Nursing mother

amydcarlson
amydcarlson Posts: 136 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am back on MFP after finding out I was pregnant with twins, about a year ago. I gave birth by C-section on July 19th. Since it is not listed under the exercises, I would like to know if anyone knows how many calories breast feeding ACTUALLY burns per day. I've heard too many varying guesses to be sure, and if anything, I'd like to be conservative so that I don't give myself too much credit, and eat too much. Thanks for any feedback! :smile:

Replies

  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    Its actually under the Food database, not exercise.

    I believe it's 300-500 calories per day in the database. Conservatively, I'd select the 300 calories per day option.
  • EuSaNaD
    EuSaNaD Posts: 33
    This is something I found when I searched the topic on Yahoo!.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/303818-calories-burned-breastfeeding-twins/

    I hope it helps, and congratulations!! :happy:
    [I'm a Fraternal Twin, are yours?]
  • amydcarlson
    amydcarlson Posts: 136 Member
    Thank you! Mine are fraternal. Boy/Girl. :heart:
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    Thank you! Mine are fraternal. Boy/Girl. :heart:

    Congrats!!! We are expecting our first in February, a boy. Good luck with your babies!
  • amydcarlson
    amydcarlson Posts: 136 Member
    Congratulations to you, too!
  • lorasalim
    lorasalim Posts: 39 Member
    I am brestfeeding,had a girl on June 8, was out of diets since October 2011,when found out that pregnant....and as soon I came home from hospital,start to think how to lose....but I have over 100lb extra on me....so sad....but 27 already gone....97lb to go....I not counting brestfeeding,just keeping like extra burned calories to myself, trying to exercise a little bit and keep my food around 2000cal,don't want to loose milk....if I will stop loosing weight,will add extra walking and maybe cut up to 1900 cal/day,but not less then 1800...
  • justjenn1977
    justjenn1977 Posts: 437 Member
    La Leche League recommends that nursing mothers eat 500 cals per day to maintain milk supply :)

    not sure if there is a different recommendation for twin nurslings... so I would go with 500 (rather than the 300 recommended previously) since twins require more milk

    congrats on the babies :)
  • danaweston
    danaweston Posts: 82
    My twins ( identical ) are all grown up now...but I nursed them both at the same time. I had heard that weight loss would happen with lightening speed but that was not my experience. You will need to keep up with your liquid intake as I'm sure you already know. Good Luck and welcome to the wold of multiples:happy: :happy:
  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
    I don't know that there is a way to determine the exact number of calories burned by breastfeeding, since everyone is slightly different. However, I would definitely add 500 to start with, especially since you have twins (I have read anywhere from 300-500 extra and always added 500 myself). If you are losing too quickly, feel really hungry, or notice that your milk supply seems lower, you might even need more than that.
  • KansasCowgirl
    KansasCowgirl Posts: 48
    I've read you burn 20 calories per ounce of breasmilk produced. I have a 6 week old and have just stopped nursing due to complications, so I will have to work even harder now at getting back in shape!
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    I'm a mom of fraternal twins, too! They turn 22 on Sept. 24.

    Nursing twins should add about 1000 calories to what you need to eat.

    Eat very, very healthy and drink lots of water.

    You can eat a surprising amount and loose weight while nursing twins! Mine hit their 12 week growth spurt the week of Christmas, and I lost 4 pounds that week! If it hadn't been the week of Christmas, I could have starved to death!

    Good luck with your babies- it's an amazing journey raising twins.
  • tpittsley77
    tpittsley77 Posts: 607 Member
    I pumped exclusively. Under food, -20 cals per ounce. Make sure you eat back those calories and your exercise calories. Otherwise, your supply will diminish.
  • amydcarlson
    amydcarlson Posts: 136 Member
    This is going to be tough balancing losing the baby weight without diminishing milk supply. Slow and steady wins the race.
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