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If it makes any difference, my babe is 10 months old!
AUTUMN FAIRY - Your baby is beautiful.
Since you use the term "fast," I assume you mean taking in water only. When juicing, it is more appropriately referred to as a "feast" since fasting precludes any nutrition.
I have been reading a great deal about fasting the last few months. There are 3 or 4 studies that show that short-term water fasting while breastfeeding was okay. Here is an exerpt from one article on the topic:
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 (see the references below). 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 superhydrate themselves overnight when fluids were allowed to lessen daytime dehydration. Studies in the United States by Neville et. al., Neville & Oliva-Rasbach and Tigas et. al. likewise showed no significant decrease in milk supply after a short fast (the women in these studies did drink water during the fast). The breastfeeding woman's body appears to make several metabolic adaptations during short-term fasting to ensure that milk production is not affected.
Mothers may want to err on the safe side, and drink water even if they are not eating. There are two risks to not drinking all day: (1) mom gets dehydrated, and (2) if the dehydration is severe enough milk supply can decrease. Mom's dehydration is comparatively easy to deal with -- if she feels thirsty (or urine gets very yellow, or she feels dizzy or ill) she needs to drink. The decrease in milk supply related to dehydration may be a bigger issue for some fasting mothers - some mothers have a hard time getting supply back up (this is often seen in mothers who don't eat or drink due to illness). When a mother does not drink fluids for a day, baby generally nurses as usual the day of the fast, but often needs to nurse more often the next day or two.
Some mothers have found that drinking water on fast days is more of a need during the first six months when baby is exclusively breastfed (not taking any food or drink other than breastmilk); once baby is older and taking other foods, it may be feasible to neither eat nor drink during the fast.
Keep in mind that mothers who have sugar metabolism problems (diabetes or hypoglycemia) or other health problems, fasting could be risky (for mom). Consult both your doctor and your religious advisor if you feel that you might have health issues that preclude fasting.
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It seems to be okay short term but you MUST stay hydrated or your milk supply will decrease.
Good Luck in your fast.
i did a 2 day juice feast www.juicefeasting.com . i felt great and had an abundance of milk. What was real nice was my little one had the most beautiful glow the 2nd day. Just listen to your body and keep watch over you milk suppy if you see anything unsual, Eat!
Thank you so much you two.
Meditating - the article is very interesting and helpful. Thank you so much for taking the time to post it. How amazing to know that just water is fine!
rawmamanibbles - How wonderful that your little one was glowing and you felt so well! I will definitely have myself a juice feast! Thanks for the super motivating web site!
Oh rawmamanibbles! I just read your bio, yay! I had a raw pregnancy and natural birth too! I'm excited to raise my little guy raw. I'm not %100 but I hope to be by the time he is eating like me! How old is yours??
Mine is 4 months, and doing so well! he's quite alert and very active. im not 100% but i like to call myself high raw. Sometimes i eat a little warm cooked food but i'll notice he doesnt do as well the next day or two - really fussy and spitup - which i dont get alot of any other time. U said u had a natural homebirth right - me too :) it was so special - i cant wait to experience that again :)
u can email me if you wanna stay in touch and keep eat other lifted up @ rawmama@ymail.com
shazzie just released her new book Evie's Kitchen - raising a raw child, she even talks about nursing and detox - im so excited but it's not being some in usa yet :(
let me know how your juice feast goes.