Logging/eating breastfeeding calories

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PurpleCupcakes01
PurpleCupcakes01 Posts: 141
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you ladies log your breastfeeding? I just started logging it and was wondering do you log it so you can make up those calories or are you just treating it as bonus calories burned?

I am exclusively feeding my 6.5 month old (a 25lb huge baby that refuses solids for some reason) and I know that burns about 500 calories a day. I log mine and have it set to -300 calories though and I eat them back. My question is should I not log breastfeeding and just treat it as a bonus calorie burn or is it important to eat those calories as well? I'm only logging -300 out of the -500. What do you ladies do?

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Log them and eat them.
  • Nedra19455
    Nedra19455 Posts: 241 Member
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    I don't log my breastfeeding. My daughter is almost 14 months and doesn't breastfeed around the clock anymore, so I wouldn't have a strong sense of how much I am burning in comparison to a mom with a newborn. Instead, I just slowed down my intended rate of loss. I am only set to lose 1 lb per week, so the extra calories I have by not *trying* to lose 2 lbs per week are there in my diet. I have been losing about 1.6-2 lbs per week in actuality and I figure the extra half-pound/pound over my weightloss goal is coming from the breastfeeding.
  • IlluminatedMayhem
    IlluminatedMayhem Posts: 177
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    I log -500 and eat most of them back. I tried not eating them back and I felt exhausted by the end of the day. My daughter is 4.5 months.

    Last time I attempted this I was nursing a toddler and didn't have to log or eat the calories.
  • PurpleCupcakes01
    PurpleCupcakes01 Posts: 141
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    Ok thanks ladies
  • LateOverWeight
    LateOverWeight Posts: 12 Member
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    Log them and eat them.

    This. Especially since she's refusing solids.
  • cbhutton
    cbhutton Posts: 53 Member
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    I logged it at -300 for a while, but my LO was not EBF at that point, so I stopped. At that point it was bonus, and I think it helped, but I also think 300 might have been a lofty estimate at that point.

    ETA: Keep up the great work, mama!
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    Since she's still EBF, log and eat them. Make sure most of it comes from nutrient-dense foods :wink: She's getting all her nutrition from you, and you need to be able to provide that for her. Remember, MFP already has your deficit built in (depending on how you set it up) and more isn't always better.

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