Breastfeeding and caories

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AniyahsMommy324
AniyahsMommy324 Posts: 104 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 11 days postpartum with my 4th baby, but he is the first one that is exclusively breastfed! How do I add that to my diary so it reflects the calories burned? And how many extra calories do I need to be eating to maintain my supply (I've heard 300-500)?

Replies

  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    Usually it's 500 when you're exclusively breastfeeding. There is a food entry for breastfeeding in the mfp database that will give you extra calories. But be really cautious at only 11 days post partum. Your supply is still regulating at that point and cutting back on calories could really impact it. I waited until 4 weeks post partum just to give my body time to get used to everything before cutting calories. My 4th baby is 9 months now. :)
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/
  • ericah971
    ericah971 Posts: 55 Member
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    Hey I'm 2 weeks pp and in the same boat. Friend me if you'd like
  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
    edited September 2015
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    victoria_1024 wrote: »
    Usually it's 500 when you're exclusively breastfeeding. There is a food entry for breastfeeding in the mfp database that will give you extra calories. But be really cautious at only 11 days post partum. Your supply is still regulating at that point and cutting back on calories could really impact it. I waited until 4 weeks post partum just to give my body time to get used to everything before cutting calories. My 4th baby is 9 months now. :)

    Just want to echo this. I have 3 kids. I lost weight quickly after baby #3 (2/3rds by 6 weeks) and by the time my son was 4 months old I was producing almost no milk. I believe it was a combination of not enough calories & missing some pumping sessions due to my work schedule. It's understandable to want to drop weight quick but if you plan to nurse exclusively it is important to feed your body so you can produce milk.
  • Bbeliever215
    Bbeliever215 Posts: 234 Member
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    Breastfeeding is under food. When you add to your diary search breastfeeding and it will give you a list ranging from exclusive, tandem, toddler, etc.
  • AniyahsMommy324
    AniyahsMommy324 Posts: 104 Member
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    Just sent you a request! I have birth on the 15th, when did you?
    ericah971 wrote: »
    Hey I'm 2 weeks pp and in the same boat. Friend me if you'd like

  • AniyahsMommy324
    AniyahsMommy324 Posts: 104 Member
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    Definitely not looking to lose weight quickly! Just looking for I for for when I do start to exercise again, and I just want to get back in the habit of logging all my food and was wondering how to log breastfeeding! ☺️
    mommyrunning wrote: »
    victoria_1024 wrote: »
    Usually it's 500 when you're exclusively breastfeeding. There is a food entry for breastfeeding in the mfp database that will give you extra calories. But be really cautious at only 11 days post partum. Your supply is still regulating at that point and cutting back on calories could really impact it. I waited until 4 weeks post partum just to give my body time to get used to everything before cutting calories. My 4th baby is 9 months now. :)

    Just want to echo this. I have 3 kids. I lost weight quickly after baby #3 (2/3rds by 6 weeks) and by the time my son was 4 months old I was producing almost no milk. I believe it was a combination of not enough calories & missing some pumping sessions due to my work schedule. It's understandable to want to drop weight quick but if you plan to nurse exclusively it is important to feed your body so you can produce milk.

  • AniyahsMommy324
    AniyahsMommy324 Posts: 104 Member
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    Does it actually change your calories for the day? I tried one the other day and it logged it, but didn't actually affect my calories for the day?
    Bbeliever215 wrote: »
    Breastfeeding is under food. When you add to your diary search breastfeeding and it will give you a list ranging from exclusive, tandem, toddler, etc.

  • Bbeliever215
    Bbeliever215 Posts: 234 Member
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    AniyahsMommy324 wrote: »
    Does it actually change your calories for the day? I tried one the other day and it logged it, but didn't actually affect my calories for the day?
    Bbeliever215 wrote: »
    Breastfeeding is under food. When you add to your diary search breastfeeding and it will give you a list ranging from exclusive, tandem, toddler, etc.

    Yes it does. It adds the amount back on as if burned but it's under food. Check my log and you can see. For example, I usually only log my breastfeeding under lunch and skip the others. Since I am bf my twins I chose breastfeeding toddler for 2 servings and it gives me 400 calories back which I usually eat half like I would exercise. I hope this makes sense...lol
  • AniyahsMommy324
    AniyahsMommy324 Posts: 104 Member
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    I sent you a friend request so I can look at your log ☺️
    Bbeliever215 wrote: »
    AniyahsMommy324 wrote: »
    Does it actually change your calories for the day? I tried one the other day and it logged it, but didn't actually affect my calories for the day?
    Bbeliever215 wrote: »
    Breastfeeding is under food. When you add to your diary search breastfeeding and it will give you a list ranging from exclusive, tandem, toddler, etc.

    Yes it does. It adds the amount back on as if burned but it's under food. Check my log and you can see. For example, I usually only log my breastfeeding under lunch and skip the others. Since I am bf my twins I chose breastfeeding toddler for 2 servings and it gives me 400 calories back which I usually eat half like I would exercise. I hope this makes sense...lol

  • Bbeliever215
    Bbeliever215 Posts: 234 Member
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    AniyahsMommy324 wrote: »
    I sent you a friend request so I can look at your log ☺️
    Bbeliever215 wrote: »
    AniyahsMommy324 wrote: »
    Does it actually change your calories for the day? I tried one the other day and it logged it, but didn't actually affect my calories for the day?
    Bbeliever215 wrote: »
    Breastfeeding is under food. When you add to your diary search breastfeeding and it will give you a list ranging from exclusive, tandem, toddler, etc.

    Yes it does. It adds the amount back on as if burned but it's under food. Check my log and you can see. For example, I usually only log my breastfeeding under lunch and skip the others. Since I am bf my twins I chose breastfeeding toddler for 2 servings and it gives me 400 calories back which I usually eat half like I would exercise. I hope this makes sense...lol

    Yup, got it! Idk why I thought my profile was public...lol
  • sarahthes
    sarahthes Posts: 3,252 Member
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    It takes until baby is about 6 months for breastfeeding to burn 500 calories per day. I would eat at least maintenance or maintenance plus 300 until your milk supply is established (somewhere between 8-12 weeks is the norm). When reducing calories, drop your target by no more than 100 at a time, and try out the new level for at least a week, adding back if milk supply suffers (go by diaper counts) and dropping another 50-100 if counts are good.

    Feel free to add me. I'm nursing my 7.5 month old and just started calorie counting again as I gained after the initial pp loss.

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