nursing calories added to tdee total?!

Options
dinomomma
dinomomma Posts: 264 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Should breastfeeding calories be added to the 20% of your tdee total? Or just eat the tdee total?

Replies

  • cbombara
    cbombara Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    I haven't been adding it in. I have just made sure that I am consuming all of the calories...so if I work out...I consume those calories also. It seems to be working. I started about a month ago (at 10 days post baby) and have lost 15 pounds.
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    Options
    If you are breast feeding, you should be eating a minimum of 500 calories a day over TDEE - 20%. That's what I understood when i was breastfeeding, anyway.
  • nattymommy33
    nattymommy33 Posts: 20
    Options
    I add 500 calories to my daily diet and make sure I eat them and lose. My baby is six months old. I would recommend not dieting until your supply is very regulated (mine didn't regulate until my baby was nearly four months old) as I have known a few moms to kill their supply by not eating enough. Enjoy those extra calorie! You really are eating for two now and may be able to lose weight a lot more easily now than at any other time in your life.
  • hollyferweda
    hollyferweda Posts: 10
    Options
    I had added it and I wasn't losing any. Now I don't add it and I'm finally losing (I'm eating about 1900 cals tho...) then when I workout I eat my workout cals back and I haven't seen any difference in my milk
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
    Options
    YOU NEED THE EXTRA CALS WHEN BFEEDING
  • nattymommy33
    nattymommy33 Posts: 20
    Options
    I've read a few books on the topic and the conventional wisdom on the topic is not to go below 1800 calories while breastfeeding but most women need to be at at least 2100 calories in order to get the nutrition needed to sustain mom and baby. When you go too low, generally it is the mom that suffers with poor health and a lowered metabolism. The recommended pace of loss is no more than one pound per week. La Leche League and Kelly's Mom have good articles about weight loss while breastfeeding.

    It's tough! People act like the weight will just fall off but it doesn't for everyone. It's good to track and get moving but for some people, their bodies really do not want to let go of much weight while breastfeeding. Give it a shot, eat your nursing calories, and if you find the scale isn't moving, focus on exercise and good nutrition. Nursing doesn't last forever and I feel lucky that nursing has been so easy for me and my kiddo. Nursing is such a short period in mom and baby's life-- I think it's more important to protect your supply than lose weight quickly, but hopefully, it won't be an either/or for you.
  • weloveourboys
    weloveourboys Posts: 133 Member
    Options
    I've read a few books on the topic and the conventional wisdom on the topic is not to go below 1800 calories while breastfeeding but most women need to be at at least 2100 calories in order to get the nutrition needed to sustain mom and baby. When you go too low, generally it is the mom that suffers with poor health and a lowered metabolism. The recommended pace of loss is no more than one pound per week. La Leche League and Kelly's Mom have good articles about weight loss while breastfeeding.

    It's tough! People act like the weight will just fall off but it doesn't for everyone. It's good to track and get moving but for some people, their bodies really do not want to let go of much weight while breastfeeding. Give it a shot, eat your nursing calories, and if you find the scale isn't moving, focus on exercise and good nutrition. Nursing doesn't last forever and I feel lucky that nursing has been so easy for me and my kiddo. Nursing is such a short period in mom and baby's life-- I think it's more important to protect your supply than lose weight quickly, but hopefully, it won't be an either/or for you.

    Well said.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    Options
    I eat TDEE - 20% and then I add 500 calories for breastfeeding. This gives me about 2000 calories per day. I eat my exercise calories, too.

    It's working really well for me.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Options
    Maybe consult your doctor.
  • jenpegg
    jenpegg Posts: 1
    Options
    You can add in your breastfeeding calories in your food journal. Just search for breastfeeding and you will get lots of options. I chose Making Mommy's Milk = 500 calories. It's very important to me to keep my supply up as well as my mood and energy level. It is hard enough to keep up with the kids some days without feeling faint from hunger as well. :)
  • A_nori
    A_nori Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    I've read a few books on the topic and the conventional wisdom on the topic is not to go below 1800 calories while breastfeeding but most women need to be at at least 2100 calories in order to get the nutrition needed to sustain mom and baby. When you go too low, generally it is the mom that suffers with poor health and a lowered metabolism. The recommended pace of loss is no more than one pound per week. La Leche League and Kelly's Mom have good articles about weight loss while breastfeeding.

