Breastfeeding and Calorie Counts?

HopefulLeigh
HopefulLeigh Posts: 363 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
From what I understand, breastfeeding and producing roughly 25 ounces of breast milk a day burns between 500 and 800 calories each day. How would I go about recording that so that my calorie count is accurate?

Replies

  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    You can put it in as exercise (you can manually put in the number of calories), or you can customize your diary so that you automatically have an extra 500 calories everyday. Whatever is easier for you!
  • stella77
    stella77 Posts: 282
    I wouldn't count on that! Although you are producing breastmilk and hpefully losing your calories, your body finds a way to keep them on - you are running on differnet hormones.
    I would just record my calorie loss as it is and whatever extra, good for you!

    BTW - don't mean to scare you but for most people I know, incl myself, BF didn't help me lose weight, it kept sticking until I actually stopped BFing. (granted I wasn't trying to lose weight then) But according to that theory I would have lost weight while BFing. My ob/gyn confirmed it doesn't work that way!
  • hariceri
    hariceri Posts: 11
    Hey,

    I breast fed both my boys for about 11 months each and all I can remember is haveing an over whelming desire to eat cheese. Everything had to have cheese. I lost weight up untill around about the 6 month mark, but that is when I started to give a bottle before bed so i could sleep. You have to remember that the qualiy of your milk is dependent on the quality of what you're eating too, so dont go starving. i cant give you a definitive to your question, i would just say, that for the first couple of months if you continue with the feeding your body will not know whats hit it, and you will be awake more than sleeping. that means you will be burning off more calories anyway. Just eat healthy and dont eat for 2. hope everything goes well for you, enjoy it :)
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    IBTW - don't mean to scare you but for most people I know, incl myself, BF didn't help me lose weight, it kept sticking until I actually stopped BFing. (granted I wasn't trying to lose weight then) But according to that theory I would have lost weight while BFing. My ob/gyn confirmed it doesn't work that way!

    i agree with this. i bf for 13 months and could not loose weight. i was far too hungry, especially with all the growth spurts. after i stopped, the weight came off quickly. try and eat healthy and remember your baby eats what you eat. i wouldnt record bfing as calorie loss. count it as bonus. good luck :)
  • Victorious_One
    Victorious_One Posts: 174 Member
    Make sure that you add some lower-calorie, healthy food options for when you get extra hungry while breastfeeding. It's important to keep your nutrition up even as you're losing weight.

    I don't think breast feeding helped me lose any weight at all, but I was thinner right after I had the baby than I was when I got pregnant. Go figure!
  • LindieAndie
    LindieAndie Posts: 45
    I wouldn't count on that! Although you are producing breastmilk and hpefully losing your calories, your body finds a way to keep them on - you are running on differnet hormones.
    I would just record my calorie loss as it is and whatever extra, good for you!

    BTW - don't mean to scare you but for most people I know, incl myself, BF didn't help me lose weight, it kept sticking until I actually stopped BFing. (granted I wasn't trying to lose weight then) But according to that theory I would have lost weight while BFing. My ob/gyn confirmed it doesn't work that way!

    I don't think that should mean she should eat as though she isn't breastfeeding. I have to eat extra otherwise my milk supply drops. I've spent the last week struggling to get it back up again. I won't be making the same mistake twice, I had a very unhappy young boy on my hands as a result!
  • LindieAndie
    LindieAndie Posts: 45
    OP - pre-pregnancy when I wanted to lose weight I had to eat around 1200 cals a day. Now post-pregnancy I'm eating around 1800 and seeing a decent weightloss. I have to eat nourishing foods though since at these amount of calories my supply is sensitive.
  • HopefulLeigh
    HopefulLeigh Posts: 363 Member
    Thank you all for your advice! I guess I'll just leave it out and keep it as my potentially secret weapon.
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    My understanding was that you need to eat more when you are breastfeeding, which is where the 500 calories come in. I thought you needed to eat at least 500 calories more when breastfeeding. Maybe you should talk to your doctor and get his/her advice before you do anything. If you aren't eating enough, you won't lose weight and you could be putting your health at risk.
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