Breast feeding

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msheaodo
msheaodo Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
how do i account for breast feeding?

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  • hiya_maya_papaya
    hiya_maya_papaya Posts: 7
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    Yes I would be interested in the answer for this too please. Exclusive breast feeding a 4 mth old.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    On the website there is an option under the food diary that gives you a negative calorie value. You can search breastfeeding. This option is no longer available on the app though.
    So you have other option
    You can create an exercise and log it that way.
    Or you can add it to your calorie goal and custom set your calories. Thst is what I do.
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
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    I remember reading that breastfeeding burns 300-500 a day once. Definitely do some research and account for it in your goals manually if the DB doesn't have it anymore!
  • jasperdog52554
    jasperdog52554 Posts: 115 Member
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    Hmm. I use the app and still log my breastfeeding as -500 under food. Still worked this morning. Maybe worth a look.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    jasperdog52554 wrote: »
    Hmm. I use the app and still log my breastfeeding as -500 under food. Still worked this morning. Maybe worth a look.

    Maybe it is fixed. I'll have to check my app.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
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    Breastfeeding doesn't mean you eat more or consume more calories than you can burn to accommodate breast feeding, it just means you eat a balanced diet.

    Calories in versus Calories out.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited March 2015
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    I just checked my app. I still can't log it. Maybe it depends on the device. Or do you have the recent updates?

    hearthwood wrote: »
    Breastfeeding doesn't mean you eat more or consume more calories than you can burn to accommodate breast feeding, it just means you eat a balanced diet.

    Calories in versus Calories out.


    Yes, and it is not recommended you cut your calories too low while breastfeeding so people like to track their calories out, which includes breastfeeding, to ensure that their calories in are enough. No one said to eat more than you burn.
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
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    This is interesting. I read that to make one ounce of milk, most women need an extra 20-30 calories. If you are feeding a baby full time and they haven't started eating solids yet, the average intake is 24 ounces per day. So if this is correct, you would need any where from 480-720 extra calories a day! When my baby started eating solids, I knew her milk intake went way down so I took that into consideration. I think 500 calories extra a day is probably a good number to shoot for if your baby isn't eating solids yet. Also, if you are very overweight, you probably don't need to add in as much.

    As far as how to do it, I add it in just like exercise. It's under breastfeeding. Just adjust the minutes you do it to come up with the amount of calories you need.
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
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    It takes extra calories to support breast milk production. It's generally recommended to eat an extra 300-500 calories per day if you're exclusively breastfeeding, but this could vary depending on several factors. I found that, while exclusively breastfeeding, 500 extra calories caused me to gain weight. I decreased calories incrementally from there until it got to the point that my supply began to be affected. I found that 200 extra calories per day was too low (supply affected), but 300 extra calories per day was a good balance that allowed me to lose weight (slowly) and maintain a good supply of breastmilk. So determining that number may take some trial and error for you.

    You've already gotten good advise for how to log/account for those extra calories. I find that it works on the website and the app--I'm currently adding an extra 100 calories per day (breastfeeding a toddler), and it works well. Good luck to you!
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
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    I suggest just increasing your daily calorie allowance by a few hundred so you are not having to log it every day. If you pump more or your baby eats less for some reason (illness, bottle at a babysitters) then you eat less, as well.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited March 2015
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    MaggieMuggle wrote: »
    I suggest just increasing your daily calorie allowance by a few hundred so you are not having to log it every day. If you pump more or your baby eats less for some reason (illness, bottle at a babysitters) then you eat less, as well.

    @MaggieMuggle‌
    Why eat less if you pump more? (that's not being snarky, its a real question).
    I'm just curious, I pumped a lot, especially at the beginning and felt 500 was too much for me. I didnt consider pumping the reason because I assumed I was still producing milk.
  • fastmomonthego158
    fastmomonthego158 Posts: 26 Member
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    I was using the mobile and after seeing that you could track breastfeeding on the actual site I popped on but it tried to give me 800 extra cal! I am breastfeeding a 13 month old that eats plenty of solids but still nurses 4 times during the day and tons during the night (at least 3-4).
  • lynne851
    lynne851 Posts: 1 Member
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    Im new to myfitnesspal and interested in this too. Im bf a 20 month old but he only really has 1/2 big feeds a day and then snacks. I'll play about with the extra calories and see how it goes. I find it hard to work out, as bf at this stage doesn't feel like any effort at all but sure the body still requires some extra energy!

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