Hmmm... Good question!

I went here and calculated your BMR and TDEE.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Your BMR is 1726.

If we say you're moderately active, and your TDEE is 2676. A 20% cut would mean your eat 2140 and not eat back exercise calories. (You should eat back BFing calories, which, if you're EBFing, would be estimated to be 500 calories).

If we say you're lightly active, we get a TDEE of 2374, putting you at 1899 with a 20% cut. Again, you wouldn't eat back exercise calories but would eat back BFing calories.

So I'd venture to say that you're actually not eating enough - BUT breastfeeding does really weird things to our bodies. By all calculations I should have lost weight easily based on what I was eating during my year of BFing (we weaned two weeks ago), but I still weigh a lot more than I did pre-pregnancy and almost as much as I did at my 6-week postpartum check-up.

As such, I'd suggest sticking to the lower end of your range - maybe 1900 - and seeing how that goes (because you're definitely eating enough to sustain your supply).

Also, you want to be sure your calorie measurements are accurate. Check out this thread (especially the YouTube video linked within): http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

I know this is kind of a wishy-washy answer, and I'm sorry for that. However weight loss is hardly an exact science, and it's even less of one when BFing is involved.

Most ladies here will cut their calories, then wait and see (so long as you're being accurate with your calorie intake) how it affects their weight and/or supply.

Maybe someone has better advice? (I hope so!)

Edited because I forgot to add a link

You're welcome!

Some ladies on here and in Post-Partum Pack have done amazingly by lifting heavy. I'm sold on it but need to get a gym membership, which will require some budgeting. (Come August we will have two tuition bills to pay so I can go back to work, and because my husband and are self-employed (together) there's no immediate payoff due to my presence.) The Gold's Gym near me shut down, there's Planet Fitness (which doesn't support heavy lifting), a place that focuses on heavy lifting (though their website suggests that they are competitive lifters), and a fitness club that is $60-$85/month depending on which membership you buy.

Anyway, point being you might want to look into lifting or other serious strength training if you want to build real muscle (no, you won't get bulky). It also allows you to eat more

Look at this when you get a chance:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Yes I concur, actually Ive been heavy lifting for the last 10 years! In fact i have gained and lost 50-60lbs probably about 8 times since I was in my early twenties. I have a mood disorder and when Im depressed the weight piles on! So I know I can get it off, but its never gone backwards like this before. I love love love weight lifting. In fact thats whhy I got back so soon this time is because I wanted to get my strength back in order to lift again (and to be able to eat more!).

Gym memberships are terribly expensive, luckily I found a Goodlife gym with childcare. So you have two kiddiewinks then? Kudos to you for trying to get to a gym at all!

Oh, I'm so glad you love lifting! I feel like so many women are resistant to it, meanwhile I'm trying to find a way to do it!

Yes, I've got two boys. One is three, and the other just turned one. I got so fit between #1 and #2 but did not EBF #1 (and quit BFing altogether at 3 months). I can tell you that losing weight for me was much easier when I wasn't BFing, plus it makes it easier to get out of the house (just leave the baby with dad and a bottle). I played which my calories like crazy during my year of BFing, but I finally got fed up and just focused on maintaining, which I did. I'll get there, and so will you!