Calorie/nutrient adjustments for breastfeeding

calimom00
calimom00 Posts: 26 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone adjust their calorie intake to account for breastfeeding? I nurse about 5-6 times a day, so I'm not sure if that should go toward my CICO, or if I should continue as I would if breastfeeding wasn't a factor.

Replies

  • imwthedj
    imwthedj Posts: 1 Member
    I was wondering the same thing. I decided to change from sedentary lifestyle to lightly active in order to change the allowance by about 200 cals, but everything I've read online says nursing mothers should allow for 500extra healthy calories/day. Anyone have feedback?
  • weightlossmayhem
    weightlossmayhem Posts: 18 Member
    I was curious to. My little guy is about ready to wean tho so i am just going with the normal calories given.
  • calimom00
    calimom00 Posts: 26 Member
    imwthedj wrote: »
    I was wondering the same thing. I decided to change from sedentary lifestyle to lightly active in order to change the allowance by about 200 cals, but everything I've read online says nursing mothers should allow for 500extra healthy calories/day. Anyone have feedback?

    Are you looking up calorie intake for EBF or supplemental nursing? I'm nursing a toddler, so I'm even more confused than before lol.

  • Wiccanandi
    Wiccanandi Posts: 32 Member
    My baby is 4 weeks old and my usual calorie allowance is 1200, I upped it to 1400 as I am breastfeeding, but I haven't lost a lb :( I have been working out for up to an hour or more if i can on the wii as I also have a toddler and can't get out much but the fact I am not losing anything is pretty depressing :(
  • crystalbradley1990
    crystalbradley1990 Posts: 2 Member
    Try t25, hiit training only 25mins a day, it seemed to tone me up, but breast feeding alters your body to produce more fat for the babies/toddler
  • steph2strong
    steph2strong Posts: 426 Member
    It's trial and error, everyone responds to breastfeeding differently. I am friends with a bunch of new moms here on mfp and some loose weight super fast with breastfeeding and others have significant difficulty. Some need to add in 500 extra calories to their maintenance, others just eat at maintenance, others eat at a deficit. Completely personal.
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
    OP, if you search "breastfeeding" in your food diary you will find two options, one for -500 cal and one for -250 cal. You can add it to your diary and it will give you those extra calories. You just enter it once a day. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, do the 500 cal one. If your baby is eating solids and/or formula as well, maybe consider the 250 one. My son is 9 months and on 50% solids so I use the 250 one, myself.
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
    edited January 2016
    fernt21 wrote: »
    It's trial and error, everyone responds to breastfeeding differently. I am friends with a bunch of new moms here on mfp and some loose weight super fast with breastfeeding and others have significant difficulty. Some need to add in 500 extra calories to their maintenance, others just eat at maintenance, others eat at a deficit. Completely personal.

    This too, if youre not sure which one to choose, try the 500, if youre not losing weight maybe change it to 250. Trial and error. I personally found the 500 worked for me when I was exclusively breastfeeding and the 250 one works now
  • vvento
    vvento Posts: 28 Member
    Wiccanandi wrote: »
    My baby is 4 weeks old and my usual calorie allowance is 1200, I upped it to 1400 as I am breastfeeding, but I haven't lost a lb :( I have been working out for up to an hour or more if i can on the wii as I also have a toddler and can't get out much but the fact I am not losing anything is pretty depressing :(

    Our little girl is a little over 9 weeks now and my wife has her goal set to account for the -500 calorie. She currently has it set at 2300 so with a -500 will be at about 1800. she also just started a quick 15-20 min. workout routine 3x a week. she is also 5'9", currenlty 159 down from 180 at the end of pregnancy and 25 years young. <--more for reference, shorter people will need about 100-300 less calories.

    You are probably not losing because since you are so low in caloric intake and workout, your body is most likely trying to store as much as it can just to produce milk. I would say try upping your calories to 1600-1800.

    Example: 1600-1800 calorie goal with a -250 or -500 breastfeeding deficit will net you 1350/1100 - 1550/1300 net daily. and then if you workout say burning about 200-400 calories it would be lower. not eating calories to produce milk or just work through daily functions will either keep you the same or make you gain because your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to what it can to survive.

    I also don't know your stats: age, current weight, height. as I'm estimating based off my wife. She is more worried about producing enough and staying healthy enough for our child until about 6 months when we can bring her in to the gyms daycare and workout together again.

