Any other breastfeeding mothers here?

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I am currently nursing my 4 month old and am trying to lose the squishy lbs without tanking my fragile supply. I started at 5'8" and 170lbs and my goal weight is 145lbs. CW is now 167.

I don't want to slash my food intake too much but I am averaging about 1500 calories today. Macros are about 40 protein 40 fats 20 carbs. I am completely dairy free as well (I am allergic). Started working out light to moderate 4-5 days a week.

I am also supplementing with Lactation blend and mother's milk tea. So far my supply seems to be hanging in there.

What are your caloric intakes? What does your journey look like?
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Replies

  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Hi! My little guy is 7 months now. I was at 215 when he was born, 231 was my highest recorded weight ever. I started back with MFP when he was 3.5 months old, I was at 199. I started out eating 2000ish calories, when I hit 185 I dropped to 1850 calories plus some of my exercise calories, am now at 174.8 and will lower by 100 cals if I hit a plateau. 25 pounds down in 15 weeks. I go for an hour+ walk or hike 4-6 days a week and have recently been reacquainted with my barbell, which I use 3x a week.

    My goal weight is also 145-150, that is where I look and feel my best. I am an hourglass build and anything below that makes me look skeletal. I am at 45 carbs, 35 fats 20 protein. It's not ideal but it is sustainable for me. The only time my supply had issues was when I tried to lower my carbs so I am keeping them higher for now.

    I am not 100% on weighing my foods, nor am I strict about my calorie intake or macros. As I get closer to goal I do tighten up my food measurements and I'll change my macros closer to 40/30/30 after little man turns 1.

    Feel free to add me, could always use more friends :)

  • mcarson254
    mcarson254 Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm a newer mom... My little one is just about to turn 2 months. I am just starting to work on my weight loss journey. I was at my highest weight when I got pregnant (156) and I gained from there with the pregnancy. I am now 10 lbs above where I was pre-pregnancy (166) but my goal is to get down to a healthier weight for me (125-130). I am smaller in height and frame so I am hoping I can thin down and build more muscle strength.

    I'm glad to see other breastfeeding mom's as I feel it can be hard to try to think about feeding someone from my body at the same time that I am trying to change my body.

    I am worried about my supply and so I have been keeping an eye on it and planning my journey around it. I am planning to eat around 1906 calories a day. I found a website that helps to determine how many calories I should have while breastfeeding.
    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm

    Feel free to friend me!
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    Hi other mommas! Sounds like I am pretty low on my calorie intake. Maybe I will bump it up. I am just winging it so it seems I need to adjust. I started exercising so then the app tells me I need to eat more!
    It is a juggling game for sure! I am glad to meet you other moms here. I know my personal goals are secondary to feeding my chunky monkey, but man I want to be super strict and drop it fast! Probably not the best idea.

    What keeps you all motivated? For me, if I don't eat well I get migraines and arthritis. I was on the floor in pain for 2 years and I don't want to go back to that ever again.

    Also have your abs come back together? I feel like my tummy muscles have disappeared and dispersed haha!
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 178 Member
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    My little guy is 5 months old. I am 5'9" and I started my post pregnancy weight loss at 174lb I am currently 167lb. My first weight loss goal is to get back to my pre pregnancy weight of 160. Once I reach that goal, I would like to get down to 150lb. I eat 2240 calories with a 40% fat 25% protein and 35% carb macro ratio. I set my macros around my protein needs. I have toyed around with trying to drop my calories lower but I lost supply when I went too low. I do moderate to high intensity workouts 5-6 days a week.

    This video helped me with my diastasis recti.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EXm5UcVXuEU

    Wanting to be strong again keeps me motivated. I also really want to be lighter going into my next pregnancy. I was almost 200lb at the end of this pregnancy. I really want to not get into the 190s when I get pregnant again.
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
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    My motivations are many. I do my best to love my body and take good care of it so my children might do the same. My oldest is 11 now and I can see the positive effect of doing this.

    My tummy muscles are fully recovered, have been since about 5 months. I'll have to do a major cut before I can see them again, but that won't be happening til little one is done nursing.
  • mcarson254
    mcarson254 Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm just starting to get back into the swing of things so I'm trying to pace myself on everything. I have a tendency to try to jump into it too fast and then end up hurting too much from either my carpal tunnel or loose ligaments in my knees. I have to try and remember why I want to loose weight and get in shape.

