Breastfeeding and calories
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casiej11
Posts: 21 Member
Okay I have read through a lot of the other posts on this topic and haven't seen anyone else ask the same question I have. I have always said I am the atypical BF mom who does not lose weight from breastfeeding. I am a second time mommy to a 7 month old, she eats solids once a day in the evening but is still EBF (eats about 7-8/day). I started out adding 400 calories to the 1200 that MFP recommended for my milk supply (1600/day). Milk supply was fine but no change in the scale what so ever. I have now cut down by 100/day to 1500 to see if this helps. Then when you factor in my exercise (300-400 burned) I will normally eat half of those calories. My milk is well established and my DD is def gaining weight so I'm going to try this out to see how it goes. Any other BF moms who have a similar problem? Don't burn through the calories BF like the rest? I am 5'6", 166#. What is the lowest amount of calories other BF have been able to consume with no effect on the milk. It's frustrating, I am within 6# of prebaby weight but well over my healthy weight range. Thanks!
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Hi! I am a second time mom as well with a 3 yr old and 7 1/2 month old. She gets solids once a day in the evening too and eats about the same as yours. I was allowing myself 1600 cals also. 400 to breastfeeding. I had lost a little but ended up platue ing. I increased my calories to 1800(what the LLL suggest while nursing) and the scale is going down again. Good luck. Hope this helps!0
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I'm at 2000 a day plus half of exercise cals, although I don't always eat half back. Losing weight and milk seems to be ok, oh and DD is 15.5 months.0
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One idea is that it is because you are so close to goal. I carry a TON of water weight when BFing. When I stop, I lose about 5lbs within a week. If you dropped 5lbs, you'd be within 1lb of goal.
Do you find you look about the same or fit in the same clothes you did when you were 6lbs lighter? When BFing, I was about 10lbs heavier than prepregnancy but could wear the same clothes. That is another clue that it was water/milk weight.
Another - and possible crazy thought - but have you tried eating more? The only time I did not lose weight while BFing was when I was eating too little. 1800-2000 cals plus all exercise cals (measured with an HRM) kept me losing .5-1lbs per week.0 -
Hi! I am a second time mom as well with a 3 yr old and 7 1/2 month old. She gets solids once a day in the evening too and eats about the same as yours. I was allowing myself 1600 cals also. 400 to breastfeeding. I had lost a little but ended up platue ing. I increased my calories to 1800(what the LLL suggest while nursing) and the scale is going down again. Good luck. Hope this helps!
Is that 1800 plus 400 for breastfeeding (2200) or 1800 including breastfeeding?0 -
1800 including breastfeeding calories. Its all about finding out what works for you though.0
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I have my calories set for 1400 a day. Then with added exercise I get more. With the working out it can take me up to 1800 calories a day. I have done this for a week now and my milk supply hasn't gone down. But, I'm doing light workouts for long periods. Not sure if that helps verses shorter more strenuous workouts. It's a challenge though,as I get hungry but not starving. So I drink tea or lemon water to take that away.
I do agree though if you hit a plateau, you should up calories a little. You would think that would be bad but, it does really help. Our bodies change and adjust all the time.0 -
Thank you everyone. I am going to give the 1500/day another week and see if there is any success. I was bad last week about tracking, especially over the weekend and the scale showed it. Gain of 0.2lbs (truly not that bad!). So if I still don't see any changes I might give the 1800/day a try for a week, heck ya for more food! Lol! :-)0
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Yes frustrating! I am in your same situation, little to no weight loss for 18months now- baby is now 29 months. Still nursing 3x day and I dropped extra 250 BFing calories about a year ago, but still have not lost any more weight. I exercise a TON... 5-6x a week, calories are 1400-1600 then I earn about 500-700 per workout ( I wear a monitor so I can closely know calorie burn). There are days when I only consume 1400 cal, but burn 6-700 cals, do you think this puts me in starvation mode?
From what I've researched, many nursing moms can't lose the last 10 or so lbs until they wean. I feel I'm in the best shape ever, but my body is desperately holding on to the extra 'fat' pounds for milk production. Hopefully when he weans (in the process) the fat lbs will melt off!! Yes, wishful/ positive thinking! If it were me, I'd keep nursing even if it meant holding on to a few extra pounds, just work on getting in great shape!0 -
I'm about 10lbs away from where I want to be and I'm intending to clean up my diet a little bit when Spring rears its head and see if that helps, but there is definitely a band of stubborn fat on my midsection that I'm concerned won't disappear until my daughter weans. I'm in no hurry, but it's a little frustrating!0
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My son will be 6 months old this week and his is also EFB but is getting homemade babyfood and oatmeal most days. My calories are set at 1780...not sure if that is where I should be but have lost a few pounds so Im going to stick with it until I stop seeing progress.0
