Breastfeeding and losing weight

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vamperillia
vamperillia Posts: 3
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Any breastfeeding mommas trying to lose weight? How many calories are you eating everyday?

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  • sueclare38
    sueclare38 Posts: 125
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    Hi, I'm 39 5"3 and 137-140lbs. I'm still feeding baby number 6 who is almost 2 and I'm on 1700 calories, she only has 1-2 feeds a day now and exercise calories are already included in my calorie goal. Feel free to add me.
  • stygmah
    stygmah Posts: 8 Member
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    Hi there. I am. I have a 6 week old and breastfeeding exclusively, and my son is a little piglet. Cluster-feeds constantly and has since birth. Baby #2.

    I'd lost my weight, hit goal and got pregnant and now I'm back where I started, again. I'm 5'6 and back up around 170lbs (don't know how a 7lb 3oz baby pops out and I lose like 1 lb). I'm still shooting for adding an extra 300 calories a day, shooting for around 1380 net, 1680 total.)

    Not losing a darn thing so far. Feel free to add me too.
  • KRB28
    KRB28 Posts: 248 Member
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    Hi I breast feed my 7 month old 5-6 times a day and I try to aim for 1600-1800 calories a day. I find it hard getting enough calories in, I haven't noticed a decrease in supply so that's good. If your exclusively nursing you should eat an extra 500 calories a day :)
  • aliencheesecake
    aliencheesecake Posts: 570 Member
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    I actually didn't use MFP until after I had stopped nursing and gained the 12 or so pounds back that I had lost. All I did while nursing was keep my food under 2000 calories, regardless of how much I exercised that day.
  • zephtalah
    zephtalah Posts: 327 Member
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    I am not currently nursing, but I have nursed 7 children (including twins to 16 months). I normally ate at least 1800 (when the twins were nursing I ate close to 2500.) If I ate less, than 1800, I would notice a drop in supply. LLI recommends at least 1800 for EBF mothers. That being said, I currently weigh less than before children. Good luck with your journey.
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
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    I breastfed while I was losing. I did not eat back the calories. I had plenty of fat stores for him to take from and I upped my vitamins and made sure the calories I was getting were nutrient packed. There have been studies done of women on extremely reduced calorie diets and it was found their milk was as calorie packed and nutritious as women who followed the extra 300-500 calorie rule. I had plenty of supply as long as I kept drinking plenty of water and my baby grew normal. Everyone is different and unless you have a decent fat store for the milk to come from and are healthy generally it is probably not wise but you won't die or even hurt your metabolism (I have been maintaining on a 1600 cal day for a year). You will have insane cravings especially for sugar but if you can handle that it is doable. Obviously talk to your pediatrician because they will best know your child's unique medical situation. Good luck!
  • touchafaith
    touchafaith Posts: 112 Member
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    Hi! I'm currently breastfeeding my 6 month old, we've been exclusively breastfeeding until a couple of weeks ago when I started her on solids. She still breastfeeds at least 6 times a day though and all throughout the night. I'm 5'2 161lbs and I eat around 1400-1600 calories a day plus any exercise calories I have which is usually 300ish extra calories. I've been doing this for 9 weeks now and lost 23lbs and haven't noticed a drop in supply at all but I've heard the slightest decrease in calories can affect some womens milk greatly so just be wary of that. Hope this helps and anyone feel free to add me too :-)
  • hotmomma0612
    hotmomma0612 Posts: 651 Member
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    I know it's possible, and though I never breastfed, I was told if you did to get about the same amount of calories as you did while pregnant. My son is now almost 2 m/o and I am pregnant again! Congrats!
  • obum88
    obum88 Posts: 262 Member
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    Currently nursing a 4 month old. I am not part of those mamas whose weight comes off while breastfeeding. I played around with my eating and exercising and found what worked for me. After 2 months my body is producing milk based on supply and demand in my opinion and I have a decent fat store. He is getting enough and growing. I eat alot some days abd less other days. Average about 1500 cals a day. I workout and eat to hunger within reason. I am a snacker abd it's worse when I am nursing.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
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    Lost 82 lbs after baby #1 (102 if you count my initial loss), but I didn't EBF. This time I am EBFing my 3-month-old and struggling to lose and maintain my supply. I'm eating 2000/day, but it's a reeeeeally slow loss. Painfully slow.

    There's a whole group of us that you can join called "Breastfeeding Support."

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/197-breastfeeding-support
  • mommyshortlegs
    mommyshortlegs Posts: 402 Member
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    This online calorie calculator takes into account pregnancy by trimester as well as breastfeeding:

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/tools/calories-burned

    For those nursing mothers having difficulty losing, try increasing your calories; too few net calories and your body will only cling harder to the weight. Also note some mother's bodies do retain some weight (~10 lbs.) for the duration of breastfeeding, and breastfeeding does not "melt off the weight" for everyone.
  • vamperillia
    vamperillia Posts: 3
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    Thanks everyone! I'm EBF and I'm trying to eat around 1600-1800 calories per day depending on if I'm hungry or not. I'm drinking plenty of water and haven't noticed a change in my supply. I've been exercising the past four days and I already notice a difference at my waist and my back. I lost most of my weight within a couple weeks of having my baby, then it just came to a standstill. Hopefully this exercise will kick it back into gear. :)
  • FitMama2013
    FitMama2013 Posts: 919 Member
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    EBF here and I eat 2500 and am losing...my goal is to eat as much as I can while still continuing weight loss. No need to be hungry or affect supply!
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