nursing moms calorie question

Options
wilted6orchid
wilted6orchid Posts: 423 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am wondering how many of the nursing moms are adjusting this 1200 calorie thing and how they are adjusting it. Do you manually go in and customize it to allow more calories? How many more? At 1200 my milk almost dried up so I am trying to figure this all out. I am doing TurboFire and use Chalene's formula for calorie target each week and it is going up from the exercise I am doing. Right now that formula is allowing me 1600 calories, but do I add 300 or 500 more for nursing? I am really curious what the rest of you all are doing and how. Thanks.

Replies

  • Baker0821
    Baker0821 Posts: 40
    Options
    Hi! I was still BFing when I joined! What I did was under food when you are logging your food, type in breastfeeding mother and just input how long you nursed and it will adjust your caloies. 1200 calories is not nearly enough to sustain a good supply. You need at least to allow yourself 300 extra calories. Good luck! I successfully nursed for 4 months while losing weight and not losing my supply! Good luck!
  • thebutterflycharmer_11
    thebutterflycharmer_11 Posts: 1
    Options
    I am currently nursing, and as Baker said, you log in your breastfeeding under food and it adjusts your calories, crabs and protein accordingly. The only issue is that you kind of have to guess how many oz baby is getting. Up until recently I was working full time, so pumping a lot, so I know approx how much I produce during each feeding.
  • kittyb1
    kittyb1 Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    Hi there....how much are you nursing right now? To produce around 25 - 30 ounces of milk you require approx 500 calories. This is on top of your regular caloric expenditure. You are exactly right 1200 cal is nowhere near enough for you to continue to produce the quality milk your little one needs. If you are doing turbo fire you are really burning a good amount of calories so I would agree with the previous post to put in that you are nursing and increase those calories with lots of fresh veggies/fruit/lean protein and fiber.

    Congrats on your commitment to being healthy while still nursing your little one....wonderful!
    Cheers
  • LoveMy3Boys
    LoveMy3Boys Posts: 562 Member
    Options
    i had no idea it was in food.i am nursing my 9 month old. I just upped my calories to 1400... no issues with supply but i need more calories... debating to go to 1500-1600
  • kittyb1
    kittyb1 Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    Hi all....here is a note from the American Clinical Dietetics Journal about the calorie expenditure of nursing mothers....I just thought you would like some scientific evidence of the calories you are burning through nursing and how important it is that you take in enough calories to sustain you production. If you would like links to other articles I can post


    The Secrets of Breastfeeding and Weight Loss



    Breastfeeding burns calories. Over 600 calories a day for breastfeeding women who don't supplement with formula. 600 calories! That's like getting two hours of aerobic exercise each day. A study published in the Journal of American Dietician Association shows breastfeeding melting off inches around your hips and buttocks. The reference is below.

    Reference

    Summary: Mothers who breastfed exclusively or partially had significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and were less above their prepregnancy weights at 1 month postpartum than mothers who fed formula exclusively.

    Author: Kramer, F.,

    Title: "Breastfeeding reduces maternal lower body fat."

    Published in: J Am Diet Assoc 1993;93(4):429-33
  • wilted6orchid
    wilted6orchid Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    I will admit it, my babies have always been skinny. Maybe it's because I am always trying to lose the weight and don't go about it right. I have NO idea how many ounces I produce, because I have never been able to pump. Honestly the only way I can pump is to attach the baby to one side and try to balance him and the pump on the other side, otherwise I have no let down (without baby). Never have been able to put an number of ounces together. I will go ahead and add 500 calories to my calorie intake and see if that helps. It is good to know about it being in the food tab though.
  • LoveMy3Boys
    LoveMy3Boys Posts: 562 Member
    Options
    Thank you for the information! My baby is a chubby little thing :) be he is small compared to formula fed babies; he is 17 pounds at 9 months.
    Hi all....here is a note from the American Clinical Dietetics Journal about the calorie expenditure of nursing mothers....I just thought you would like some scientific evidence of the calories you are burning through nursing and how important it is that you take in enough calories to sustain you production. If you would like links to other articles I can post


    The Secrets of Breastfeeding and Weight Loss



    Breastfeeding burns calories. Over 600 calories a day for breastfeeding women who don't supplement with formula. 600 calories! That's like getting two hours of aerobic exercise each day. A study published in the Journal of American Dietician Association shows breastfeeding melting off inches around your hips and buttocks. The reference is below.

    Reference

    Summary: Mothers who breastfed exclusively or partially had significantly larger reductions in hip circumference and were less above their prepregnancy weights at 1 month postpartum than mothers who fed formula exclusively.

    Author: Kramer, F.,

    Title: "Breastfeeding reduces maternal lower body fat."

    Published in: J Am Diet Assoc 1993;93(4):429-33
  • LoveMy3Boys
    LoveMy3Boys Posts: 562 Member
    Options
    Pumping doesn't even equate to the amount the baby can suck out of the breast so its certainly no measure of your production :) 500-600 calories depending on how old your baby is sounds right to me.. under 6 months I would do 600 calories, personally
    I will admit it, my babies have always been skinny. Maybe it's because I am always trying to lose the weight and don't go about it right. I have NO idea how many ounces I produce, because I have never been able to pump. Honestly the only way I can pump is to attach the baby to one side and try to balance him and the pump on the other side, otherwise I have no let down (without baby). Never have been able to put an number of ounces together. I will go ahead and add 500 calories to my calorie intake and see if that helps. It is good to know about it being in the food tab though.
  • shavond
    shavond Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Dont feel bad at all! Right now at 9 months, my baby weighs only 15 lbs! And she eats baby food everyday! Funny thing is for me, I haven't lost any weight. And I think it was because I wasn't getting nearly as many calories as I was supposed to be getting. Hopefully I can still lose some weight now.

Categories