    I want my son to grow up healthy and active and I want to be able to keep up with him!
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    mcarson254 wrote: »
    I'm just starting to get back into the swing of things so I'm trying to pace myself on everything. I have a tendency to try to jump into it too fast and then end up hurting too much from either my carpal tunnel or loose ligaments in my knees. I have to try and remember why I want to loose weight and get in shape.

    I want my son to grow up healthy and active and I want to be able to keep up with him!

    You sound like me! I am a little bit black and white. Either I'm all in or all out. It is hard right now trying to find more balance. I want to shred! But I have my sweet baby who needs her nourishment. Ayyyy off to go eat some carbs or something.
    It is good to hear from you ladies. I have learned to love my body in all it's saggy squishiness. My problem is I went up ten pounds in a week! I have some hormone issues and obviously something is flaring up. I started getting headaches again and arthritis again. So I decided to fight it back this way. I am just praying my supply stays high for my baby girl.
    Balancing a medical need with the need to provide for baby is a challenge.
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    pbprincess wrote: »
    My motivations are many. I do my best to love my body and take good care of it so my children might do the same. My oldest is 11 now and I can see the positive effect of doing this.

    My tummy muscles are fully recovered, have been since about 5 months. I'll have to do a major cut before I can see them again, but that won't be happening til little one is done nursing.

    Super good reason! I just started taking my 5 and 3 year olds out to the track with me to do some track workouts. I want them to love being active as they grow up and not sedentary. Lifestyle changes!
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    My little guy is 5 months old. I am 5'9" and I started my post pregnancy weight loss at 174lb I am currently 167lb. My first weight loss goal is to get back to my pre pregnancy weight of 160. Once I reach that goal, I would like to get down to 150lb. I eat 2240 calories with a 40% fat 25% protein and 35% carb macro ratio. I set my macros around my protein needs. I have toyed around with trying to drop my calories lower but I lost supply when I went too low. I do moderate to high intensity workouts 5-6 days a week.

    This video helped me with my diastasis recti.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EXm5UcVXuEU

    Wanting to be strong again keeps me motivated. I also really want to be lighter going into my next pregnancy. I was almost 200lb at the end of this pregnancy. I really want to not get into the 190s when I get pregnant again.

    We have super similar structures and goals it sounds. I don't really have a landing weight though because before having babies I was a collegiate athlete at 145lbs of solid muscle. I don't expect to be solid muscle like that again. So my weight goals feel arbitrary now. I figured if I hit 145 I would probably feel pretty good so that is my goal again.
    I haven't been below 145 since before high school all while being an athlete so I don't even know if it is possible to go lower. I would feel too small I would think.

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Hi. I am breastfeeding my 2 month old, gained 35 lbs during pregnancy, now down 30 lbs with ~5 to go. I am 5'7" eat roughly 2700 (I track very loosely), I am losing very slowly (0.25 lb/week). I lift 3x per week, no cardio (unless you count walking and running after a toddler!). My supply is also very important to me so I am trying not to do too much too fast
  • corgifever
    corgifever Posts: 6 Member
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    Hi! Bf mom here of a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. I'm still bf my 2 yr old and trying to lose the baby belly. 5'6" and 148lbs, I'm looking to lose 18 more pounds to get to what looks good on me. I only bf once or twice a day so I'm just not sure how many calories I should be getting. I'm very active and teach water fitness class 12 times a week in addition to walking a dog for an hour three times a week- but can't seem to get rid of this belly! I think I wouldn't care how much I weighed if I just didn't have this belly. Not sure how to add friends here so I don't have any but would love to! What snacks do you all eat? I can do well with meals but seem to choose the wrong snacks.
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    Hi. I am breastfeeding my 2 month old, gained 35 lbs during pregnancy, now down 30 lbs with ~5 to go. I am 5'7" eat roughly 2700 (I track very loosely), I am losing very slowly (0.25 lb/week). I lift 3x per week, no cardio (unless you count walking and running after a toddler!). My supply is also very important to me so I am trying not to do too much too fast

    Sounds like you are doing great!
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    corgifever wrote: »
    Hi! Bf mom here of a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. I'm still bf my 2 yr old and trying to lose the baby belly. 5'6" and 148lbs, I'm looking to lose 18 more pounds to get to what looks good on me. I only bf once or twice a day so I'm just not sure how many calories I should be getting. I'm very active and teach water fitness class 12 times a week in addition to walking a dog for an hour three times a week- but can't seem to get rid of this belly! I think I wouldn't care how much I weighed if I just didn't have this belly. Not sure how to add friends here so I don't have any but would love to! What snacks do you all eat? I can do well with meals but seem to choose the wrong snacks.

