How many calories does breastfeeding burn?
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I HIGHLY recommend breast feeding! With my first child, I lost all my pregnancy weight in 1 month, then when I stopped breast feeding at 17 months, I lost more weight after that! All my friends who breast fed have lost their weight rapidly, plus when you breastfeed, your body releases some chemicals which cause your uterus to contract back to a "new normal" size. Not completely back to the way it used to be, but it does it quicker when you breast feed. At least that's what I read years ago.
I'm not sure if this helped any but I cut out cheese and milk. I still ate yogurt, eggs & cottage cheese though, I just didn't eat any junk, & ate whenever I wanted. I didn't count my calories so I'm not sure how much, but in comparison, I did eat more while I was breast feeding than I do now.
The 2nd pregnancy took a little longer to lose the weight because I gained more, but I lost even more well after I stopped breast feeding.0 -
About 600 an hour, but you need to breast feed while on the treadmill...lolHi All,
I am now 36 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and planning to use the MyFitnessPal app to lose the baby weight after the birth. I was wondering, how many calories does breastfeeding burn? I just want to know how many to record.
Thanks!
In other words...NOT MUCH!
You don't count it except as it relates to your activity settings.
Although it is generally held that it burns about 500 calories a day on the average, it really depends on how much your baby eats, and how hard your body has to work to produce milk. And 500 calories is a lot! It's hard to burn that much with excersize, and all you have to do is sit and feed your baby to burn it.0 -
About 600 an hour, but you need to breast feed while on the treadmill...lolHi All,
I am now 36 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and planning to use the MyFitnessPal app to lose the baby weight after the birth. I was wondering, how many calories does breastfeeding burn? I just want to know how many to record.
Thanks!
In other words...NOT MUCH!
You don't count it except as it relates to your activity settings.
Although it is generally held that it burns about 500 calories a day on the average, it really depends on how much your baby eats, and how hard your body has to work to produce milk. And 500 calories is a lot! It's hard to burn that much with excersize, and all you have to do is sit and feed your baby to burn it.
Seriously, research this before you tell a nursing mother that. You are wrong. You do need to count them and eat those calories to prevent a dip in supply and/or malnutrition for the mother.0 -
Then correct me.
About 600 an hour, but you need to breast feed while on the treadmill...lolHi All,
I am now 36 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and planning to use the MyFitnessPal app to lose the baby weight after the birth. I was wondering, how many calories does breastfeeding burn? I just want to know how many to record.
Thanks!
In other words...NOT MUCH!
You don't count it except as it relates to your activity settings.
Although it is generally held that it burns about 500 calories a day on the average, it really depends on how much your baby eats, and how hard your body has to work to produce milk. And 500 calories is a lot! It's hard to burn that much with excersize, and all you have to do is sit and feed your baby to burn it.
Seriously, research this before you tell a nursing mother that. You are wrong.
How much per day?0 -
This is one reason I hope to have kids soon help me get off these last 55lbs
but I hear its 600 or so a day depending i could be wrong but I just think its awesome
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How much per day?
Sorry, I edited my above post. You're right on the number, but youer' wrong when you say not to count it.0 -
It actually takes more calories to nurse than to be pregnant. Be very careful of trying to reduce while nursing. If you lose too quickly your milk supply will drop off.:noway:0
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I said account for it through a change in your activity setting - did you miss that as well?
How much per day?
Sorry, I edited my above post. You're right on the number, but youer' wrong when you say not to count it.
Anyway, go edit again...lol0 -
people get overworked about the littlest things on here...not to be rude, but asking for advice on here isnt a good thing to do because more or less its probably not "professional" advice. if your going to hinge your baby and your health on someones advice make sure its a credible source at the very least like a doctor.
secondly you have to get your priorities straight, your baby comes first, you need to do whatever you can to make sure your baby is supplied with proper nutrition, even if it means going over your daily caloric intake. in the short term it might cause a minor weight gain, but at least your baby will not be effected negatively.
as for your weight control, there is always minor things you can do such as recording body composition every month to see whether or not your gaining weight and if your trying to control it, cut back 100 calories at the most from your daily intake then see where you are the next month. dont rely on the scale too much as it doesn't tell you the whole story.
hope that helps, and sorry if my post comes off as rude, its not meant to be...0 -
I'm still breastfeeding my 11 month old and it didn't occur to me to log this. I think I'll have to look into this tomorrow since I'm sitting here still feeling hungry.0
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I don't think anyone can say an accurate exact number per day, because obviously everyone will vary by their own body, and their babies.
Then correct me.
About 600 an hour, but you need to breast feed while on the treadmill...lolHi All,
I am now 36 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and planning to use the MyFitnessPal app to lose the baby weight after the birth. I was wondering, how many calories does breastfeeding burn? I just want to know how many to record.
Thanks!
In other words...NOT MUCH!
You don't count it except as it relates to your activity settings.