    It's tough! People act like the weight will just fall off but it doesn't for everyone. It's good to track and get moving but for some people, their bodies really do not want to let go of much weight while breastfeeding. Give it a shot, eat your nursing calories, and if you find the scale isn't moving, focus on exercise and good nutrition. Nursing doesn't last forever and I feel lucky that nursing has been so easy for me and my kiddo. Nursing is such a short period in mom and baby's life-- I think it's more important to protect your supply than lose weight quickly, but hopefully, it won't be an either/or for you.

    I agree completely!
  • dinomomma
    dinomomma Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    If you are breast feeding, you should be eating a minimum of 500 calories a day over TDEE - 20%. That's what I understood when i was breastfeeding, anyway.
    Thank you
  • dinomomma
    dinomomma Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    I've read a few books on the topic and the conventional wisdom on the topic is not to go below 1800 calories while breastfeeding but most women need to be at at least 2100 calories in order to get the nutrition needed to sustain mom and baby. When you go too low, generally it is the mom that suffers with poor health and a lowered metabolism. The recommended pace of loss is no more than one pound per week. La Leche League and Kelly's Mom have good articles about weight loss while breastfeeding.

    It's tough! People act like the weight will just fall off but it doesn't for everyone. It's good to track and get moving but for some people, their bodies really do not want to let go of much weight while breastfeeding. Give it a shot, eat your nursing calories, and if you find the scale isn't moving, focus on exercise and good nutrition. Nursing doesn't last forever and I feel lucky that nursing has been so easy for me and my kiddo. Nursing is such a short period in mom and baby's life-- I think it's more important to protect your supply than lose weight quickly, but hopefully, it won't be an either/or for you.

    Thank you, yes I've read a lot too just wasn't sure about adding to my tdee
  • dinomomma
    dinomomma Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    You can add in your breastfeeding calories in your food journal. Just search for breastfeeding and you will get lots of options. I chose Making Mommy's Milk = 500 calories. It's very important to me to keep my supply up as well as my mood and energy level. It is hard enough to keep up with the kids some days without feeling faint from hunger as well. :)
    Yea I want to add them so it's always in the total instead if daily.
  • dinomomma
    dinomomma Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    I eat TDEE - 20% and then I add 500 calories for breastfeeding. This gives me about 2000 calories per day. I eat my exercise calories, too.

    It's working really well for me.
    20% of my tdee is 2130, yikes to 500 more calories lol
  • binknbaby
    binknbaby Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    YES!!!

    For exclusive breastfeeding (baby has no solids or other supplementation, comfort nurses, nurses through night), it will be about 500 cals/day. For non-exclusive (baby has some solids, sleeps through the night, or doesn't comfort nurse) it will range from 200-450, depending on how often and how much. For example, the toddler who only nurses once or twice a day for just a few minutes may only be 200 cals, but a crawler who is getting some solids and sleeps through the night may use as much as 450. On the other hand, a very "demanding" nurser, perhaps a 3 or 4 month old going through a growth spurt, could be even as high as 600 or 700 cals.
  • dinomomma
    dinomomma Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    YES!!!

    For exclusive breastfeeding (baby has no solids or other supplementation, comfort nurses, nurses through night), it will be about 500 cals/day. For non-exclusive (baby has some solids, sleeps through the night, or doesn't comfort nurse) it will range from 200-450, depending on how often and how much. For example, the toddler who only nurses once or twice a day for just a few minutes may only be 200 cals, but a crawler who is getting some solids and sleeps through the night may use as much as 450. On the other hand, a very "demanding" nurser, perhaps a 3 or 4 month old going through a growth spurt, could be even as high as 600 or 700 cals.
    Thank you so much

Categories