Anyone else breastfeeding and trying to figure this out?

Junisahn · March 2010

Hi,

I'm breastfeeding my 7 month old daughter, and am having a hard time losing the final 9 lbs that I gained while pregnant. I overate while pregnant, so I know this is not quite baby weight, but is, as I call it "dorito weight."

I'm having trouble determining what calories I should be eating. I'm not quite sedentary - I'm taking care of my baby - but I wouldn't call myself active. I feel crazy hungry if I go anywhere below 2000 calories a day, which is my real issue. I know breastfeeding moms aren't supposed to go below 1800 calories - 1500 at an absolute minimum. I'm small as it is - just 5'1 and 120 lbs, so there seems to be no practical reason why I shouldn't do fine on 1800 or even 1500 calories a day, but seriously - I feel horrible when I get below 2000, and I worry about my milk supply at that point, because I'm barely getting through the day with enough energy.

I eat VERY healthy foods. Get enough veggies and fruits, snack on fruit and nuts, and eat whole grains and lean meats. I don't eat any fast food and except for bread, I eat no processed foods - all whole foods.

Anyone else out there breastfeeding and manage to figure it out?

Thanks

katapple · March 2010

When I was BF I followed Weight Watchers as it was easier to eat the right amount of calories to not starve myself and to still produce a good supply. You get 10 extra points a day, so I have no idea what that would equate to in calories. But I don't think you should go under 1800 while breastfeeding. I do know a lot of women who will hang onto the last 10 pounds until they wean though. Hopefully that's not your case! But congrats on losing this much already! It took me 20 months to get back to prepregnancy weight!

anneniles920 · March 2010

Hi -
I have a 7 week old baby. I still have 15 lbs left to lose. I too have been eating healthy, drinking lots of water and breastfeeding. I have heard while breastfeeding you tend to hold onto about 10 lbs. When you finish bf'ing you should lose that weight...I was hoping to find a way to lose the weight and continue bfing...we shall see!

JMKelmer · March 2010

Hi there - I also felt absolutely terrible when I was at this point about a year ago when my daughter was 11 months. I would get dizzy, extremely tired and irritable when trying to reduce calories to lost the last 10-15. While there are guidelines in place that you mentioned, I finally just decided that it was best to "listen to my body" and eat sensibly for both me and my baby girl. I didn't take off the rest of the weight until 10 months later but eventually with the help of this site I said Adios!.

Best of luck to you -- and fab job giving your little one such an incredible start nutritiously. Your commitment will benefit her her whole life.

Not sure I was helpful, but thought I'd chime in! Jen

firegirlred · March 2010

Most moms hold onto that last ten pounds until they are done nursing...

With that being said,

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/85127-calories-burned-breast-feeding

I pump off an extra 20-25 ounces a day. I removed my deficit and only account in calories for the extra that I'm pumping off. Feel free to check my food diary and you'll see what I mean. The nutritional values you see for the milk are taken from studies based on breastmilk and are only an average, so they probably aren't entirely accurate as women vary widely in how much fat is in their milk. To figure out how much of a deficit you are "likely" in, multiply your baby's weight by sixty. On the conservative side, milk is ON AVERAGE around 20 calories per ounce. Babies ON AVERAGE drink three times their body weight in ounces a day. So, 20*3*baby's weight = caloric deficit.

I stopped losing weight when I had myself programmed in MFP to lose a pound a week. It did not work, and only now that I'm eating more am I losing the weight. More importantly, my supply was suffering.

auntbliz · March 2010

With my first two kids, I couldn't get rid of the extra weight until they were weaned. After they were weaned it just came off fairly effortlessly. After my third, I was already pregnant with the fourth when she weaned, so didn't take off the weight, and after the fourth, I weaned him in September, and have really struggled. I think the body may try to hang on to that weight just in case, you know, so that if you have to starve for 3 days, it will have some reserves for the baby. Makes sense to me, but it's just a guess.

boscopup · March 2010

I'm breastfeeding a 9.5 month old (who is just now starting to like solids a bit, but still not taking in much of them). I haven't gotten to the last 10 lbs yet, but I have lost the first 10 lbs pretty easily. I set MFP for losing 1 lb/week and ate my exercise calories. That got me losing about 1.5-2 lbs/week since I hadn't accounted for the breastfeeding calories. Now I'm kind of hitting a weight plateau, BUT I just started running and I did suddenly lose inches, so I know it's still working and I probably just gained muscle and such. I'll probably start losing again soon.

