You are breastfeeding, you are starving, and you are scared that if you eat more you will gain weight — but if you eat less your supply will tank. Sound familiar? In this episode Val breaks down exactly how to fuel your body while breastfeeding, why cookie cutter calorie advice does not work for nursing moms, and what eating enough actually looks like in real life — with specific food examples for three different stages of breastfeeding.

In this episode we cover:

• Why breastfeeding nutrition is highly individual — and why one size fits all advice fails most moms
• What actually happens to your body when you do not eat enough while breastfeeding
• The truth about lactation cookies, oats, and brewer's yeast — what the science actually says
• The four things every breastfeeding mom needs to focus on: protein, carbs, healthy fats, fiber and hydration
• Three real mom scenarios with actual food examples:
• 4 weeks PP exclusively breastfeeding
• 10 months PP breastfeeding plus baby eating real food
• 12+ months PP breastfeeding less frequently
• Whether you can lose weight while breastfeeding — and how to do it without tanking your supply
• Val's personal story: breastfeeding exclusively for 13 months, second breakfast every day, and why she did not own a scale during that time
• A client story: 3.5 months PP, supply dipped when she went back to work, and the simple changes that turned it around

Resources mentioned:

• Free Protein Guide → https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
• Core Comeback Challenge → wellnessbyval.com/core
• Episode 87 — The Truth About Breastfeeding Nutrition and Postpartum Weight Loss with Brooke Miller
• Episode 96 — Gut Health and the Momma Microbiome
• Episode 93 — Fertility, Pregnancy and Postpartum Nutrition with Lily Nichols
• Episode 95 — The 4 Nutrient Deficiencies Stealing Your Energy as a Momma
• Episode 104 — Stop Jumping Back Into Workouts Postpartum — Do This First
• Episode 108 | Losing Weight But Still Feel Soft? Here's What's Actually Happening in Your Body

Send me a voice message! 🎙️ Have a question or a topic you want me to cover on the podcast? Send me a voice message through SpeakPipe — link below in show notes! → https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter

Connect with Val:

• Instagram: @wellnessbyval_
• Website: https://wellnessbyval.com/
• Free Protein Guide: https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
• Core Comeback Challenge: wellnessbyval.com/core

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or nutrition advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions about breastfeeding, postpartum nutrition, or your individual health needs.

The scale is moving but you still feel soft, undefined, and not like yourself. Sound familiar? In this episode Val breaks down exactly why this happens — and it is not a willpower problem. It is a physiology problem. If you have been eating less, doing more cardio, and still not seeing the results you want, this episode is going to connect a lot of dots for you.

In this episode we cover:

• Why weight loss and fat loss are NOT the same thing
• The eating pattern Val sees constantly in postpartum moms that stalls results (it is not what you think)
• Why the weekday vs weekend eating swing is keeping your body stuck
• How cortisol is actively breaking down your muscle and storing fat — especially around your midsection
• Why cardio is not the answer and what to do instead
• What body recomposition actually requires — protein, progressive strength training, and nervous system support
• Why postpartum moms are starting from a different baseline and why that matters
• Val's personal story — from pancake butt postpartum to stronger glutes at 3 years PP than before baby
• How Val felt soft again in January 2026 and exactly what she did to fix it — labs, logging, stress, and sleep

Resources mentioned:

• Core Comeback Challenge — 4 week progressive postpartum core program → https://my.playbookapp.io/wellnessbyval/programs/core-comeback-challenge-4-week-program/45013
• Free Protein Guide → https://wellnessbyval.kit.com/proteinsnackguide
• Episode 104 — Stop Jumping Back Into Workouts Postpartum — Do This First
• Episode 100 — Sleep, Cortisol & Fat Loss: Why Postpartum Moms Can't Out-Train a Stressed Nervous System

➡️ Loved this episode? Share it with another mom who needs this info and leave a review—it helps more moms find the podcast!

💬 Got a question for the show?! Leave me a voice message here: SpeakPipe voice note at https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter for a chance to have your question featured and answered on an episode of the Strong & Nourished Momma Podcast.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, nutrition, or pelvic floor physical therapy advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new exercise or nutrition program postpartum.

Are you doing postpartum core work but not sure if it's actually working? In this episode, Val breaks down exactly how to know where you are in your core recovery — and whether it's time to progress or time to pump the brakes.

If you've ever felt like you're going through the motions, still feel weak months (or years) postpartum, or you're not sure if what you're feeling during exercise is normal — this episode is your checklist.

In this episode we cover:

• Why postpartum core training is fundamentally different from regular ab work
• The "canister" concept — what your core actually is and why all four parts have to work together
• Why "just listen to your body" fails so many postpartum moms
• 5 signs you're NOT ready to progress your core training (including the one most moms ignore)
• 5 signs your core IS ready to level up
• Why random Instagram exercises aren't a program — and what progressive core training actually looks like
• Val's personal story: how she went from early postpartum breathing work to lifting weights at 2 months PP — and why she still goes back to basics at almost 3 years postpartum

Links mentioned in this episode:

💪🏼 Core Comeback Waitlist — https://my.playbookapp.io/wellnessbyval/programs/core-comeback-challenge-4-week-program/45013

Connect with Val: 📱 Instagram: @wellnessbyval_ 🌐 wellnessbyval.com

➡️ Loved this episode? Share it with another mom who needs this info and leave a review—it helps more moms find the podcast!

💬 Got a question for the show?! Leave me a voice message here: SpeakPipe voice note at https://www.speakpipe.com/newsletter for a chance to have your question featured and answered on an episode of the Strong & Nourished Momma Podcast.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical or pelvic floor physical therapy advice. If you are experiencing pelvic floor symptoms, please work with a qualified pelvic floor PT.