Breastfeeding Mom, what are my cal goals?

Mikkimeow

Hey there! I am 3 weeks post partum new mom and wondering where exactly I should be setting my calories and macros. Because I am breastfeeding, I have been told over and over that eating too little and losing too fast could affect my supply. I was previously eating at 20% TDEE, around 1500 cals plus half of my excercise calories. Should I bump this up, stay the same, or eat at maintenance? Also, anything you bf moms suggest to boost my supply? I am only pumping about 2.5-3 ounces at a time, and it is just not cutting it with my little girl. I hate having to supplement, but she had some issues when she was born and her doctors are strongly pushing me to supplement with formula between every feeding.

smb0701

i have been researching the same thing about boosting milk supply. the web sites i have been on they all say the same thing, you need about 300-500 xtra calories. i have been on 1500 since i had my daughter, she is now 7 months and when i pump i only get about 2.5-3 also. so now i am going to try and eat more to see if i can get a better milk supply.

dinomomma

Hey there! I am 3 weeks post partum new mom and wondering where exactly I should be setting my calories and macros. Because I am breastfeeding, I have been told over and over that eating too little and losing too fast could affect my supply. I was previously eating at 20% TDEE, around 1500 cals plus half of my excercise calories. Should I bump this up, stay the same, or eat at maintenance? Also, anything you bf moms suggest to boost my supply? I am only pumping about 2.5-3 ounces at a time, and it is just not cutting it with my little girl. I hate having to supplement, but she had some issues when she was born and her doctors are strongly pushing me to supplement with formula between every feeding.

Feed on demand, that's good output per pumping session, LOTS of water, pump three times a day and on the weekends, always offer breast.

My calorie goal is 2000 plus half my exercise cals, but I always try to net my BMR

Pepper2185

If your supply is dropping, this could be a sign that you need more calories. Make sure you are eating a good healthy diet so your little one gets super milk. Lots of water and oatmeal can help bump up supply, too.

Most women add 500 calories on top of what they're already eating to account for breastfeeding.

I'm eating 2100 calories per day, plus a good chunk of my exercise calories. I'm not going to mess with my supply by eating at a high deficit.

jumeshawade

That is actual normal output for pumping. Baby can empty the breast better than a pump camps, so like above, always offer breast first.

acraw558

if you're eating 1500, i'd say up your calories to 1800 a see what happens. if you're still low, up it to 2000. also, drink more water! if you;re drinking the recommended 64oz, up it to 100oz. not only will it help your milk supply, but it will help flush the toxins and fat from your body.

J3nnyV

Congratulations on your new little one!

Being a new mom is so much work!

Like the other posters have said, I strongly encourage you to make sure you're eating lots. I'm eating 1700 cals plus 500 breastfeeding cals per day, plus exercise calories. I am never hungry, my supply is strong, and I'm losing weight. I'm already 13 pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight and my baby is only 4 months old.

I encourage you to set your MFP settings to lose 1/2 lb a week at first, plus log breastfeeding calories as a food (look in the food database for it) and see how it goes.

Good luck!

servilia

Congrats! I'm 7 weeks pp.

firstly, I was not able to pump much in the beginning either but she must've been getting enough because she was growing like a weed! Offer breast first. Like others said, baby is better at extracting milk than the pump. Even now at 7 weeks I'm only pumping 5-6 oz for both sides. Is your baby growing well? If so, don't supplement. It's a slippery slope and you might lose your supply altogether. If there's a problem with growth then take what your pedi says into acct.

As for cals, I'm netting 1350. So if I don't exercise I eat about 1850 to account for 500 cals for breast feeding. I've lost 30lbs so far although a lot of that was the baby, water etc. I'd say I've lost 6 lbs of real weight. I was worried about supply too so I upped my water and ate oatmeal. Also my baby did a lot of cluster feeding so that upped it too. Remember your supply will adjust to demand so keep offering your breast.

rekite2000

I am doing TDEE-15% plus 500. I am losing an average of .5lb-1lb a week. My milk is great and plenty of energy to chase the kids.

mrfrodogetdown

If you don't put your baby on your breast, pump often! If you do offer breast, don't supplement, just offer it more often. The more milk is used, the more you will make. And drink loads of water!

iheartmicah12

I'm new to MFP, and I actually still need to introduce myself, but I'll do that later. So, as other people said, set your weight loss to .5 lbs. a week. Then, enter "Making Mommy's Milk" as a food. It gives you an extra 500 calories of food. La Leche League says you need to eat at least 1800 calories per day; otherwise, you're going to hurt your supply. I also eat my exercise calories, and I've already started losing. You should feed on demand from your breast. During the first two months, I felt like my baby was permanently attached to me, but he gained weight like a champ. If you have to supplement because the baby is not gaining weight, then you also have to pump. So, pump every time you offer a bottle; otherwise, you're going to affect your supply. I would also recommend going to a LLL meeting or getting a lactation consultant. I would do a weighed feeding with a lactation consultant to see exactly how much food your baby is getting because you might not have a problem. I was only pumping that much at the beginning too. As long as your feeding baby every 1.5-2 hours (or when baby shows hunger cues), then your baby is getting enough food. Pediatricians know very little about breastfeeding, and they're quick to push formula. That's why I would see a lactation consultant. Good luck! Keep offering breast first! Boost supply: Mother's Milk Tea, Fenugreek 3 capsules 3xday, oatmeal, and 1 dark lager a day.

ETA: The more you breastfeed, the more your supply will increase. That's why feeding on demand helps your supply. Also, make sure your doctor is using the WHO growth chart that accounts for breastfed babies. Breastfed babies gain at a different rate than formula fed babies, so it's important to use an appropriate growth chart. Oh, and like other people said stay hydrated.

mtshute

I'm returning to MFP following the birth of my 3rd child 11 weeks ago. I manually entered 1800 calories as my daily goal. After two days at 1450 calories, I was STARVING! This is the first time I've tried to lose weight while exclusively breastfeeding, so I'm also concerned about milk production. My plan is to exercise minimally, drink tons of water, and eat 1800 calories a day. I guess I'll know next week if it works. ha!

In regards to your pumping 2.5-3 oz, that is perfectly normal for a 3 week old. Keep in mind that babies go through a few growth spurts and need to eat more often during those times. That, in return, increases your milk production. If it seems like your daughter needs more, just keep nursing her when she roots and acts hungry. You don't need to supplement with formula. My youngest ate every hour during those times, but it doesn't last forever (thank goodness)!!