Losing weight while breastfeeding?

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emiliewilson23
emiliewilson23 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I just had my second child he is two months tomorrow and I'm trying to get back on track.. I. Weigh 215 and I'd like to be 150

Saying that I'm having a hard time deciding how many calories to account for with breastfeeding .. Anywhere online seems to say you burn 300-500 a day and you should be eating. A min of 1800 calories.
Anyone have experience with this? Have you been adding calories to your given amount? Currently I'm adding am extra 400 but putting it in as cardio...
Also saying that with any other excersizze do you always eat the extra calories? Or should you still stay at what your set amount it!
Thanks:)

Replies

  • kmcc144
    kmcc144 Posts: 84 Member
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    I believe it is 20 cals per oz of breast milk. So the amount will vary depending on how much your baby is taking right now. It really is a learning curve honestly (I just weaned recently). I would put your diary at maintain or -0.5lbs and manually add in the extra calories you get from breastfeeding. Keep it at that for a week or so and see how your supply does and also how your weightloss goes. Then you can try deducting/adding calories as needed to see results. There's a group on here for breastfeeding mama's, it helped me a lot when I was still nursing. Good luck!
  • Lillith23
    Lillith23 Posts: 11 Member
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    Hi I just had my second child 6 months ago. You can actually log "nursing exclusively" in your food diary on here. It will log as a -500 calories, basically upping your daily food goal by 500 calories per day. I would suggest starting w a smaller calorie deficit like only losing 1 or half a pound a week goal versus trying to lose two pounds a week. For me, if I try cutting calories too fast, my milk isn't as plentiful and I get the feeling it also comes out sort of skim milky since my daughter wouldn't be as satisfied with the feeding. Excersise and a moderate calorie cut would be the best bet for losing weight and maintaining a milk supply. I'm personally having a really hard time with losing weight while nursing but that has more to do with my relationship with food than anything else. However, for us nursing moms, it is a balancing act finding the right amount of calories to eat to lose weight but not cutting so much calories as to affect the milk supply in a negative way.
  • Lillith23
    Lillith23 Posts: 11 Member
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    Oh and I don't think you have to eat at least 1800 calories. When I was exclusively nursing I was eating 1700 calories and was good. But then again I am really short and not very active.
  • emiliewilson23
    emiliewilson23 Posts: 3
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    kms144 wrote: »
    I believe it is 20 cals per oz of breast milk. So the amount will vary depending on how much your baby is taking right now. It really is a learning curve honestly (I just weaned recently). I would put your diary at maintain or -0.5lbs and manually add in the extra calories you get from breastfeeding. Keep it at that for a week or so and see how your supply does and also how your weightloss goes. Then you can try deducting/adding calories as needed to see results. There's a group on here for breastfeeding mama's, it helped me a lot when I was still nursing. Good luck!
    It's hard be I don't know how much he is getting .. And I don't pump.. He seems to be getting a lot!
    Thanks for your help
  • emiliewilson23
    emiliewilson23 Posts: 3
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    Lillith23 wrote: »
    Oh and I don't think you have to eat at least 1800 calories. When I was exclusively nursing I was eating 1700 calories and was good. But then again I am really short and not very active.

    Thx !! I am just shy of 5'8 I'll try your suggestions!!
  • kyliejean292
    kyliejean292 Posts: 6 Member
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    It's 500 to 600 calories nursing/pumping full time (day and night). I pump only during the day so I give myself 250 to 300 extra calories a day. I am usually STARVING after pumping so I usually eat a snack (yogurt, PB and apples, fruit). If you are just ravenous or losing weight to quickly I would add a bit more calories. Drink a ton of water!

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