Breast feeding

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Goffer1027
Goffer1027 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How many extra calories should I eat a day with breast feeding my three month old baby?

Replies

  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,514 Member
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    Experts say around 500 calories. I personally find it too much and gained

    Its a fine balance for me too many and i gain, too few and my milk supply drops
  • xmarye
    xmarye Posts: 385 Member
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    I found that I wasn't able to lose weight while breastfeeding. I felt ravenous all the time and it stressed me out and in the end, my milk supply and the bonding experience with my baby was more important so I just decided to wait until I was done. But that's just me!

    Good luck :) Jjust don't obsess over it and don't beat yourself up if you end up feeling like me, you just gave life and that is the most amazing thing one can do. ♥
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    typically: 500 calories when exclusively breasfeeding, back down to 300 once supplementing with solids.

    or 17 cals/ oz you produce, if you pump and can measure
  • Harbin2017
    Harbin2017 Posts: 32 Member
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    xmarye wrote: »
    I found that I wasn't able to lose weight while breastfeeding. I felt ravenous all the time and it stressed me out and in the end, my milk supply and the bonding experience with my baby was more important so I just decided to wait until I was done. But that's just me!

    I agree. I couldn't lose any weight until i stopped breastfeeding when my daughter was around 9,5 months.
  • jlynn859
    jlynn859 Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi there! I breastfed for three years and I would have to say I had to eat anywhere between 2000 to 2500 calories a day to make milk. If I didn't my milk supply would drop. I was also one of those people who couldn't lose weight while breastfeeding. Once I stopped, I lost about twenty pounds and have about ten left.
  • sammyjo0218
    sammyjo0218 Posts: 108 Member
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    I had well over 2000 calories when breastfeeding both of my babies. I have a toddler and 9 month old. My cravings were horrible I couldn't bare keeping track of calories I didn't have any cravings pregnant though. My weight dropped like crazy which I was amazed by. At the time of giving birth I was 130lbs and he's almost 9 months I now weigh 114lbs. I pumped 8-10 times a day up until he was 5 months cause he actually ate that much most of the time then I decreased as he was gonna start baby food. An ounce of breast milk is around 20 calories so you can burn up to 800 calories or more depending on how much you breastfeed. I no longer pump now since I have a good freezer stash. It's important to keep up the calories and drink plenty of fluids to keep up your milk supply.
  • anggerl
    anggerl Posts: 6 Member
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    8-10 times a day! Holy cow how o earth did you find the time for that? How much did you get when you pumped?
  • sammyjo0218
    sammyjo0218 Posts: 108 Member
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    It was every 2-3 hours for the first couple of months. Then 4-6 hours as he got bigger and efficient with feedings. Amounts would vary around 15-20oz with each pumping session. I'd do it for 20-30 minutes. The extra I'd make I give to my older child for benefits mix in whole milk. she was also breastfed when she was born I did that same routine with pumping milk. I always kept up on my fluids by keeping those big cups with measurements you get at the hospital to fill water. I ate every time I pumped because if I didnt I'd feel shakey like I wasn't getting enough calories. I still took prenatals while pumping. I still have 2 full freezers of milk I'm starting to use up now. The baby will take some throughout the day in between foods and I use the milk in his breakfast cereal. As for making time I'd plan things ahead of time and lots of multitasking!!
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Yep - I had a 10# baby who refused solids until she was nearly 1, and she doubled her birthweight by 6 months and was 27(?) pounds at a year. I ate constantly and dropped down to my high school weight. When she had a growth spurt and my weight would drop below a certain point (I think the "set point" theory has some validity, here), I would find myself in front of the fridge eating cheese and meat and hard-boiled eggs, just sort of on autopilot.

    How much extra you need depends on how much your' making, and that depends on how much your baby is nursing.

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