Calorie intake and breastfeeding

Hi everyone,

I am exclusively breastfeeding my 4 month old and trying to start losing the baby weight. Does anyone have recommendations for calories intake as well as protein, carb and fat goals for an exclusively breastfeeding mom? I don’t want to risk reducing my milk supply but would like to start losing the weight.

Thank you !

Replies

  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    For one child months 3 to 6 months, the estimate is about 450-500 calories burned for breastfeeding, assuming you havent started the child on solids in that time.

    I found I did well with the same calories I ate in my 3rd trimester (I tracked). For me (5' 6", age 28) that was about 2500-2600 a day.

    When I wanted to lose weight there were things that I needed to do:

    Decrease calories slowly. 100 a day for a week (so week 1 is 2500, weeks 2 is 2400, etc) until I saw 1 lb a week loss max. This prevents you from losing your milk by drastically/quickly reducing calories too quickly.

    Do not go below 1800 calories a day, the milk needs the nutrition.

    Once your child gets into solids, you'll have to adjust again. I was able to lose weight well up to a year of breastfeeding eating 1900 a day or more.

    ... for my first child that is.

    My second one? I had supply problems. Any time i dropped even a little bit of calories I lost my milk and my child cried so much. It wasn't worth it. So now she is weaned, I'm 16 months post partum and I'm finally losing weight!

    There was a really good post made by someone here once. I'm going to go get you a link.

  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    oh i should add, higher protein may help with milk supply. But a generally good balance of carb/fat/protein is fine. You dont need to be too specific with it, as long as you are satiated and successful and not cutting any of them out.
  • pattianastasiou557
    pattianastasiou557 Posts: 2 Member
    Thanks so much ! This helped a lot !!! @VeryKatie
  • warriorgurl23
    warriorgurl23 Posts: 5 Member
    I just started trying to lose baby weight as well. I am 2 months PP with baby number 2. I set my activity level without exercise to “lightly active” (I’m a SAHM with a 2 year old as well so I’m moving around a good bit all day) and chose maintenance calories. Excusively Breastfeeding burns about 200-500 calories a day. I just let my breastfeeding calories be my calorie deficit.

    With baby number 1 I didn’t start actively trying to lose weight until she started solids at 6 m and losing milk wasn’t so much of a panic. I just started exercising but ate when I was hungry.
  • KimiAR
    KimiAR Posts: 117 Member
    I’m 5’5” and found that maintaining between 1700-1800 did not affect my supply. Lower than that did. Running also did (I assume it was sweat loss). But honestly it didn’t seem to make a difference what style I ate or what my macros were, so long as I held the course fairly regularly. Also a day or two dip to 1500 would be noticeable in how often baby would want to nurse. Drink tons of water but I really think eating at a comfortable but midrange goal for your is sufficient-Always keeping an eye on baby’s response and need to nurse.