EBF & Minimum Caloric Intake

literarymomma

I'm fairly new to MFP. I've tried it in the past but wasn't successful -- mostly because I wasn't honest about my food intake. Two weeks ago, I decided to try again after hitting a postpartum weight loss slump (need to lose 10 more lbs. to hit prepregnancy weight, had my second boy back in Feb). I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I lost almost 3 lbs. off the bat after a week, and lost another pound the week after.
So, my question: Is 1200 too little to keep up a milk supply? I found my supply dwindling anyway b/c LO is now eating solids like a champ. I've been pumping to keep up the supply so I haven't had any real issues, but I'm worried.
Also, if I "earn" 300 extra calories from exercise, should I still keep my intake to 1200? Or is it okay to eat the 300 extra calories? I work out more when I know I'll be indulging (dinner out, at parents' house for dinner, etc.).
I ran really regularly before getting pregnant - in fact, I was training for my first 1/2 marathon. Now, juggling the two boys and work - and SO has an unpredictable and heavy work schedule - I have to rely so much more on diet I hate it! I want to go back to eating burgers and fries with a shake and not feeling bad about it b/c I'll be running 10 miles the next day.

Amandajp79

1,200 calories is way too low. I am 5'5 Pre preg weight 159. Checked into the hospital at 193. I watched what I ate, used MFP the whole pregnancy, and was (mostly!) all baby. My LO was born 6.24.13 and I lost the weight easily, still using MFP.

I eat more now then I did when I was pregnant!!! I have my guidelines set on lose .5 (Which I am still doing!) which puts me around 1,500 daily. On top of that I enter Breastfeeding one child as FOOD (just search it). This ADDS 500 calories, which is what you burn JUST breastfeeding daily, it also adds some fat, protein etc etc. I also eat back my exercise calories, truthfully that isn't as much as I would hope but I am having surgery due to trauma while delivering. I wear a fitbit so I think that is pretty accurate. All in all I eat 2,000+ calories a day and I am still losing .5lb weekly. I have already hit my first goal and my next one is 155. Then 149. Then 145. Good luck on your journey. Just eat well! Whatever is going into your body is going into your childs. Oh and my EBF baby just had a 3month check up and he is perfect. 15lbs, 12oz of perfect

Rubyayn

Depending on how much weight I lose with birthing I intend to be able to eat up to 2400 calories per day and still lose once the baby comes. 1200 is very low and would likely effect your milk supply and energy levels. Without breastfeeding I never ate below 1800 to lose. I would find out your BMR and TDEE and eat all of your breastfeeding and workout calories back. Good luck!

Jenny_Rose77

For me, personally, that is way too low. My milk supply would tank. I eat 2500 gross (and lose very slowly there).

Edited to add: VERY SLOWLY. But still, I think 1200 is just too low, even if you weren't breast-feeding.

RBXChas

I also think 1200 is too low, especially if you aren't eating back exercise calories. While for many of us, our supplies would tank at 1200, but I've read that if your body still allows you to maintain a good supply, it's going to deprive you of nutrients (not just calories). That's not good.

Kellymom advises not consuming less than 1800 calories/day.

I'm 4+ months pp with quite a bit to lose (50+ to pre-pregnancy weight and then another 15 or so to UGW if I can get there - not sure if it's realistic or not because I do carry quite a bit of muscle). I started out 2.5 weeks pp on 1800 calories (1300 net after deducting BFing). I lost, then stalled. I went up to 2200 to help support my supply, since at that point we were still establishing my supply, and I lost, stalled, then gained. I changed up to 2000, lost, stalled, and about a month ago started gaining. It's so screwy! A week and a half ago I decided to go back to 1800. I'm still losing what I regained, albeit slowly, plus now I'm walking as often as I can (it was too hot here to walk before, and my baby is too young for a jogging stroller, so I can't run yet). 1800 seems to be just fine for my supply, and I eat back most, if not all, of my exercise calories.

Keep in mind that a lot of women don't lose those last 10 lbs or so until they wean. For some women it takes eating more to lose because their bodies are afraid to let go of weight and not be able to support a supply.

If I were you, I'd increase your actual intake to 1800 plus most of your exercise calories for a couple of weeks to see what that does.

Keep us posted!

ETA that there is also a breastfeeding support board on MFP that many of us frequent: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/197-breastfeeding-support

literarymomma

Thank you everyone! This has been very helpful.

laurab1217

I have found that no matter how many calories I eat, I have been losing at about the same rate since the initial weight loss I had by my post partum checkup....slowly! I am 4 and a half months pp and have only lost 5 lbs since my postpartum checkup (putting me 2 lbs under my pp weight, which I am happy about)...since it seems to go down very slowly no matter how many calories I eat, I have been consuming between 2400 and 3000 a day....I am also very active/burn between 300 and 600 calories a day by exercising so I've been eating most of those back....progress is progress, no matter how slow it is!

rosy003

I average 1800 a day and I haven't lost anything in over a month. I am currently 5'3" and 122. My pp weight was 115. I tried dropping to 1500 and I was hungry all the time. With my first 2 I held on to the last 10 lbs until I stopped bf. I think I'm going to be stuck with these last 7 lbs for another 9 months.

mrsking218

I'm just starting this fun journey of losing the PP pounds but I have read in multiple places that breastfeeding moms shouldn't eat less than 1800 net calories.