breastfeeding/ cosleeping mamas

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Extra calories burned breast feeding?

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gobichick
gobichick Posts: 16
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I have been trying to follow a good calorie counting diet in order to get back into shape (Turbo Fire diet plan). My question is have any of you had trouble figuring out how many calories to consume while breastfeeding. I tried to eat the 1500 calorie plan that was given in the book but I was STARVING....I must be burning a lot of calories breast feeding. I have upped my calories to 1900 and seem to be pretty satisfied throughout the day but am still not sure what my ideal calorie intake should be on a daily basis. I definitley want to make sure I am eating enough calories to feed Eli but I also want to continue to lose weight. Anyone else experience this?

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  • momofJandA
    momofJandA Posts: 1,038 Member
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    type in breastfeeding in the food diary. It depends on how old your child is and how often you are nursing. When I am nursing around the clock its about 500 calories extra a day. Ava (23months) is down to only 3x a day and not at all during the night so now its only 200 extra calories. There are a bunch of options just choose the one that most closely resembles your situation
  • mollyonamission
    mollyonamission Posts: 268 Member
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    How old is your baby
  • gobichick
    gobichick Posts: 16
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    he is 8 months and nursing about 6 times a day- he sleeps all night but nurses first thing in the morning, three times at daycare (i pump) and then 2 or 3 times from time we get home till bed time.
  • mollyonamission
    mollyonamission Posts: 268 Member
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    You are probably burning between 3-500 that may be why you need 1900 to feel full because its really only 1500 and 400 bf
  • momofJandA
    momofJandA Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Ava nursed 6-8 times a da/nighty until about 20 months. I used "breastfeeding- mother of older baby" 300 calories. Once baby is on solid food they intake less breastmilk- even nursing that much- your body doesn't work AS much as it did when he/she was nursing exclusively, which is why I went from 500cal to 300 cal. Just my experience.
    If you start noticing a drop in supply (through pumping or fussy baby at the breast) I would up it back to 500cals, but I would probably go with 300 and see how you both do (especially for losing weight)
  • Filaree
    Filaree Posts: 4
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    type in breastfeeding in the food diary. It depends on how old your child is and how often you are nursing. When I am nursing around the clock its about 500 calories extra a day. Ava (23months) is down to only 3x a day and not at all during the night so now its only 200 extra calories. There are a bunch of options just choose the one that most closely resembles your situation


    THANK YOU; THANK YOU; THANK YOU!!!!
    I just joined and I was just doing the math in my head, I had no idea you could type it under food diary. Now my food diary looks a lot less depressing. Granted I was still 400 calories over because I was consuming regular oatmeal cookies instead of lactation cookies (if there is even a difference); but 400 is way better than 900 calories. YAY!

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