Breastfeeding at 20 months

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I've done extensive research and short of expressing (expressing just does not work for me) and measuring the amount, how can I guesstimate how many calories I burn daily from this? I'm told at newborn it's about 500 calories daily, but I don't know if it'll be more or less now that she's bigger... she eats a lot of solid food but she still feeds from me every 2-3 hours day and night.

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  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I think it must vary a lot. Try a figure and see how it works out. All 'calories burnt' for any exercise are estimates anyway.
  • corgifever
    corgifever Posts: 6 Member
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    If you find please let me know! I have a 24 month old that nurses from me 1-3 times a day still and I want to lose weight safely without compromising my ability to nurse her until she is ready to wean.
  • corgifever
    corgifever Posts: 6 Member
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    Oh and congrats on getting to 20 months and still breastfeeding! Many people (including my own mom) were shocked and maybe a little negative about me still breastfeeding at 20 months and even more shocked/disgusted now.
  • veggiecanner
    veggiecanner Posts: 137 Member
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    If your loosing weight to fast add calories either to your childs meals or yours. so you both weigh enough. Kinda like maintaining.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    corgifever wrote: »
    Oh and congrats on getting to 20 months and still breastfeeding! Many people (including my own mom) were shocked and maybe a little negative about me still breastfeeding at 20 months and even more shocked/disgusted now.

    You both are doing great my daughter weaned at 27 months :)
  • HeyNikkita
    HeyNikkita Posts: 147 Member
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    I can't really give you a good answer but... I tandem nurse my 8 week old and my 20 month old. The toddler gets one session per day at nap time, the new baby gets unlimited boobie time. It makes me hungry. Super amped appetite.

    Great job on nursing for so long. I know it is exhausting and sometimes frustrating being touched all the time. It's worth it for all the benefits!!
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I use a pump for my 17 month old, he drinks 3 bottles a day with each bottle being 6 oz. supposedly each oz is an extra 20 calories you should consume. So for me 18 oz a day x 20 calories per oz= 360 calories extra for me to eat a day. If your lo is still feeding from you every 2-3 hours you will need a lot more extra calories than I do, of course that's assuming it's a mix of full feedings and "snacks".
  • Sleepyscribbler
    Sleepyscribbler Posts: 20 Member
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    My guess (if my aged memory serves me right) that those night-time feeds are more comfort and habit sips than anything like full feeds, in which case they may be having very little effect on your calorie needs. Sorry!

    But it might be (relatively) easy to get a good guesstimate, not by looking at what you eat, but at what she does. Check what amount of calories a healthy 20-month-old is generally expected to eat, then monitor what she consumes. Assuming she is within the normal range for weight, whatever the difference is between the average 20-month-old calorie intake and what she eats must be roughly the calories she gets from you. Et voila!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    I've done extensive research and short of expressing (expressing just does not work for me) and measuring the amount, how can I guesstimate how many calories I burn daily from this? I'm told at newborn it's about 500 calories daily, but I don't know if it'll be more or less now that she's bigger... she eats a lot of solid food but she still feeds from me every 2-3 hours day and night.

    For a newborn it is about 300 calories and increases to about 500 calories for an older baby or toddler. Especially since it sounds you are still nursing on demand, around 500 for sure.
  • AigreDoux
    AigreDoux Posts: 594 Member
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    My daughter is 23 months and still nursing, usually 3-4 times a day. I don't count those calories as extra though, I really doubt it is anything significant at this point. Sorry!