Cutting calories effect breatmilk supply?

Yes it can. How much you can cut out depends on you, as it seems to really vary mom to mom. I would start out very slowly and make sure your daily intake includes intake for milk making. The good news is that if it does affect your supply increasing calorie intake should bring it back up pretty quickly. Kellymom.com used to have some resources but I can't get there right now to find a link to the info on intake.

I nursed my daughter for a year after she was born(a decade ago) and used a ton of calories doing so. When I read up on it, it burns 500 calories alone just to produce milk. I lost about 70lb in the 5 months following her birth by adding in activity and I felt like I was starving all the time even when I did not reduce. Start slow or ask your pediatrician for advice if you plan to cut the calories. Good luck!

I agree with the posts above. Cutting calories CAN reduce milk supply but it varies from woman to woman. I've nursed three babies (for a year each) and worked-out the entire time I nursed. It's possible to cut calories but you have to maintain a delicate balance. In the end, not every woman's body reacts the same. I have a close friend who insists that she CANNOT cut calories or she stops producing.

First and foremost is to drink PLENTY of water. I'm talking like 90 oz a day. (And ditch the soda if that's an issue for you...it'll cut A LOT of calories). As mentioned, make sure your calorie allowance includes the fact that you're nursing. And then experiment with it. If you're a first-time mom this might be a little bit more challenging because you don't have another expereince to gauge against. Cut calories by a little at a time- not a huge deduction all at once. Make sure the calories that you do eat are nutrient dense foods. Find ways to add veggies to your regular meals/recipes. Try to eat fruit as often as possible. Give yourself a day or so to see how the milk supply is doing, then go from there. If you cut too many calories all at once, then your supply will drop. And don't forget.....DRINK WATER!!!

It definitely can. Dehydration can also affect your supply. When I was nursing my first two, I kept 1/2 pbj sandwiches in little sandwich bags along with a bottle of water in the places I was most likely to nurse. That way, I always had food and drink available. I kept snacks in the stroller with water too so anytime I went for a walk, I had my snacks already packed and in the stroller.