Daily Calories When Breastfeeding a Toddler

mommyshortlegs
mommyshortlegs Posts: 402 Member
edited November 13 in Social Groups
What should be my daily calorie intake when breastfeeding a toddler (20-months-old)? The online calculators I've consulted don't seem to agree. I can't reduce my calories for weight loss if I don't have an accurate baseline to start with. Thank you!

Replies

  • dessiepenn
    dessiepenn Posts: 167 Member
    Basically, your mileage may very. You might need to do some trial and error. Without knowing height, weight, and fitness level I can't say what it should be. There are several post about this that might help if you did a search. Good luck. And great job breastfeeding for 20 months!!!!
  • veganbettie
    veganbettie Posts: 701 Member
    generally between 200 to 300, depending on how much your kid nurses. At that age I think i still gave myself 500 because i was pumping and nursing a ton. It's trial and error for sure.
  • Annahasababy
    Annahasababy Posts: 60 Member
    How often does your child nurse? I was told the body burns an average of 20 calories per 1 oz of milk. I would assume a toddler is getting about 6-8 oz every session????
  • Annahasababy
    Annahasababy Posts: 60 Member
    How often he nurses and how much solids he eats play a role. Also his weight. I believe. And I may be wrong. That an EBF baby will eat double the ounces they are in lbs. so my 15 lb baby will be drinking approx 30 oz a day. A 20 lb baby 40 oz.
  • AEC50
    AEC50 Posts: 124 Member
    When I nursed my older son, I didn't put BFing in MFP. I figured it would be like a bonus and was so unpredictable at that point. Then I got pregnant and everything went out the window anyway :)
  • sainianita167
    sainianita167 Posts: 1 Member
    I am breastfeeding 18 months old and that's his primary source of eating. So how many calories should I count? I breastfeed him like all day long and even during nights. No counting though.
  • stephanie20314
    stephanie20314 Posts: 81 Member
    I've been counting it as 250 calories. 20 Month old who nurses 4-6 times a day and on demand all night long. I dropped below 1600 calories a day about 10 days ago with no effect on my supply. I am small in stature so this number is safe for me.
  • Debmomto5
    Debmomto5 Posts: 12 Member
    edited January 2016
    I'm giving myself 250. My little is almost 13m and nurses at naps and overnight
  • MzSophiaJ
    MzSophiaJ Posts: 28 Member
    Hiya my 1 year old is 99% breastfeeding and just tries little bits for fun. Should I still stick at 500 cals?

    Also should I eat back 50 or 75% of my exercise calories? I hear MFP over exaggerates?

    Thanks
  • Hipp706
    Hipp706 Posts: 28 Member
    I'm breastfeeding my 37mth old and my 22mth old, 3-4 times a day/night. I find that I can probably eat an extra 300 or so calories and still lose a little. I usually just eat back my exercise calories back, unless they're very high amounts and then call it even so my calories vary daily depending on how far I've walked that day.
  • Rubyayn
    Rubyayn Posts: 433 Member
    I'm nursing my 28 month old. I eat anywhere from 2100-2800 per day, depending on my training. I might weaned and gained a couple of pounds, so I'm adjusting the numbers a bit now. 200 per day was a good rough estimate for me, but may not be enough if you're more calorie restrictive. Listen close to how your body feels and calculate your BMR and TDEE. MFP has a tendency to put calories a bit low, imo.
  • magmom5
    magmom5 Posts: 6 Member
    I'm breastfeeding my 24 month old and I find that if I go under 1500 calories my milk supply dips. And as for burning calories I don't add it on MFP :)
  • peanut321
    peanut321 Posts: 20 Member
    I breastfeed my two year old and I think it makes it hard for me to lose weight. I don't calculate it at all but maybe I should so I eat more?

    It's really trial and error. Mostly error :wink:
  • vitalflame
    vitalflame Posts: 9 Member
    I've got a 18 month old and he feeds 2-3 x a day but mostly in AM. he's mostly on regular food. I don't log it.
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