    Everyone has different goals. Good Luck!
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
    edited January 2016
    vvento wrote: »
    Wiccanandi wrote: »
    My baby is 4 weeks old and my usual calorie allowance is 1200, I upped it to 1400 as I am breastfeeding, but I haven't lost a lb :( I have been working out for up to an hour or more if i can on the wii as I also have a toddler and can't get out much but the fact I am not losing anything is pretty depressing :(

    Our little girl is a little over 9 weeks now and my wife has her goal set to account for the -500 calorie. She currently has it set at 2300 so with a -500 will be at about 1800. she also just started a quick 15-20 min. workout routine 3x a week. she is also 5'9", currenlty 159 down from 180 at the end of pregnancy and 25 years young. <--more for reference, shorter people will need about 100-300 less calories.

    You are probably not losing because since you are so low in caloric intake and workout, your body is most likely trying to store as much as it can just to produce milk. I would say try upping your calories to 1600-1800.

    Example: 1600-1800 calorie goal with a -250 or -500 breastfeeding deficit will net you 1350/1100 - 1550/1300 net daily. and then if you workout say burning about 200-400 calories it would be lower. not eating calories to produce milk or just work through daily functions will either keep you the same or make you gain because your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to what it can to survive.

    I also don't know your stats: age, current weight, height. as I'm estimating based off my wife. She is more worried about producing enough and staying healthy enough for our child until about 6 months when we can bring her in to the gyms daycare and workout together again.

    Everyone has different goals. Good Luck!

    Adding breastfeeding to your food diary gives you an extra 250 or 500 calories to eat, it doesnt take calories away. Your body burns calories to produce milk
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    You burn approximately 10 cals/ounce of milk you produce. You do not want to undereat while you are nursing or pumping because that will lower your milk supply. When I was nursing (weaned about 3 months ago), I would always give myself more than the extra 10/oz to keep my supply up, and still consistently lost through the entire nursing process.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Wiccanandi wrote: »
    My baby is 4 weeks old and my usual calorie allowance is 1200, I upped it to 1400 as I am breastfeeding, but I haven't lost a lb :( I have been working out for up to an hour or more if i can on the wii as I also have a toddler and can't get out much but the fact I am not losing anything is pretty depressing :(

    You're only a month postpartum. Your hormones are likely still out of whack and your body is still recovering from childbirth. Be patient and give yourself some time. And up your calories before eating 1400 dries your supply out.
  • JackieMarie1989jgw
    JackieMarie1989jgw Posts: 230 Member
    edited January 2016
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Wiccanandi wrote: »
    My baby is 4 weeks old and my usual calorie allowance is 1200, I upped it to 1400 as I am breastfeeding, but I haven't lost a lb :( I have been working out for up to an hour or more if i can on the wii as I also have a toddler and can't get out much but the fact I am not losing anything is pretty depressing :(

    You're only a month postpartum. Your hormones are likely still out of whack and your body is still recovering from childbirth. Be patient and give yourself some time. And up your calories before eating 1400 dries your supply out.

    Agreed. You should do your calorie goal +500 when exclusively breastfeeding, and I really hope your calorie goal wasnt 900. Give it time. It takes a little while before breastfeeding helps in weight loss. I didnt start to notice my weight going down until 2-3 months postpartum, and even that was with eating the calories needed for breastfeeding. Up your calories, be patient,go easy on yourself!
  • Wiccanandi
    Wiccanandi Posts: 32 Member
    Thanks for the replies, stats wise i am 41 years old, 5ft 2 and currently 9st 9. This is my 4th child others aged 21, 18 and 2 1/2, and this is the only one i have successfully breastfed. I am not desperate to lose the weight as feeding my baby is way more important to me. I just struggle with body image and its the flabby wobbly bits that bother me the most. I have never had a flat stomach even before my kids so i know i will never get one but i just want to fit back into my clothes again. I was 8st 6 before pregnancy, 11st day i gave birth and 10st 3 afterwards so i have lost a small amount and not quickly so i am happy with that. I will try adding more calories this weekend and see if it makes a difference
  • revmattson
    revmattson Posts: 2 Member
    Congratulations on being able to successfully breastfeed! That is a huge accomplishment. It is a big commitment to keep feeding your little one this way. The perpetual sleep deprivation is exhausting! I am also a nursing mom, with my fourth child. Hang in there, add those extra calories and be gentle with yourself. You are doing a beautiful thing!
  • vvento
    vvento Posts: 28 Member
    JackieMarie1989jgw wrote: »
    vvento wrote: »
    Wiccanandi wrote: »
    My baby is 4 weeks old and my usual calorie allowance is 1200, I upped it to 1400 as I am breastfeeding, but I haven't lost a lb :( I have been working out for up to an hour or more if i can on the wii as I also have a toddler and can't get out much but the fact I am not losing anything is pretty depressing :(

