Breastfeeding questions!!!! HELP!!!!

kerimcdonald
kerimcdonald Posts: 195
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I am a nursing new mom, and I want to start getting back into shape but obviously I know I need a certain amount of calories now that I'm nursing to keep up my milk production for my new son. There really isnot anything out there to help me. Everyone just says that now is not the time to watch calories, which is really frustrating since I plan to nurse for the better part of a year. Anyone know any websites that help with food and vitamin regimes and if this website has anything that I'm just not seeing. I've been with this website and lost 60lbs before I got pregnant so I would like tostay here.

Replies

  • BRoth1987
    BRoth1987 Posts: 39
    If it helps I saw a RD today and she stressed to only lose 1ish lb a week and eat all your fats and get about 15g more of protein a day. The fats help with milk production. I plan on nursing for at least 2 years so this is really important to me too. Feel free to message me.
  • ering
    ering Posts: 183 Member
    If you go to the cardio excercise section you can add breastfeeding as an excercise and it will adjust your calorie goal to include the 300 or so you burn from nursing.
  • MsCandyLynn
    MsCandyLynn Posts: 123
    from my understanding is when you set your goals you set it to whatever you would set it to as if you werent breast feeding and then when you log your diary there is a breast feeding option and you add u that to your diary and it adds the recommended 500 extra calories so that way you get you calories in...but you have to actually eat those calories unlike those who don't eat their exercise cals! hope that helps i didnt find the site till after my breastfeeding days
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    MsCandyLynn is right on. :)
  • Myobi
    Myobi Posts: 129 Member
    I'm pretty sure either the food diary or the exercise diary has an option for you to list exclusive breastfeeding. It gives you an extra 300-500 calories per day. Think about it like you would with a regular diet here - it lists the amount you should eat according to your activity level to lose weight. If you exercise, you eat those calories back because you're already scheduled to be at a deficit. If you breastfeed, you need to "eat back" those calories as well if you use this site.
  • maddymama
    maddymama Posts: 1,183 Member
    http://www.llli.org/faq/diet.html

    Excellent information on this page.
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,809 Member
    Check out http://kellymom.com/

    great site for everthing breastfeeding related. The chart for breastmilk storage is a must have to put on your fridge. Good luck and remember to drink lots and lots of water while breastfeeding.
  • Michelle_M2002
    Michelle_M2002 Posts: 301 Member
    A breastfeeding mother should not drop below 1500 calories a day.

    I suggest going to www.forbabiessake.com and contacting Deirdre or Mellanie (FABULOUS board certified lactation consultants). They can help you.

    They told me rather than counting calories.. eat every 3 hours, and make healthy choices. Nursing moms also need more fat than non-nursing moms, and they need more fruits for the healthy sugars.

    So, again, my advice would be to contact a board certified lactation consultant to help you in this department. I'm nursing a toddler and my intake is 1600 a day. But I'm at the point where my supply is very well established, and my little nursling is only nursing a few times a day and a few times a night, so *I* don't need as many calories now as I did when he was a tiny baby.

    You don't wanna mess with your milk supply...talk to an LC. I'd also talk to a nutritionist who specializes in women's nutrition. I trust Chris Dillon, you can find him on Facebook. He will do a phone consultation with you for a fee. But he is very knowledgeable and I trust him completely.

    God bless!
  • kellea927
    kellea927 Posts: 2
    I'm also breast feeding and just changed my calorie amount to accommodate an extra 500 calories. i looked all over and there is no place to put in that you are breast feeding so i am not sure what the previous posters are referring to. But I have seen others add it as exercise.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    I'm also breast feeding and just changed my calorie amount to accommodate an extra 500 calories. i looked all over and there is no place to put in that you are breast feeding so i am not sure what the previous posters are referring to. But I have seen others add it as exercise.

    You can either add it to your food diary through the database, or you can add it in your exercise diary. Or, like you did, you can change your calorie amount manually, which is what I would do personally.
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