mother's milk once the milk supply is established.

Tigersue, this is only tangentially related, but I'm interested. I had heard that about breastmilk, that in fact the mother's milk seemed to "adapt to what the child needed." Did they ever figure out HOW it adapted? Saliva? Psychic powers LOL? God? The mother's diet? What is the physiological-causative factor for the change in the breast milk, is that known yet?

PJ

Breastmilk is not nearly like water at 1 year of age. The fat and calorie content are greater than the milk made for a younger infant:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.o...full/116/3/e432

Being able to survive without carbs requires a fully functional liver (to create ketones and perform gluconeogenesis). Human babies are in no way complete. So my guess is that the sugars in mothers milk is meant to prived glucose to the baby brain as long as the liver isn't up to it.

I am sure most of the peoplein this thread are aware of this, aas bright as you are (and I mean that), but regarding the teeth issues, you can find some interesting stuff if you paste this in: weston price foundation dentition

The tooth argument is great. My dog is 10 years old and has been on a raw , as most 10 year old dogs have terrible teeth from corn based commercial foods.

That and the fact that fat is needed for their brain development that certain vitamins are only found in fat.

Mother's milk actually somehow conditions the pancreas to release less insulin and to deal with carbohydrates . All the studies done have shown that the longer the duration of breast-feeding, the lower the rates of both Type I and Type II diabetes later in life.

If breastmilk were the ideal food for adults, we'd also be guzzling human white blood cells multiple times a day. Breastmilk is the perfect food for the severely medically compromised adult (like people with pancreatic cancer), but it's a lot more complicated than being high carb.

let's not forget insulin promotes growth hormone....do YOU (adult) want to grow ? but, you won't get taller, just BIGGER

another point : babies are "designed" to stay in the arms...human milk is very easy to digest, and with a somewhat high percentage of lactose (=sugar=addictive), so no wonder babies nurse very often...it promotes the baby-mother bond that will influebce every other relationship later on...
furthermore, breastmilk contains oxytocin, the "love" hormone (=opiods=addictive), so that a mutual "addiction" begins between the baby and it's mother...

it's completely another story with lion's milk/babies... the little ones get a milk that keeps them satiated for hours and they are parked in "nurseries" while their mother are away to hunt...

so it seems thats the composition of the milk is very suited to the "social" needs of its species...it's not just about "growing", or about this or that organ growing faster...