Breastfeeding & weight loss

ysaidpie

Hello- I haven't been on MFP in awhile. I lost track of counting calories & then got pregnant. So here I am with a 5 week old I'm bal to tracking calories. I've lost 25 pounds post partum but still need to lose another 25 preferably. I haven't lost much of anything the past couple of weeks. My weight fluctuates 1-2 pounds (probably fluids from nursing?) so it hard to tell because I'm going for a 1-2 lb loss per week. But it has pretty much stayed consistent within those 1-2 pounds. Anyway- I wanted advice from anyone about breast feeding & dieting. I have my calories set for 300 more than needed to maintain my pre-pregnancy weight. Coincidentally this is the same calories as needed to maintain my current weight (roughly 1800 calories daily). I have my lifestyle set as sedentary due to sitting around breast feeding most of the day. I'm not exercising currently other than carrying my newborn around most of the day. I will start walking once the weather warms up (I'm in upstate NY). I drink almost a gallon of water per day & I know my food choices aren't the best (a lot of PB & Jelly sandwiches, oatmeal & cereal) and that'll improve to include more veggies once I get back to grocery shopping (hubby is doing it now). I'm looking for any advice from other BFing moms. I want to lose weight but maintain my supply. Am I doing the calories right? Is 300 more than my pre pregnancy caloric intake appropriate? Should I go higher or lower? My diary is open. I did miss logging for a couple of days but I didnt eat crazy those days. My caloric intake is set to 1750 I think, but I eat roughly 1800. Like- sometimes I'll have a cup of tea with soy milk in it & I won't bother logging that, or my 5 year old doesn't finish her apple so I'll finish it & I won't log that because I know I have a few calories to play with.

rahlpn

Congrats on your new baby and way to go for breast feeding! I would increase your calorie intake by 500 (not 300) because breastfeeding has been known to burn 500-700+ calories per day, especially if you have a good supply. As for exercise, I know you are only 5 weeks pp so please don't start anything too strenuous until you have your PP exam and ask your doctor. Have you tried walking while wearing your baby, like in a sling or Moby wrap? That is a great way to exercise with a newborn and to create even more of a bond with baby. You can wear your baby and walk, do chores like vaccuming and laundry, or even hiking. There is a ton of info out there on baby wearing do's and don'ts (a lot of people in real life look at me like a crazy person when I ask if the "wear their baby", lol). Good luck to you, you will lose those 25 lbs in no time.

eowynmn

You really should talk to a nutritionist about breastfeeding and trying to lose weight, or at least make sure you are involved with LLL. If you try to cut calories, you can cut very important things out of your breastmilk like calcium, other nutrients, fat, and most importantly quantity. I was never able to really diet myself while breastfeeding by cutting calories because it would cut my supply. The only way I could really make progress was to eat a full, healthy plan like the brewer diet (or really any 6 meal a day high protein, high vegetable, high calorie diet and then add exercise. Also at 5 weeks post partum, you shouldn't even be thinking about losing weight yet. You should be concentrating on your baby, 6 weeks is the earliest minimum you should try. so give yourself sometime, and if you really want a great breastfeeding relationship, wait til 12. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's what's best for your relationship with your new baby.

ysaidpie

Thanks for the insight. I don't want my supply to suffer & I thought that I was being safe by not restricting calories too significantly (I thought 1800 was reasonable). I am ALWAYS hungry & I eat until I am full. But maybe I should be eating more. I knew dieting while breast feeding was complicated. I EBF my first born for a year & at 6 months I restricted my diet & supply dwindled. I'll look for a LLL locally or maybe weight watchers that has a breast feeding program. I do baby wear at home while cooking & cleaning me & the little one love it!

JoRumbles

Hi,

I am also BF a small baby (8 weeks) and trying to shift some weight.

You can diet when breastfeeding, but you shouldn't go under 1800 calories (which is what you are doing). So you should be fine. Also good to wait until BF is established- about 8 weeks.

I am currently losing about 2lb a week- well, except last week when I pigged out! Up until now I have just been walking as excercise,but I started the 30 Day Shred today.

Remember, your body prioritisises the baby and you will have laid down fat stores for BFing, so its you that may suffer if you don't eat enough.

Also, I think its good to take a good vitamin supplement. Good luck!