New here, EBF twins, help!?
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pattilbishop
Posts: 1
I can't seem to figure out how MFP accounts for breast feeding!!! I'm 5'9" 185lbs 4 months after delivering twins. I gained 30, would love to get back to 160 ish. I breast fed my first 2 kids and was ALWAYS hungry! I always said I had more cravings nursing than pregnant. The twins have been no different. I never had supply issues with my singles but am struggling to keep up with 2. I'm trying for 2000 cals a day, not really losing much but not keeping up with babies. I'm drinking a ton of water, mothers milk tea, all that. Anyone else with twins? Is it really 500 cals per baby? Anybody know?! Oh, I really want to be good about my diet because exercise is not happening like it did after my others. I have 4 kids, 5 and under.
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Hi I just found your topic. My twins are 9 months old now and breastfed. If you search for breastfeeding twins as a food, I think it subtracts from your daily calories. Mine are on four feeds a day each now and I aim for 1500 calories.
All the best.0 -
I don't have experience with twins, but I'm wondering if you're not eating too little! I know 2000 sounds like a lot, but with one baby EBFing I was eating 1800. (I'm still eating 1800 because we BF and do solids at 8 months.)
If you are EBFing, you need to add in 500 calories per baby over and above what you're eating for your own needs. Kellymom.com suggests that the minimum calorie intake for BFing is 1800, and that's for one baby, so if you add in another 500, I'd think you should be eating 2300, at least. You might find that if you eat more, your supply might increase. Since you're already eating 2000, maybe just up it to 2300 to see how you do, or maybe just add in 500 and eat 2500? My very unprofessional suggestion
Keep us posted!0 -
With one they say staying around 1800 cals is good once you've established your milk supply if you're exercising and want to loose weight. That didn't work for me, I really need to make sure I'm keeping up my activity otherwise the weight would stay or go up.
I would think you'd need to add another 500 cals to that for twins, so 2300 cals/day. Once they start eating solids you may be able to decrease it a little. I still breastfeed my 15 month old who eats solids and still try to keep my calories around 1800 or else I notice my milk isn't there. You probably should eat foods with a lot of water content so filling up on fruits, veggies, oatmeal (they recommend steel cut), almond milk, munch on some almonds, make yourself some lactation cookies if you'd like. Drink lots and lots of fluids, that will really help.
Also for 'exercise' you could try wearing one or both around the house while you're doing your chores. Keeping your baby close will help with milk production and the extra weight can help the lbs come off.0 -
I am only nursing one 6 month old who eats nothing else. MFP gives me 1200 cals, and I added 400 cal for BFing. I also eat back almost all of my excercise calories. So I'm usually around 2000 for one baby, and I'm still losing. I think you should eat a tad more!0
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I agree that upping your calories will likely help with your supply. For me, I cannot dip below 2500 calories or I notice a drop in supply (I pump at work, so I know!) and I'm nursing a toddler!0
