Breast feeding - extra calories?

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justinmychoos
justinmychoos Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
Hi,
just joined with 20lbs to lose, just wondered if get extra calories if BF and how to set this up. Currently target is 1200 which I know is to low when BF.
TIA

Replies

  • momofJandA
    momofJandA Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Depends on age of child and how much he/she is nursing. Check breastfeeding in the food database- it will give you a bunch of options
  • sbarella
    sbarella Posts: 713 Member
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    Talk to your ob/gyn. I don't think you should begin a DIY weight loss journey while breastfeeding. :)
    Welcome to MFP!
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    If your target is 1200 then chances are you selected "lose 2 pounds per week" as your goal - first of all I recommend that you decrease that to 1 pound per week at a maximum especially since you are breastfeeding since the last thing you want to do is damage your milk supply (by the way, are you exclusively nursing your child? That makes a difference in how many extra calories are optimal). Then, in the FOOD log, you should enter "breastfeeding" as a food (I know it would make more sense if it was under exercise :laugh: but it's not!) I believe several options will come up. Select the best option for your situation (exclusively breastfeeding or whatever) and it will add an additional number of calories to your daily goal as well as adjusting your macros appropriately. HTH and good luck!
  • tseabee
    tseabee Posts: 22
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    Hi, you can just add it to any of your meals or as your exercise. The way I do it is I just add it to my breakfast, if you just type breastfeeding in the search it will come up and you can pick either 500 if you are bf or pumping a lot or 300 if it is just a few times during the day/comfort feeding and it will adjust your net calories accordingly.
  • lilred806
    lilred806 Posts: 195 Member
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    I put breastfeeding in as an exercise for 500 calories when I first started. Mfp automatically gives less calories for "exercise" as you lose weight. So as I went longer and my little one ate less then I got less calories for it. I would also suggest reading some of the information on tdee and such. I am much happier eating more than 1200 (1500 plus exercise calories and not breastfeeding) and losing 1 lb a week. Oh and I am short and very sedentary. If you are taller or more active you could possibly eat quite a bit and still lose. I breast fed for 14 months with my last child and I was able to lose all the baby weight really quickly and then work on some of my extra from before my sweet baby. Good luck!
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
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    Breast feeding is supposed to burn 200-500 calories extra a day if I am remembering from when my son was still breast feeding. That being said you should be eating back ALL o those calories. Trying to do too extreme of a diet, especially with only 20lbs to lose, can dry up your milk or make it less nutritious for your little one.
  • laughingladyb
    laughingladyb Posts: 9 Member
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    Most OB-Gyn and most Pediatricians do not know much about breastfeeding. Talk to a Lactation Consultant or a La Leche League Leader!

    Protecting the milk supply is your first job. That is your baby's food and nutrition! You can lose weight while breastfeeding! Just go slowly and sensibly and it will happen! Be active and enjoy that baby!

    Belinda
  • rebranding101
    rebranding101 Posts: 16
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    My best friend who's on MFP is nursing as well. She logs BF as a cardiovascular activity, so she can earn more calories that way. Message me if you like, I'm sure she would be willing to help.
  • dizchic77
    dizchic77 Posts: 16 Member
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    I ate about 500 extra and tapered when my daughter cut back feedings.
  • Marcelynh
    Marcelynh Posts: 974 Member
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    My daughter just puts in breastfeeding in her food diary and it credits her with 500 calories (she exclusively breastfeeds, there are other options available.) The site will put in -500 calories or whatever you need so you don't have to keep it in your head.

    So go to your food diary... click on a meal.
    Type in for your food "breastfeeding"
    And then select.

    And yes, you can diet and breastfeed, just make sure you get the calories you need and TONS of water.
  • justinmychoos
    justinmychoos Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you so much everyone for the messages, DD is now 6 months old and so have started this week to introduce foods. But still Bf a lot and so think probably am using the higher end i.e. 500 calls. I am trying to be healthy and was going to aim for around 1500-1700 calories per day which I think should be fine with keeping up milk supply. I will try and add my extra calories.
  • Calvinsgrl1
    Calvinsgrl1 Posts: 30 Member
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    My DS is around same age. I have lost all the baby weight plus an extra 10lbs in the past few months thanks to ebf and healthy diet! Oh and because DS is a beast already over 20lbs and almost 30inch! I have however stopped counting calories burned from bf. Once supply is established is it not oaky to eat a normal range of calories again? Im at around 1500 and half the days I go over a bit. The past few weeks I have fluctuated I've lost around 3lbs. Do you also find it hard to get an accurate weight because of the milk? Also does your body hold on to an extra 10 to 7 lbs until you are done bf? Also toxins are stored in your fat and if you loose to quickly its released into your breast milk. So slow and steady weight loss is safer for baby.
  • all4my4girls
    all4my4girls Posts: 20 Member
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    I know I am a little late to the party...lol...but I have tons of breastfeeding experience both as a former nursing Momma and as a postpartum doula.

