Help understanding BF question

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StefSays
StefSays Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I am a nursing mother with three kids. My baby is about 3 months old now, and I have successfully lost weight in the past from nursing and monitoring my calories with exercise. I feel like I'm having more difficulty with that now. I'm at a loss trying to guess how many calories to shoot for. I have a very slow metabolism so I've got MFP goal set for 1200 calories per day.

I noticed that breastfeeding (BF) calories are under "foods" instead of exercise. I am assuming I should up my calorie goal and then subtract the BF calories each day? That seems backwards to me.

With my other children I lost weight very quickly while breastfeeding and I feel like I'm having a much harder time now. I am older - 31, versus 25 and 27 previously. I'm feeling more frustrated with what seems like a lack of movement on the scale compared to before. I exclusively pump about 8 oz. every 4 hours, so 48 oz per day.

I'm aiming to lose about 40 pounds.

Replies

  • PinkCoconut
    PinkCoconut Posts: 655 Member
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    I'm no expert but I would say that if you need to add the extra 500 calories per day you need for breastfeeding then add the 500 calories to the 1200 and eat that. So try eating 1700 calories per day knowing you'll burn 500 of them from breastfeeding. Make sense?

    Congrats on the baby, by the way! I have a 3-month old myself! Feel free to friend me!
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
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    You may want to be eating more calories/day than 1200. If you are looking for more informed advice, you should probably chat with your Pediatrician about it. If you're under-eating as of now, you may actually start to lose more weight if you up your calories. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I've seen it happen many times.

    Allan
  • emmaxbon
    emmaxbon Posts: 123 Member
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    Although its under foods its a negative calorie figure for breastfeeding so it will reduce your net calories the same way exercise does. You need to eat these back in addition to eating back your exercise calories.
  • PinkCupcakes84
    PinkCupcakes84 Posts: 235 Member
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    You need to eat more and add in your breastfeeding. I -300 for breastfeeding. That gives me around 1650 calories a day plus whatever exercise calories.
  • jennk5309
    jennk5309 Posts: 206 Member
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    Although its under foods its a negative calorie figure for breastfeeding so it will reduce your net calories the same way exercise does. You need to eat these back in addition to eating back your exercise calories.

    This^^ Please, eat the BF calories. You need them.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    Your first priority is your health and that of your baby. Eat your BF calories to stay healthy. Part of your problem may be lack of sleep. It messes with hormones and makes weight loss difficult even if you don't eat more. Be patient.
  • colleenrutledge6
    colleenrutledge6 Posts: 3 Member
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    Hey!

    I am BFing my 5 month old and have been eating the extra 300-500 calories and am now consistantly loosing .5-1 pound per week. Ive lost all baby weight and am now working on the weight I was trying to loose before becoming pregnant. If you stay at 1200 calories chances are you wont loose weight and you might loose your supply as well.

    I have been told that the longer you BF the easier the weight comes off.. so keep going!

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