Anyone breastfeeding while losing weight?

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Mom2SS
Mom2SS Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so I know breastfeeding burns calories, but my problem seems to be that it makes me HUNGRY. I have a really hard time keeping my calories in check, and I'm honestly hungry. I'm not bored, tired, or craving something. Anyone else deal with this. Any tips on getting past it?

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  • Mom2SS
    Mom2SS Posts: 16
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    Okay, so I know breastfeeding burns calories, but my problem seems to be that it makes me HUNGRY. I have a really hard time keeping my calories in check, and I'm honestly hungry. I'm not bored, tired, or craving something. Anyone else deal with this. Any tips on getting past it?
  • 3babybeans
    3babybeans Posts: 8,268 Member
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    Give yourself an extra 500 cals a day while breastfeeding, especially if it is the early part of your baby's life. I'm weaning my 11 month old right now & only give myself about an extra 150 to work with. Don't go hungry! The last thing you want is for your milk supply to suffer! HTH! :flowerforyou:
  • CassieNic
    CassieNic Posts: 223
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    ugh me too! i feel starving half the time, my DD is 5mos, and she is growing like a weed. i have a to keep alot of apples, bananas, and tuna pouches in the kitchen or ill make bad choices when i get that rumbly tummy.
  • ColtsFan1912
    ColtsFan1912 Posts: 146 Member
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    I am losing weight while breastfeeding.
    Yeah add 500 calories. . .about 1 hour of breastfeeding burns 500 calories. :)
    I also drink lots of water which helps with my cravings & is good for breastfeeding
  • newbaby90908
    newbaby90908 Posts: 33 Member
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    Make sure you get your proper nutrients. I was dieting while weaning and I suffered a few deficiencies from not eating properly causing joint problems. As soon as I started taking vitamins again and eating right I felt much better.

    Keep taking your vitamins and eat healthy filling choices and you should be fine.
  • ktthegr8
    ktthegr8 Posts: 479
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    Keep healthy snack readily available for those hungry moments and be sure to drink extra water. It"s important to not be eating empty calories while you are breastfeeding. Good luck!:happy:
  • HipsLipsMama
    HipsLipsMama Posts: 74
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    I am breastfeeding too.

    heres a helpful link
    http://www.ahealthyme.com/CalNeed.do

    it takes breastfeeding into consideration..heres a little exerpt.

    While you're breastfeeding, it will take about 650 extra calories per day to enable you to make enough milk for your baby without draining your body's reserves. Most experts recommend that you get 500 of these additional calories (that's at least 1,800 calories total) from your diet, and make up the difference with the fat you gained during pregnancy. This will help you slim down slowly, at a rate of about a pound per month. If you want to get back into shape faster, it's best to exercise more instead of eating less so you take in enough vitamins and minerals for both you and your baby.

    Also...
    http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-calories-fluids.html

    "An exclusively breastfeeding mother, on average, needs to take in 300-500 calories per day above what was needed to maintain pre-pregnancy weight. Since the recommended added calories during the last two trimesters of pregnancy is 300 calories/day, an exclusively breastfeeding mother will typically need either the same amount of calories she was getting at the end of pregnancy, or up to 200 additional calories per day. That's the equivalent of adding 1-2 healthy snacks per day.

    Per Breastfeeding and Human Lactation (Riordan, 2004, p. 438), "The amount of energy needed by lactating mothers continues to be debated. The lactating mother need not maintain a markedly higher caloric intake than that maintained prior to pregnancy: in most cases, 400-500 calories in excess of that which is needed to maintain the mother's body weight is sufficient.""

    However...
    "The extent of breastfeeding:
    Is your child exclusively breastfed, mostly breastfed, or breastfed 1-2 times per day? If your nursling is only partially breastfed (for example, an older child who is getting less milk, or a younger child who is getting formula supplements), calorie requirements would be proportionally less. "
  • mommachag
    mommachag Posts: 318
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    im nursing an older baby. but he still nurses 4-5 times in a 12 hr period. i add in 250 calories a day for it


    eta not a 12 hour period15 hours 6am-9pm
  • Mom2SS
    Mom2SS Posts: 16
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    Thanks ladies. I think I mostly need to find the balance between eating extra for breastfeeding without using it as an excuse to eat whatever. Very good point about not taking in empty calories.
  • GIBride01
    GIBride01 Posts: 328 Member
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    im nursing an older baby. but he still nurses 4-5 times in a 12 hr period. i add in 250 calories a day for it


    eta not a 12 hour period15 hours 6am-9pm

    Good point, my son is no longer nursing, but when he was I made sure to add in extra calories, but it was usually fruit, apple and pb, half a sandwich, some ice cream after dinner. I lost weight and was down to pre preggo weight eating when I was hungry, just moderate portions and LOTS of water. I remember being the same as you, starving after my son would nurse. The reason I gained a significant chunk of the weight I am currently working on is I kept eating all the extra calories when my son slowed down on his nursing...I gained back all the weight I lost and then some:grumble: Hopefully someone else can learn from my pounds, when baby drops off on nursing, slow down on the eating...
  • osmium
    osmium Posts: 107 Member
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    I'm still breastfeeding my 11 month old once a day. I don't think it's a significant amount though, so I'm not adding in any extra calories any more for it. I think it would be less than 100 cals if I did though.
  • claire012
    claire012 Posts: 19 Member
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    I'm in the same boat. Always hungry, still bfeeding my almost 7mth old a lot!:yawn: Hope I wont keep on putting weight instead of losing! Good luck to all!

    Claire :heart:

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  • claire012
    claire012 Posts: 19 Member
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    Okay, so I know breastfeeding burns calories, but my problem seems to be that it makes me HUNGRY. I have a really hard time keeping my calories in check, and I'm honestly hungry. I'm not bored, tired, or craving something. Anyone else deal with this. Any tips on getting past it?

    I'm with you, breastfeeding and hungry all the time:grumble: . What I'm doing is I'm eating a healthy snack every 3hrs (there were times I had to do so every 2hrs). Just make sure you make a healthy choice (that's what I was doing wrong actually)and try to limit your portion size bit by bit..

    Good luck!

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