    Wow you are doing a lot of physical activity! I am no professional so I don't really have advice. Just what I am doing. I am only about twelve days in so I dunno if it will be a good routine or not. I have cut my starchy carbs out pretty much completely. The only carbs I get are now from vegetables. So my snacks reflect that. I do loads of baby carrots, cucumbers, and apples for snacks. If I had the self control I would have a tablespoon of almond or cashew butter, but I would easily eat about four tablespoons so I try not to even start!
    Most meals are a protein and vegetable. Doing about 3-4 oz of protein each time and 4-6 oz of veggies.
  • mcarson254
    mcarson254 Posts: 3 Member
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    stelloian wrote: »
    corgifever wrote: »
    Hi! Bf mom here of a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. I'm still bf my 2 yr old and trying to lose the baby belly. 5'6" and 148lbs, I'm looking to lose 18 more pounds to get to what looks good on me. I only bf once or twice a day so I'm just not sure how many calories I should be getting. I'm very active and teach water fitness class 12 times a week in addition to walking a dog for an hour three times a week- but can't seem to get rid of this belly! I think I wouldn't care how much I weighed if I just didn't have this belly. Not sure how to add friends here so I don't have any but would love to! What snacks do you all eat? I can do well with meals but seem to choose the wrong snacks.

    Wow you are doing a lot of physical activity! I am no professional so I don't really have advice. Just what I am doing. I am only about twelve days in so I dunno if it will be a good routine or not. I have cut my starchy carbs out pretty much completely. The only carbs I get are now from vegetables. So my snacks reflect that. I do loads of baby carrots, cucumbers, and apples for snacks. If I had the self control I would have a tablespoon of almond or cashew butter, but I would easily eat about four tablespoons so I try not to even start!
    Most meals are a protein and vegetable. Doing about 3-4 oz of protein each time and 4-6 oz of veggies.

    So great that you are doing so well with your food/snacks! I'm trying to start working from eating two or three meals to breaking it up into more snacking sessions. I am also trying to make sure that it is veggies and fruit I'm snacking on. Still trying to get out of the habit of eating out or making pre-prepped food.

    My husband is a hunter so most of the meat we eat is from deer or elk and I have a hard time trying to think of new recipes to keep me motivated to cook and just end up eating out. Anyone else have that problem?
  • bbilliethecat
    bbilliethecat Posts: 62 Member
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    i went on lean cuisine for a week to check out portion sizes . now every sunday i make 5-6 different recipes, box them up, and stash them in the freezer for the weekdays for me, my boyfriend, and my two older kids --- 6-m-o gets veggies, meat, and rice/pasta mush haha . it's cheaper and healthier and kind of surprising - never know what meal i've pulled out . this week there's seafood paella, beef curry, chicken curry, creamy agnolotti, and thai basil mince . all 300-400 calories per container .

    in terms of milk supply, i need to eat 1500 calories or less - otherwise i have major OVER-supply (same with my other two) . and now it's even less than that since he's started hitting the solids hard . when he sees a spoon and bowl in my hands, it's pandemonium until he's nice and full haha
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    mcarson254 wrote: »
    stelloian wrote: »
    corgifever wrote: »
    Hi! Bf mom here of a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. I'm still bf my 2 yr old and trying to lose the baby belly. 5'6" and 148lbs, I'm looking to lose 18 more pounds to get to what looks good on me. I only bf once or twice a day so I'm just not sure how many calories I should be getting. I'm very active and teach water fitness class 12 times a week in addition to walking a dog for an hour three times a week- but can't seem to get rid of this belly! I think I wouldn't care how much I weighed if I just didn't have this belly. Not sure how to add friends here so I don't have any but would love to! What snacks do you all eat? I can do well with meals but seem to choose the wrong snacks.

    Wow you are doing a lot of physical activity! I am no professional so I don't really have advice. Just what I am doing. I am only about twelve days in so I dunno if it will be a good routine or not. I have cut my starchy carbs out pretty much completely. The only carbs I get are now from vegetables. So my snacks reflect that. I do loads of baby carrots, cucumbers, and apples for snacks. If I had the self control I would have a tablespoon of almond or cashew butter, but I would easily eat about four tablespoons so I try not to even start!
    Most meals are a protein and vegetable. Doing about 3-4 oz of protein each time and 4-6 oz of veggies.

    So great that you are doing so well with your food/snacks! I'm trying to start working from eating two or three meals to breaking it up into more snacking sessions. I am also trying to make sure that it is veggies and fruit I'm snacking on. Still trying to get out of the habit of eating out or making pre-prepped food.