Although it is generally held that it burns about 500 calories a day on the average, it really depends on how much your baby eats, and how hard your body has to work to produce milk. And 500 calories is a lot! It's hard to burn that much with excersize, and all you have to do is sit and feed your baby to burn it.
Seriously, research this before you tell a nursing mother that. You are wrong.
How much per day?
But what you're toying with is the only nutrition the OP's baby is going to get. Do you want to play it safe on that? Or do you want to make sure she loses as much weight, fast as possible, 'good luck, baby!'? Because I'm betting the OP wants to play it safe with her baby's nutrition, which means making sure she's getting enough, not erroring on the side of eating too little, and messing with her baby's only food. And I think that's pretty wise.
Honestly, I think the first couple of months are really the time to think about what you're eating, and make sure you're getting enough good calories and fat, and definitely enough liquids. It's really short-sighted to think "I'm just sitting on the couch [to BF], so I don't need many calories," and it's not just mom who will suffer for that train of thought, it's her baby.
A PP said it better, though, just talk to your doctor, OP.0 -
And this is why one tracking food should account for breastfeeding in their MFP activity setting - NOT entered as a "cardio exercise".
I don't think anyone can say an accurate exact number per day, because obviously everyone will vary by their own body, and their babies.
Then correct me.
About 600 an hour, but you need to breast feed while on the treadmill...lolHi All,
I am now 36 weeks pregnant with my 2nd baby and planning to use the MyFitnessPal app to lose the baby weight after the birth. I was wondering, how many calories does breastfeeding burn? I just want to know how many to record.
Thanks!
In other words...NOT MUCH!
You don't count it except as it relates to your activity settings.
Although it is generally held that it burns about 500 calories a day on the average, it really depends on how much your baby eats, and how hard your body has to work to produce milk. And 500 calories is a lot! It's hard to burn that much with excersize, and all you have to do is sit and feed your baby to burn it.
Seriously, research this before you tell a nursing mother that. You are wrong.
How much per day?
But what you're toying with is the only nutrition the OP's baby is going to get. Do you want to play it safe on that? Or do you want to make sure she loses as much weight, fast as possible, 'good luck, baby!'? Because I'm betting the OP wants to play it safe with her baby's nutrition, which means making sure she's getting enough, not erroring on the side of eating too little, and messing with her baby's only food. And I think that's pretty wise.
Honestly, I think the first couple of months are really the time to think about what you're eating, and make sure you're getting enough good calories and fat, and definitely enough liquids. It's really short-sighted to think "I'm just sitting on the couch [to BF], so I don't need many calories," and it's not just mom who will suffer for that train of thought, it's her baby.
A PP said it better, though, just talk to your doctor, OP.0 -
I read that breastfeeding burns about 500 cals a day, BUT I didn't lose a jot of baby weight until I stopped breastfeeding, which was unfortunate as I fed my younger son until he was 3. Some people seem to lose weight super fast from breastfeeding, others hang onto the saddle bags until they stop.0
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I wouldn't actually actively diet while BF, though, as it isn't good for the quality of your milk. You produce milk from your fat stores, and you also lock toxins away in them, so if you start using your body's fat stores, all those toxins go into your milk. Fine if you eat completely cleanly, but not so great for most people. I suggest when your baby arrives you might have more on your mind than your weight anyway. Give it a year, it takes that long for normality to return (or a new normality to establish), then think about weight.0
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I have seen this in a thread before - apparently 'breastfeeding' is in the food database. You add it and it gives you calories instead of taking them? Never tried it....0
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bump0
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I have seen this in a thread before - apparently 'breastfeeding' is in the food database. You add it and it gives you calories instead of taking them? Never tried it....
I just did a quick check - it IS in the food database! Heaps of options too!0 -
I'm not really sure why this thread has caused so much controversy. It's pretty simple...500 cals when EBF and then 300 cals once they're having solids. You def need to eat enough to continue to produce milk and also be healthy yourself. I've lost 21lbs so far and I eat back every calorie from BFing and my exercise. Personally I prefer to log it under exercise....so I created my own exercise for it....you can check out my diary to see what I mean. Congrats and happy delivery!0
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You can't log BF by the hour, though, as different babies take it in at different rates. My 2 both went through phases of feeding 16 hours a day. If I had logged that I would have been given a crazy amount of calories, but the chances are there wasn't milk coming out all that time.0
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About 500/day while your baby is exclusively breastfed (no formula, no solids). Don't skimp on the calories--your baby needs fatty milk to build brain cells. Breastmilk is about 50% fat. Get in lots of fruits & veggies, lots of water. Don't excercise until you feel recovered from childbirth, and go SLOWLY. If you feel like you can't get out of bed the next day, you over did it. I started small with just the babe in a carrier going for a walk down to the store three blocks from my house, then gradually went further and further, but mostly tried to get out for a walk every day (except when it was blinding snow out) to help prevent post-partum depression, get the fresh air and vitamin D, and to get moving. Good luck!
Great advice! Loved breastfeeding my children!!!!0
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