Breastfeeding Mom - How many additional calories?

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prettylady9410
prettylady9410 Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
I'm sure this question has been asked a thousand times but here it is again. If I'm nursing how many additional calories do I need in order to lose weight but still maintain my milk supply? I found a calculator on Google that says based on my height, weight and activity level that I need an additional 317 calories which would put me at eating 1917/day. Does that sound about right? Also - if I exercise should I eat back my calories burned? Any help with this would be much appreciated! FYI - Baby is 1 month old and almost exclusively breastfeeding.

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  • sandraaballard
    sandraaballard Posts: 2 Member
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    Hello! I'm on the same boat as you (seven weeks postpartum and exclusively pumping). I've done extensive research and spoken to my doctor. With that being said, everyone is different so seeking advice for your doctor is probably best.
    For every ounce of breastmilk you produce it's equivalent to 20 calories of exertion. Eating around 1500-1800 calories is what is best for an breastfeeding mother seeking to lose weight. They tend to recommend on the higher side. Try not to cut all your calories at once but in increments of 50-100 calories and see how that affects your milk supply. It was recommended to me to eat enough fat and protein to keep producing enough milk while seeking to lose weight.
    With working out are you taking about high intensity workouts or just moderate activity? There is no evidence of a decrease of milk supply with moderate exercise but with high intensity you could find negative effects. Make sure you stay hydrated (13 cups of water daily for lactating mothers).
    Hope some of this information helps. Good luck in your journey!

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