Having trouble cutting calories while breastfeeding

miverson22
miverson22 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!

I have been trying be trying to lose a little weight for the past few months, and every time I get really motivated and start cutting calories, I start feeling awful! I am nursing my 5 month old, and while I am trying to account for that, it doesn't seem to be enough. I always end up feeling shaky and queasy, like my blood sugar is low or I'm not getting enough calories. I'm not diabetic, so I don't know what's going on. I wonder if I should wait to lose weight until after I'm done nursing, but I am miserable at this weight. I don't know what to do, this is really discouraging. Has anyone else had this problem, or have any advice? Please help! Thanks.

Replies

  • ali4579
    ali4579 Posts: 24 Member
    How many calories are you eating when you try to lose weight?

    You hopefully don't have to weight until you're done nursing, but you might need to be ok with a slower rate of loss.

    The rough figure for breastfeeding is 500cals extra a day, and that seems to be reasonably accurate for me, based on what I've observed so far. My baby is three months old, and I started by just eating whatever I wanted to and tracking everything. From there I was able to get an idea of how much I was consuming, and just trimmed a few hundred calories off that, and the weight is coming off slowly but steadily :)

    Hope that helps!
  • miverson22
    miverson22 Posts: 3
    The goal that I was given on this site was 1800, plus I add the extra 500 for breastfeeding, and I lost a few pounds, but I felt miserable while I did it! I know I'm capable of losing weight, I lost 60 lbs after my last baby (but he was bottle fed). I just can't seem to find my stride this time. :(
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    Hey hang in there. Just know that breastfeeding won't last forever and if your baby is happy and healthy with the breastfeeding you ARE doing the best thing by the child.


    I, too, was really frustrated breastfeeding because it seemed like all the other moms pumping in the nursing mother's room were just losing without even having to try. Several talked about how awesome it was walking with their babies to McDs for a snack, smugly telling me if I would just exercise a little more and get my diet under control I, too, could drop weight like they did.

    I couldn't tell them I was on an all-natural, no artificial ingredient or artificial flavoring diet (except vanillian and occasional yellow dye) so the weight wasn't budging due to a poor diet- I was eating the healthiest I'd ever eaten in my LIFE. I mean, I tried, but the more I tried to explain that I was exercising and eating right the more they just rolled their eyes "Oh the fatty things she's doing things right, poor little victim her, whatever she MUST be sneak-eating."

    Deal is: everyone's body is different. And that was just my lot to bear. I weaned him at 1 year, and by 15 months later had lost 60 lbs.

    Hang in there. You can do it. Eat what makes you feel strong and healthy and try hard not to worry about your weight. My kid is one of the healthiest, brightest kids I know and I wouldn't trade that foundation of nursing him for the WORLD.

    If you really can't take it, might I suggest walking 30-45 min each day (right after feeding to minimize the impact of exercise making the milk less tasty) and also adding a large bowl of raw veggies to at least one meal a day. Not saying take away anything, just adding the veggies. I don't know why this works for me but even now I can eat a series of 1400 calorie days and lose nothing (with my system feeling "blah" to boot) but if I have a week where I eat that SAME 1400 and just add a 30 cal bowl of spinach radishes tomatoes etc I feel WAY better and my weight loss kicks back in.
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
    Hey, OP I hope you don't mind my posting this, but your post inspired me to write a blog about this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/JanieJack/view/so-everyone-else-loses-while-breastfeeding-but-not-you-620061
  • dmt4641
    dmt4641 Posts: 409 Member
    I had the same issue while nursing both my kids. I also couldn't exercise too much without my supply going down. At the end of the day continuing to nurse mattered more to me than my weight so I tried to eat my goal but if I was truly hungry I ate more. And since too much cardio lowered my supply I focused on weight training. I ended up losing the weight but probably just took at little longer.
  • miverson22
    miverson22 Posts: 3
    I don't mind at all! Maybe it can help another mom not feel so bad. :)
  • citizenpioneer
    citizenpioneer Posts: 37 Member
    It's suggested that you not lose weight until you're no longer breastfeeding. The baby needs all the fat and calories it can get.
  • nenaschei
    nenaschei Posts: 4 Member
    My baby is 9 month old and still mainly nursing and eating table food Hated baby food... and I am starting to see some weight come off... hang in there!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    It's suggested that you not lose weight until you're no longer breastfeeding. The baby needs all the fat and calories it can get.

    :huh: Um, some of us are extended nursers and continue to breastfeed even after the child is on purees, table food, and cow's milk. I don't know who suggested that, but they sound a bit silly.

    OP, I added in additional calories and was able to maintain supply, but the weight hasn't just fallen off of me like it did with my first baby. I would tweak the numbers to find a goal that works for mom and baby. The progress may be super slow but at least it's something.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    I've had this struggle too. I have been breastfeeding, pregnant, or both for the past 5.5 years so waiting until I'm "done" with this phase of my life has proven difficult! I tried to lose weight when my youngest was 5 months old and I was losing weight really quickly but my milk supply was really suffering so I quit. Now my baby just turned 1 and I have decided to try again. I am nursing quite a bit still, so I add 200 calories onto each day for that, but I'm actually having trouble losing weight. I don't know what the deal is but it's frustrating!

    Anyway, my advice would be to pay attention to your body's cues and if you're hungry, you should eat. You can still make healthy choices, and log your calories so you know how much you're eating, but you shouldn't be feeling that hungry when you're nursing! It's not good for your milk supply or for you! It takes a lot of effort to breastfeed that often.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    I'd suggest being generous with your calories for another month. At that time your babe will probably start some foods. Over time Babe will eat more drink less, then you will be better able to cut calories. When breastfeeding it took me a YEAR to get back to pre-pregancy weight. (and I did it 3 times). It's this later pre-menopusal stuff that let the weight creep back up!

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