Breastfeeding and working out....

justjenny
justjenny Posts: 529 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was cleared to start exercising last week. I am 7 weeks pp, and I am breastfeeding. I was eating 1500 calories before I got pregnant. While pregnant I was between 1800 and 2000 calories a day. The doctor said I should be eating 500 more than I was when I was pregnant just because I am breastfeeding, and another 500 if I intend to start working out again. According to him I lost "too much weight too fast". I lost 13 pounds in 5 weeks. I wasn't trying to lose weight obviously. I was eating a ton and just breastfeeding, but apparently the weight loss is affecting my milk production.

My question is...is 3000 calories too much? Should I be gaining weight while breastfeeding? I need to get my milk back up, but is there a way to do that without gaining weight back? How do you breastfeeding mommies get in shape and still keep your supply up?

Replies

  • ChristyB1117
    ChristyB1117 Posts: 51 Member
    I believe the rule is 500 calories above your maintenance calories for breastfeeding. MFP makes that easy because you can add it as a food option that actually adds to your calories. I would stick with that until your supply is back up. Once your supply is up, then you can gradually add in workouts and see what it does. If you do a lot one day and it effects your supply, either back off the workout or eat a little more to compensate. 3000 does sound like a lot. However, at seven weeks pp you still really need to be working on your supply. I would wait until it is more stable, closer to 12 weeks pp, before you really start trying to get a deficit in your calories. Also maybe try some fenugreek to boost it a little more quickly.
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    Congrats on your baby! When I was breastfeeding, I just ate when I was hungry and didn't do any super-strenuous exercise. All the weight came off but slowly. Kellymom dot com has lots of info on this, I found it very helpful :)
  • lolablitz
    lolablitz Posts: 38 Member
    This was helpful for me: http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/mom-exercise/

    Why does your doctor think you're having supply issues?

    I started exercising fairly strenuously (running 30 minutes 6mph) at 7 weeks and have built up to an hour at 6-6.7 mph now at 16 weeks PP, plus strength training and boot camp type classes. My supply is great this time around, with exercise and a calorie goal of 1660 - but this is my third baby and it's seemed to increase with each child. I'm also really generous with my calorie counting, so my totals are probably closer to 1800 calories per day.

    Try Mother's Milk tea too, it tastes delicious and is supposed to help.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    So glad to see kellymom.com still around, I used it a ton and my baby is 13! :laugh: I would start with adding 500 to what you've been doing and see if that helps your supply. And check out that site for ways to help boost your production.
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    I believe the rule is 500 calories above your maintenance calories for breastfeeding. MFP makes that easy because you can add it as a food option that actually adds to your calories. I would stick with that until your supply is back up. Once your supply is up, then you can gradually add in workouts and see what it does. If you do a lot one day and it effects your supply, either back off the workout or eat a little more to compensate. 3000 does sound like a lot. However, at seven weeks pp you still really need to be working on your supply. I would wait until it is more stable, closer to 12 weeks pp, before you really start trying to get a deficit in your calories. Also maybe try some fenugreek to boost it a little more quickly.

    Thanks! Good advice. One question...what is fenugreek?
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    Congrats on your baby! When I was breastfeeding, I just ate when I was hungry and didn't do any super-strenuous exercise. All the weight came off but slowly. Kellymom dot com has lots of info on this, I found it very helpful :)

    Thanks! I'll check it out! :)
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    This was helpful for me: http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/lifestyle/mom-exercise/

    Why does your doctor think you're having supply issues?

    I started exercising fairly strenuously (running 30 minutes 6mph) at 7 weeks and have built up to an hour at 6-6.7 mph now at 16 weeks PP, plus strength training and boot camp type classes. My supply is great this time around, with exercise and a calorie goal of 1660 - but this is my third baby and it's seemed to increase with each child. I'm also really generous with my calorie counting, so my totals are probably closer to 1800 calories per day.

    Try Mother's Milk tea too, it tastes delicious and is supposed to help.

    At her one month check up she was still at her birth weight. She lost when we first came home from the hospital...some nipple confusion, but once we got back on track she gained an ounce a day. Two weeks later, she was same weight but an inch longer. I wasn't feeling let down. I was definitely not eating enough, not by choice, just getting used to just her and I and trying to set a schedule.

    I have been drinking the tea. Seems to help. Going to start eating oatmeal too. Heard that helps.
  • wordyroo
    wordyroo Posts: 98 Member
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm

    That calculator includes a 15% deficit to help moms lose weight, so you might add another 200 calories to whatever it gives you. Make sure you're drinking lots of fluids. That helps when my supply dips. Gatorade really helps some women. Fenugreek, almonds, or lactation cookies can help.

    Recipe for lactation cookies (they are high calorie): http://media-cache-cd0.pinimg.com/originals/c0/e9/68/c0e968e7baa920ba516dbb6753440c3c.jpg

    You could swap out almond butter for the peanut butter to increase the number of milk production boosting items.

    I'd probably focus on getting your supply up if it's important to you to breastfeed before introducing exercise, but that's just my opinion.
  • csec6pak
    csec6pak Posts: 54 Member
    Breastmilk is 20 calories per ounce and a baby will eat anywhere from 20 to 30 ounces per day, so you can estimate calories that way.

    Some women do find that their supply drops if they try to lose weight. It has more to do with eating enough than with exercising, though.

    I never counted calories while breastfeeding. I just ate when I was hungry (which was a lot!) and I still lost weight. I also started running and weight lifting at 4-5 weeks post-partum. I never had issues with my supply; probably because I was eating so much. But I was below my pre-baby weight at 12 weeks post-partum.

    If you are really worried about supply and the baby's weight, you can buy an infant scale on Amazon for around $30. You can weigh her before and after feeding to confirm how many ounces she is getting. We did that with my son for a couple of weeks because he was jaundiced and they wanted an accurate count of what he was eating (and I didn't want to use bottles).
  • bluestarlight19
    bluestarlight19 Posts: 419 Member
    I had supply issues when I went back to work and started pumping a lot. But as for eating, I didn't gain weight but I didn't lose either. I was too exhausted from the sleep deprivation to exercise and I ate a meal almost every 2 hours I was so hungry at the time.

    As for pumping up the supply, feed on demand. Don't try to schedule feedings, go by when your baby wants to eat. They hit growth spurts and sometimes want to eat every hour. You could also try pumping after feedings. That also helped me. Staying hydrated was very important for me, If I didn't get enough fluids in a day, then my supply would drop.

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