Also, are you aiming for a specific weight number or looking at your size in inches? Because your breastfeeding boobs are probably a bit heavier than your non-breastfeeding ones, so I'd expect a little extra weight anyway. If I can fit in pre-pregnancy jeans, I know I've lost the "baby weight". I'm technically below my pre-pregnancy weight now (for all 3 kids), but I still have extra inches around the waist that I need to get rid of. It's coming off now that I'm exercising regularly. Running seems to be taking it off the quickest.

nikkijean8 · March 2010

I have an 11 month old daughter and just had to stop breastfeeding a couple months ago (nursing strike that never ended).

I know what you mean - I would get very weak and almost sick feeling if I even tried to diet while I was breastfeeding. A friend gave me some good advice - she said when she was b-feeding, that any time she didn't feel good or didn't have enough energy she knew that she either a) wasn't drinking enough water, or b) needed to go eat some protein. You may want to try and incorporate a little more protein into your diet? I have also used WW in the past. 10 extra points is equivalent to approximately 500 calories (without counting in fat or fiber which are the other 2 factors used to calculate points in WW). I'm definitely not an expert on this, but hopefully that information helps you a little!

Junisahn · March 2010

Hi all,

Thanks so much for all your posts. I wonder if I AM one of the people who will keep that last 10 lbs on until I wean her. I have no plans for that, and SO wanted to lose the weight for a June vacation, but... oh well... her nutrition is more important than 9 lbs.

I get that same feeling when I cut calories that several of you described - I feel sick. I'm going to try drinking more water and reaching for some protein. I don't necessarily get a lot of protein, so I could try that.

I have a number in mind (111) for my weight loss, but would really just be happy to fit into my clothes again. I can wear my "fat" clothes, but am definitely am still bigger. It may also be that my gut is just still saggy, so things don't fit right... my waist size is a whopping 3 inches larger still, and I have a good deal of extra-ness on my thighs and a little weight on my arms.

Ugh... sounds like I'd be better off spending my energy trying to be happy with my body as it is, rather than losing the weight. Though both seem really hard!

boscopup · March 2010

Is this your first baby? Your body shape does change somewhat, like your hips might be a bit wider (the bones spread), etc. I do recommend getting clothes that fit and flatter your body so you'll look good NOW, but also continue to eat right and exercise appropriately. Then as the weight does finally come off, you'll just take another shopping trip for new clothes that fit.

I do wonder if a lot of breastfeeding moms who "gain weight" or "don't lose weight" while breastfeeding are maybe not eating enough calories. I think it's easy to do that.

Junisahn · March 2010

This is my second child. My body changed a little after the first - more thighs and hips, but I got back to my prepregnancy weight, and lost an additional 3 lbs. My body seems to have changed even more after the second. Both of my children were born pretty early - my first was born at 31 weeks, but had died just before his birth. In my grief over his death, I lost all my baby weight.... just didn't want to eat. My second was born at 28 weeks, by emergency c-section so when I say she's 7 months, she's actually about 4.5 months "adjusted."

Interesting point about not eating enough and holding onto the weight. It's some complex, math! I think you're right tho - I should just buy a few outfits so I stop having to squeeze into things...

boscopup · March 2010

I'm so sorry for your loss.

My first was a 29 weeker, so I understand the adjusted age thing. He's now 5.5 and you'd never know he was a preemie.

Anyone else breastfeeding and trying to figure this out?

Replies

Categories