Breastfeeding counted as calories lost?

misshaidar

Hi all, I am currently breastfeeding my 7 month old who is on solid 2 times a day and feeds about 5 times in the day and then 2-4 times a night? Do I count breastfeeding as calories lost? If so, is it an exercise? I am currently on a 1200 diet and have been for the last 1 month but I am averaging 100 calories over every second day or so?

kstarallen

I exclusively breast feed my baby and have been steadily losing 1lb per week by keeping my calories at maintenance. I should be eating another 300-500 per day but am using that as my deficit.

I would say you're burning about the same as me if you are bfing him/her that much.

Eating so little (1200) can really mess with your supply, btw!

bendyourkneekatie

For the numbers, and info: http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/

You can enter it in exercises, manually increase your calories, or like many of us, just set yourself at maintenance and let the breastfeeding be your deficit. I've lost 12kg in 6 months that way, am down to a 21 bmi, and having no trouble.

Unless you are, like, 3 feet tall, 1200 is far too little while you're breastfeeding. Please consider increasing, for both your sakes.

krithsai

1200 calories while breastfeeding? Please don't do that to yourself. Your body will lose it's calcium stores and your health will suffer in the long run. Please consider adding at least another 500 calories or so.

misshaidar

Thank you ladies, I will set my calories to 1500. So when I go to add the breastfeeding as exercise nothing comes up? Do I have to enter manually?

bendyourkneekatie

It comes up when I search, but you can create an exercise too, if you can't find it.
My personal experience, I got so sick of entering breastfeeding every day, I just manually upped my calories by 300. You can manually set whatever calorie goal you like.