    My husband is a hunter so most of the meat we eat is from deer or elk and I have a hard time trying to think of new recipes to keep me motivated to cook and just end up eating out. Anyone else have that problem?

    YES! I hate red meat and my hubby is doing that ketosis thing and it is constant meat eating. I am all about fish. But the effort to cook meat is ugh!

    For me the temptation to eat out is when I am just running out of time. The time it takes to dethaw the chicken or meat or something just makes me make bad choices. Shame : (

    But we can do this! The way I think about it is, "back in the day" they didn't have all the luxuries we do. So I should be able to prepare food brought from a store with minimal effort.

    Most days that works. Then chick fil a calls my name......
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    i went on lean cuisine for a week to check out portion sizes . now every sunday i make 5-6 different recipes, box them up, and stash them in the freezer for the weekdays for me, my boyfriend, and my two older kids --- 6-m-o gets veggies, meat, and rice/pasta mush haha . it's cheaper and healthier and kind of surprising - never know what meal i've pulled out . this week there's seafood paella, beef curry, chicken curry, creamy agnolotti, and thai basil mince . all 300-400 calories per container .

    in terms of milk supply, i need to eat 1500 calories or less - otherwise i have major OVER-supply (same with my other two) . and now it's even less than that since he's started hitting the solids hard . when he sees a spoon and bowl in my hands, it's pandemonium until he's nice and full haha

    Wow look at you! That's great! Meal prep/readiness is so essential if you don't want to slip up and make mistakes. Those sound adventurous and delicious : ) I finally tried making a coconut curry for shrimp. It was to die for! Makes me want to do more Middle eastern food instead of the straightforward protein, veggie, fat combo I have been doing.

    How is it going feeding your kiddos these things? It took a lot of tears from our kids to get them to eat new things and healthy things. Everybody got the diet overhaul, not just me!
  • brilliantwords
    brilliantwords Posts: 97 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Hey, add me if you like! My baby is 12 months old now.

    Pre pregnancy I was already an uncomfortable 230 lbs (My highest weight was actually 300 lbs way back in 2008 but lost 100 lbs then). I was 247 postpartum, but Im currently 209 lbs and my goal weight is 175 lbs.

    Im still nursing my 12 month old, but am not as worried about supply anymore at this age. When baby was younger though, I couldnt eat below 1800 calories without it affecting my supply. I also found the Mothers Milk tea very helpful.

    Currently almost -40 lbs from my postpartum weight, but been stuck for a while now. Im hoping things will shift again once he is weaned because I do find losing weight harder while nursing!
  • stelloian
    stelloian Posts: 51 Member
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    Hey, add me if you like! My baby is 12 months old now.

    Pre pregnancy I was already an uncomfortable 230 lbs (My highest weight was actually 300 lbs way back in 2008 but lost 100 lbs then). I was 247 postpartum, but Im currently 209 lbs and my goal weight is 175 lbs.

    Im still nursing my 12 month old, but am not as worried about supply anymore at this age. When baby was younger though, I couldnt eat below 1800 calories without it affecting my supply. I also found the Mothers Milk tea very helpful.

    Currently almost -40 lbs from my postpartum weight, but been stuck for a while now. Im hoping things will shift again once he is weaned because I do find losing weight harder while nursing!

    Wowzers! You are rocking this thing. You aren't at your goal but you have had significant fluctuations! Great job already. I know that as I approach 160 going downward, I get a mental block. Kind of like I can't imagine myself less and I kinda freak out. I don't know what it would be like to be in the 150's. It actually scares me!
    I feel womanly at around 160, but I have not been healthy there still. I don't know what this body will do or where I will plateau.

    I took my kids to the track at the local high school today. We have all been trying to be more active. They usually have some fun, and always want to race! My daughter told me today after we had sat down and opened up my pre packed dinner at the track. She said, "Mommy, you have the BEST ideas."
    She was so happy to be outside and moving and eating there. Made me feel so good to pass it on to her : )
  • brilliantwords
    brilliantwords Posts: 97 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I know exactly what you mean! Thats what happened to me when I hit 199! That was the lowest Id ever been in my life after starting my journey at 300!

    The original 100 lb loss took me about a year. As for the fluctuations, I actually maintained that loss for about 6 years, give or take 5 lbs!

    The biggest change was the summer before I conceived I had gained 30 lbs in a few months from a medication! But I quit it before conceiving, so thats what had me starting out at 230.

    Being at 209 and lower than pre pregnancy again feels great! Im so close to my lowest weight but I fear the mental block that comes with hitting the 100's! Im determined though!!