    Our little girl is a little over 9 weeks now and my wife has her goal set to account for the -500 calorie. She currently has it set at 2300 so with a -500 will be at about 1800. she also just started a quick 15-20 min. workout routine 3x a week. she is also 5'9", currenlty 159 down from 180 at the end of pregnancy and 25 years young. <--more for reference, shorter people will need about 100-300 less calories.

    You are probably not losing because since you are so low in caloric intake and workout, your body is most likely trying to store as much as it can just to produce milk. I would say try upping your calories to 1600-1800.

    Example: 1600-1800 calorie goal with a -250 or -500 breastfeeding deficit will net you 1350/1100 - 1550/1300 net daily. and then if you workout say burning about 200-400 calories it would be lower. not eating calories to produce milk or just work through daily functions will either keep you the same or make you gain because your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to what it can to survive.

    I also don't know your stats: age, current weight, height. as I'm estimating based off my wife. She is more worried about producing enough and staying healthy enough for our child until about 6 months when we can bring her in to the gyms daycare and workout together again.

    Everyone has different goals. Good Luck!

    Adding breastfeeding to your food diary gives you an extra 250 or 500 calories to eat, it doesnt take calories away. Your body burns calories to produce milk

    I apologize for not correctly stating that before pregnancy she was at a maintenance of 2100, and now that she is breastfeeding we take into account that her body will burn the 500 hence the -500. She eats well over 1800 calories a day (2200-2400), I just meant that she nets about 1800 calories a day with workouts and the milk production. she is slowly losing but she is definitely (as am I) more focused on eating enough to produce for our child. after about a month she began to lose weight rapidly when we were worried and the doctor mentioned it was okay and it should even out after the initial loss.

    I didn't realize MFP had a way to add in breastfeeding we just upped her calories to adjust. thanks for the insite on that.
  • vvento
    vvento Posts: 28 Member
    edited January 2016
    Wiccanandi wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies, stats wise i am 41 years old, 5ft 2 and currently 9st 9. This is my 4th child others aged 21, 18 and 2 1/2, and this is the only one i have successfully breastfed. I am not desperate to lose the weight as feeding my baby is way more important to me. I just struggle with body image and its the flabby wobbly bits that bother me the most. I have never had a flat stomach even before my kids so i know i will never get one but i just want to fit back into my clothes again. I was 8st 6 before pregnancy, 11st day i gave birth and 10st 3 afterwards so i have lost a small amount and not quickly so i am happy with that. I will try adding more calories this weekend and see if it makes a difference

    This example might help you feel better. you can try it out if you'd like but not completely necessary. with your stats age, weight, height you we can determine that your TDEE = 1250ish which means this is what your body needs just to lay around all day w/o the breastmilk production. so you should definitely eat well above this. if you'd like to keep that goal of about 1400 Calories net daily. then you would need to account for the breastmilk production as mentioned above. so consume around 1900 a day and whether you burn 250 -500 just from breastmilk you will have a net average of around 1400 - 1650 a day. the macros being at P = 138, C = 224, F = 54. this will put you at a healthy average of about -.05 lbs per week while consuming enough to keep milk supply up.

    adding in any type of excercise which isn't accounted for above will obviously speed things up a bit but over the course of about 1-3 months your body will start to tighten up w/o any excercise and just breastfeeding.

    I of course am not a female so, i'm sure there will be other variables that affect this minutely. I would still opt for the conscious consumption of 1900 calorie target. more precisely 1934.
  • Wiccanandi
    Wiccanandi Posts: 32 Member
    well, I tried adding more calories and despite doing a lot of walking i actually put 2lb on :( boo hiss

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