Breastfeeding and diet

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Grace1733
Grace1733 Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
My little one just turned one month yesterday. I’m below pre pregnancy weight, but still have 10 pounds I would like to lose. Breastfeeding makes that goal seem impossible(I’m always hungry). Does anyone have snack suggestions to help me not eat a ridiculous amount of calories in a day. I eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner but snacking seems out of control.

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  • edinn
    edinn Posts: 2 Member
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    I snack on apples dipped in nut butter, yogurt with fruit and nuts, grass-fed beef jerkey, and a variety of packaged paleo snacks like protein bars. Sometimes I make healthy lactation cookies sweetened with banana. There is a flaw that this app does not consider breastfeeding, the calories it allows is not appropriate for somebody who is breastfeeding.
  • edinn
    edinn Posts: 2 Member
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    edinn wrote: »
    I snack on apples dipped in nut butter, yogurt with fruit and nuts, grass-fed beef jerkey, and a variety of packaged paleo snacks like protein bars. Sometimes I make healthy lactation cookies sweetened with banana. There is a flaw that this app does not consider breastfeeding, the calories it allows is not appropriate for somebody who is breastfeeding.

    Ok, so apparently I’m wrong and you can get extra calories for breastfeeding. I’m going to try it... have you received extra calories for breastfeeding?
  • striving4moretoday
    striving4moretoday Posts: 60 Member
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    www.hopefeedsbabies.com you can ask a professional or read her blogs.
  • Lambacker
    Lambacker Posts: 7 Member
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    Agree with previous poster. You’re still recovering and baby and your body are still working out the breastfeeding relationship. Don’t deficit, just eat healthy Whole Foods, and listen to your body. I’m 4 months postpartum and here’s a run down of some of my favorite snacks because I hear ya, I’m hungry A LOT. .
    Nuts! I used to laugh off eating nuts as a snack because how the heck is this little tiny things in like tablespoon serving size gonna satiate my need for food... omg it’s one of my favorite snacks now! It satisfies some sort of nutritional need. I usually munch on a tablespoon or two of trail mix when I crave bad stuff. And it helps me a lot.
    Some other favorites:
    A light yogurt and some granola
    Apple and yogurt or peanut butter.
    Cucumbers and/or carrots and ranch.
    Cheese stick and whole wheat crackers.
    Banana
    Turkey and cheese roll ups
    Whole Wheat toast with peanut butter

  • azuber2
    azuber2 Posts: 4 Member
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    A few snack ideas:
    Fruit, fruit and more fruit!
    Apples with peanut butter or almond butter
    Hummus with carrots
    Sweet potato
    Bananas
    Whole wheat crackers
    Celery with ranch
    Grapes 🍇
    Siggis yogurt is amazing. Less sugar and a lot more protein content.

    Eat when your hungry and eat a lot! Just choose healthy wholesome foods!
  • quoteloveunquote
    quoteloveunquote Posts: 16 Member
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    Make sure you're logging "breastfeeding" as a food and it will add in extra calories/macros for you! You might still need to play with amounts (and adjust during growth spurts and when baby starts solids), but it will give you a good starting point. (Currently nursing my 4th, and I always gain weight when babies wean because I keep eating like I do when they're nursing.)
  • melinda_taggart
    melinda_taggart Posts: 1 Member
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    Sorry how do you add that you are breastfeeding? Do I eat more calories when feeding ? My baby is 9 weeks thanks so much
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    melinda_taggart wrote: »
    Sorry how do you add that you are breastfeeding? Do I eat more calories when feeding ? My baby is 9 weeks thanks so much

    I think the easiest is to set MFP to maintain and eat to that number, and let breastfeeding create your deficit.
  • ExistingFish
    ExistingFish Posts: 1,259 Member
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    Yes, don't set it to lose any weight. Breastfeeding burns 500-800 calories when exclusively feeding a growing infant (like in the first 4-6 months). I'd guess 300-500 feeding an older baby.
  • lemonwater1
    lemonwater1 Posts: 72 Member
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    Yes, you are burning about 500 calories a day if you are exclusively breastfeeding. In your diary, you can search “breastfeeding” and add it to your diary, which will give you 500 more calories you can eat each day, while still being in a deficit.
  • LoveyChar
    LoveyChar Posts: 4,335 Member
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    I'm breastfeeding a 10 month old. I guesstimate his intake to be between 20-25 ounces, which is 400-500 calories, as he also eats solids. I eat peanut butter and bananas, cheese, and hard boiled eggs with hot sauce for snacks, usually.

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