Calories and Breastfeeding

sassylynn22
sassylynn22 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi - I am new to the program and I am trying to lose 25lbs. I am still breastfeeding my DD she is now 2 years old, but still nurses a lot. Probably 5-6 times a day. My question is how do I know how many calories to add to what MFP said was my goal calories. Thanks:smile:

Replies

  • PinkCupcakes84
    PinkCupcakes84 Posts: 235 Member
    Under the food tab type breastfeeding. Many options will come up. There is a breastfeeding toddler option. Wtg of bfing in year two. Awesome job mom!!
  • Nedra19455
    Nedra19455 Posts: 241 Member
    I am breastfeeding a toddler too. I just lowered my weekly goal for weight loss -- so I put in that I wanted to lose 1 lb per week instead of 1.5. I ended up losing about 1.5-2 lbs each week regardless, due to the breastfeeding, I think. It's a nice little "bonus"

    In your case., since you only need to lose 20 lbs, you should probably aim to lose 0.5 lbs a week and then expect that you'd lose more like 1 lb per week due to the breastfeeding.

    Otherwise, to can put in your goal as you normally would and then log negative calories food entries, as pinkcupcakes described.
  • emklsu
    emklsu Posts: 4 Member
    I'm struggling with getting this right now, too. My son just turned 2, and nurses about 3 times a day. The morning nurse lasts like an hour, though. I am putting in -200 calories, but my weight is not coming off... It actually went up the first week, and now is going back down. I'm wondering if I'm adding too many calories for breastfeeding. I don't pump anymore, so I'm not sure what my output is, but it can't be all that much... Any thoughts?
  • nkochrn84
    nkochrn84 Posts: 1 Member
    I am breastfeeding, but my son is only 6 months. I put in my weight loss goal as 1.5 but then I manually changed my calories to 1800.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Ditto the other suggestions about using the entry in the food diary. I would also try to gauge how much you are producing rather than just frequency. I am also nursing a 2 year old, once or twice a day, but even during a particularly long nursing session, I do not think she is getting very much, and I don't even add calories back in to account for it.
  • veganbettie
    veganbettie Posts: 701 Member
    I'm nursing an almost 2 year old as well, I have about 12 more pounds to lose, I think....and I just lowered it to .5 a week, i'm currently eating 1600 calories, PLUS 200 for nursing, and I eat back ALL of my exercise, I track with a HRM. When he was nursing a lot I would do 500 and I still do when he is sick, and I just lowered it to 200 hundred this week since I upped my calories, eating 1900 plus exercise calories freaked me out a bit.

    Yay for all of us for nursing full term!!!!
  • lcjkupke
    lcjkupke Posts: 1 Member
    Hey all :) I'm breastfeeding my 8 month old and have lost 5.5lbs in the last 18 days...I started a lifestyle change 18 days ago! I'm eating sensible and doing light workouts at the gym. My goal is 1,600calories (most days I'm between 1,100 & 1,500). I am 5'5" and currently 165. I nurse 3 x a day and pump twice Mon-Fri & nurse 5-6 times on weekends...

    VeganBettie- I do not eat back any calories...I eat when hungry, I by no means TRY to deny myself, I actually sometimes make myself eat to get enough. I've given up most dairy, all fast food and most enriched/processed/frozen foods....so there goes most of my diet LOL

    So far my milk supply is ok, and so far I'm losing weight but it's only day 18 so I'm not sure what to expect... any input?
  • annlance
    annlance Posts: 3
    Hello! I am looking for some support & just read your June 5th post. I was curious to see how your weight loss was going.

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