Breastfeeding ?

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MariposaButterfly7
MariposaButterfly7 Posts: 1 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I am excited about starting,I am new. I realized that the calorie calculator doesn't have an option for breastfeeding moms. My Dr. Said don't restrict my calories so much. I am not sure how to use the tracker then.

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  • AndyBee
    AndyBee Posts: 171 Member
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    Set your calorie goal higher than normal. Most breastfeeding moms should stay between 1800-2200 calories per day. Eating less than 1800 can cause your supply to drop. Make sure you stay well hydrated as well! Your body needs tons of fluids to keep the milk supply up. Oatmeal is great for building supply as well, so if you feel like you are noticing a drop in supply, try bumping it up with some oatmeal 45 min before a feeding session.
  • LindieAndie
    LindieAndie Posts: 45
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    I"m breastfeeding. I just keep a watchful eye on my milk supply and eat nutritiously... So lots of fruit, veg, protein and good fats. My LO is 12 months old so I can restrict a little more, since he doesn't need as much anymore so I aim to keep my calories at around 1700 each day and if I exercise I eat more.
  • cmbneeley
    cmbneeley Posts: 160 Member
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    i just found this, but you can add "breastfeeding" to your food diary, and it will give you negative calories to account for the extra calories you need to eat while breastfeeding.
  • noram617
    noram617 Posts: 2
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    u can add 500 calories per day extra if ur breastfeeding as per a nutritionist i went to, according to my pediatritian u can diet while breastfeeding but make sure u drink a lot and include whole grains in ur diet three times a day.
  • amityc1981
    amityc1981 Posts: 3 Member
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    Like one of the previous posters mentioned, you can add breastfeeding to your food diary :) After doing a bit of research on what the extra nutritional needs are for a breastfeeding mom, I made my own "foods" for breastfeeding, one for when my daughter was still nursing a LOT, and one that's adjusted to the amount that she's nursing now. I believe I made them both available for others to use, so they should be in the database. Once is titled "Breastfeeding - 6-12 month baby, frequent nurser," and the other is "Breastfeeding - 6-12 Month Infant." The first one is based off of the higher dietary needs for a mom with a baby that still nurses roughly every 2 hours, the second one is for one that nurses roughly every 3-4 hours and once or twice at night. I hope that helps! :)

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