Breastfeeding mom losing weight safely

noirelumiere
noirelumiere Posts: 1
edited November 12 in Introduce Yourself
Any other breastfeeding moms trying to lose weight? Have any of you struggled with decreased milk supply? I'm aiming for a 1500 cal/day diet but feel like my body is not producing enough for my baby. I've also heard that breastfeeding does not burn extra calories. Any insight or advice for me? Thank you!

Replies

  • MorganEtheridge
    MorganEtheridge Posts: 4
    Hi I'm a breastfeeding mother. You have to eat more nutrient rich foods. Oatmeal helps with milk supply and a supplement called fenugreek. Take two three times a day and it works wonders. Do yoga to help lessen stress. It burns a lot of calories. I lost 38 pounds and I haven't done anything but eat and take care of my son. My six weeks are up in two days so I'll be doing more then
  • ilovemypeekapug
    ilovemypeekapug Posts: 106 Member
    Hi! I am no longer breastfeeding ( my son is 2 now), but I do know that it burns 300-500 calories a day! I lost 40 pounds the first 6 weeks without doing any exercise. I also wasn't eating as much as I should have been due to being exhausted and sleep deprived. Not eating much didn't effect my supply, but I was told by my doctor not to try to diet for at least 2 months to make sure my supply wasn't effected. The baby in your profile pic is super cute! I'm willing to bet your weight falls off quickly just by nursing alone, so I wouldn't try to go too low with your calories. Best of luck!
  • dnicolas03
    dnicolas03 Posts: 8 Member
    Breastfeeding hasn't burned any calories for me. What has helped is eating healthier foods and lots and lots of water. And when my supply got low (usually around my cycle) I took fenugreek and blessed thistle. That worked best for me. And I exercise.
  • ali4579
    ali4579 Posts: 24 Member
    If you're worried about your supply, up your calories. When my baby was a newborn I aimed for 1800 - 2000 calories (I added on 500cals). If you're not losing weight, you can always reduce your calories 100 at a time until you find a tipping point. If your baby is very new your body is also healing and you have a lot of demands on you.

    My baby is now 16 months old and I don't add any calories for breastfeeding anymore as she doesn't feed as much, but I'm still consuming 1600 calories as running after a toddler keeps me active.

    My weight loss has not been as fast as I would like, but that's probably been through a lack of commitment more than anything :)

    Also, if this is your first time breastfeeding, make sure you educate yourself on what is normal breastfeeding behaviour. If you feel your supply is not enough, the solution is to feed baby more often (and also try to make sure you are adequately rested/fed/hydrated). Most people can make enough milk, provided the latch is correct and they are feeding baby often enough. Baby will go through growth spurts/fussy periods and the solution is to feed more often. Some days it feels like you do nothing but switch them from one boob to the other!

    Good luck!!
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