    Everyone hit the nail on the head- plan an extra 500 calories for breastfeeding up to one year. After the one year mark you are good to drop to 200-300. It sounds silly, but the quantity and quality of the food that you eat will establish your milk. Even if you are a well established nursing mom, if you start dropping calories your milk will drop in quality.

    Keep an eye on your babe. If you notice he/she is increasingly irritable or crabs at the breast, you might want to up your intake of calories. There is a safe and healthy way to lose weight while nursing. Sometimes just nursing burns more than enough calories. My sister dropped all of her baby weight in the first few months. By the time my niece was 3 months old, she was earing all of her own clothes and didn't look like she had just birthed a baby. Me, on the other hand, after nursing 4 kids for 7 years total, I am still holding weight. lol
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    Most OB-Gyn and most Pediatricians do not know much about breastfeeding. Talk to a Lactation Consultant or a La Leche League Leader!

    Protecting the milk supply is your first job. That is your baby's food and nutrition! You can lose weight while breastfeeding! Just go slowly and sensibly and it will happen! Be active and enjoy that baby!

    Belinda

    This is good advice.

    Aim for slow fat loss, and don't be afraid to eat more if your baby's having a hungry day.... they will take more milk when they're going through a growth spurt and you'll know about it because they're suckling more often and/or for longer than usual. 500 cals/day extra is an average. Bigger, hungrier babies will tend to take more milk so you may need more than 500 extra cals a day, it depends.

    Pay attention to all the nutrients your body needs: protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, minerals (especially iron and calcium), fibre and water.

    And there's no hurry to lose the fat, so go slow and steady. As long as your milk supply is good and you're losing slowly you should be fine. 1200 cals/day is too little for most women, even without breastfeeding, so you probably will need to eat quite a bit more than that.
  • Calvinsgrl1
    Calvinsgrl1 Posts: 30 Member
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    So around 1800? I was over 2000 for the first 3 months I was always hungry. Is 1800 a good range then? Also do you think on the days we work out we need to eat even more? Ive read the regular exercise is actually good for milk production. What about carb consumption does it matter where the calories are coming from? Thanks!
  • foodfrenzied
    foodfrenzied Posts: 6
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    Great info, here - thanks! I exclusively bf my baby who is now almost 9 months now and is eating some solids in addition to breast feeding. It helps to know I could count this towards my calories burned, but I put on ALOT of weight in those early months as a result of the breast feedng making me feel insatiably hungry. I'd also love to know how many calories I should be taking in order to still lose weight? The 1200 plan is killing me and I'm only on day 3. Haha
  • Momma012814
    Momma012814 Posts: 1
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    I just barely made an account on here today. My daughter will be a month old on Friday, we breast feed with bottles and also straight on the boob. So she usually eats a lot. I'm not sure how I can add that into my chart, or anything.im still leaning everything thanks!
  • arainiday1
    arainiday1 Posts: 1,763 Member
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    Full time breastfeeding (i.e.) baby only has breastmilk and nothing else then you get an extra 500 cals a day

    Part time breastfeeding - either baby eats foods or gets formula sometimes - it's less. I don't know exactaly.

    I am breastfeeding a toddler (16 months now) so I don't even count that for me. I just put my weight loss at .5 a week
    and try to make sure I eat enough. and DRINK A LOT!!!!! LOTS OF WATER!!! its so important!

    also don't try to lose more than 1lb a week. you can hurt your milk supply by losing weight too quickly.

    any other breastfeeding Mommas that want to be friends, add me!
  • clanmcfleming
    clanmcfleming Posts: 37 Member
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    My DS is around same age. I have lost all the baby weight plus an extra 10lbs in the past few months thanks to ebf and healthy diet! Oh and because DS is a beast already over 20lbs and almost 30inch! I have however stopped counting calories burned from bf. Once supply is established is it not oaky to eat a normal range of calories again? Im at around 1500 and half the days I go over a bit. The past few weeks I have fluctuated I've lost around 3lbs. Do you also find it hard to get an accurate weight because of the milk? Also does your body hold on to an extra 10 to 7 lbs until you are done bf? Also toxins are stored in your fat and if you loose to quickly its released into your breast milk. So slow and steady weight loss is safer for baby.

    Not sure about scientific data but plenty anecdotal evidence from fellow mums who have all claimed to hold onto a few extra pounds whilst still nursing. My youngest is now three, not sure I can still use this excuse :)
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    I just barely made an account on here today. My daughter will be a month old on Friday, we breast feed with bottles and also straight on the boob. So she usually eats a lot. I'm not sure how I can add that into my chart, or anything.im still leaning everything thanks!

    If you look up Breastfeeding in the FOOD diary you should find it, and you can add it and it will adjust your calorie goal by giving you the extra 500 you need.

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