To count or not to count...

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FatStephanie15
FatStephanie15 Posts: 54 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Breastfeeding Calories. Add them to food diary, or leave them out? I'm not entirely sure. I want to count them, because that's an extra 500 calories or so a day!! But I'm hesitant, because how do I KNOW that I'm burning that much extra just by nursing? But then, if I leave them out, and just eat my daily amount, is that going to have an affect on my supply? I'm torn on this...and I don't really want to experiment with my baby's food! LOL. What do other mommas do?

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  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    A breastfeeding woman burns between 200 and 500 calories per day more than non-breastfeeding women, according to the BabyCenter website. The exact number depends on your body type, the amount of milk you produce and the frequency of your baby's nursing.

    If it were me, I would add in the 500 and do that for several weeks. If you maintain or gain, then lower it some.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    If it were me, I would add in the 500 and do that for several weeks. If you maintain or gain, then lower it some.

    Agreed. If you. Eat too little if will affect your supply so better to start on a higher number and then you can lower it slightly if you're not listing.
  • blonditz
    blonditz Posts: 83 Member
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    I would add it in, especially if your baby's still really little. Once your supply drops it's hard to get it back.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    Add it in. Make sure you fill those calories with nutrient dense foods. Right now, providing the best nutrition for your baby is the most important thing (and not doing at the expense of your own health, so you have energy to take care of baby, too).

    Like seridipte said, if you find yourself gaining or maintaining, you can cut back a bit. But really listen to your body. If you feel excessively tired, eat those extra calories. (When you start feeding baby solids, you need less and can usually safely drop a couple hundred calories off your eating)

    Also don't forget you need more water than usual when breastfeeding. I always kept the big mug from the hospital (or similar water bottle) near where I nursed and drank as baby did.

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