Effect of Prenatal and Postnatal Intervention Strategies on Breastfeeding Outcomes in Women With Excessive Weight (Ready, Set, Nourish Study)

This study is about preparing women with excessive weight to have better breastfeeding outcomes. By doing this study, the investigators hope to learn more about how hand expression of breast milk or colostrum during pregnancy can help prepare a mother to breastfeed after she has her baby and about how her diet affects the composition of her breast milk and her baby's growth and development.

Inclusion Criteria * Age 18 or older * Less than 37 weeks of pregnant with singleton fetus * Pre-pregnancy excessive weight (Body Mass Index ≥ 25 kg/m2) * Interested in breastfeeding * Willing to express colostrum from around 37 weeks of pregnancy if randomized to the prenatal intervention group * Willing to express human milk for sample collection during a 24-hour period * Willing to adhere to a meal plan for 5.5 months post-partum if randomized to the postnatal intervention group * Able to engage in study procedures for the first 24 months postpartum * Reside in Central Arkansas region Exclusion Criteria * Pre-existing conditions (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, thyroid disorders); * Use of recreational drugs, tobacco, or 2 or more servings of alcohol per month * Food allergies, intolerances, or preferences interfering with the meal plan * Medical history including any contraindication to breastfeeding (medications or supplements incompatible with breastfeeding, substance use)Multiparous pregnancy * History of breast surgery or radiation * Congenital defects * Preeclampsia