Breast-feeding and caloric intake

iknickles
iknickles Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
Sorry if this has been discussed before, but MFP is saying I need to stay at around 1200 calories daily. With working out 5 times per week 30 minutes a day. That number seems low for healthy weight loss, and lower still to maintain my milk supply. I'm just not sure what I should be at to keep my supply going.

Replies

  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 961 Member
    Add 500 calories per day - you can find it under foods and it will add negative calories to your day.

    ALSO - make sure you add back ALL of your exercise calories. If you feel like it's too much, stay with it anyway for a few weeks and then adjust by 100-200 calories per day until you see the scale start to nudge down. Aim to lose weight slowly and safely.

    Make sure you're drinking lots of water, as well. The way we used to coach new moms was, eat healthy food when you're hungry, and drink when you're thirsty. Your body knows what it needs and what it needs to do - if you just stay away from junk food, get some moderate exercise, and feed your baby, you'll be fine. :smile:
  • xlolitabandita
    xlolitabandita Posts: 242
    I've seen women on here who some how log the breast feeding as exercise, which gives them for calories to eat for the day. Breast feeding does BURN calories, so you need to make sure you're eating enough. You want to be netting 1200 a day, so I would do some research and figure how many calories you're burning, or the proper amount of calories for a breast feeding woman losing weight. If all else fails, I'm sure your OBGYN would have some good advice for you!
  • saralynn594
    saralynn594 Posts: 321
    I've been breastfeeding my daughter for 9 months now and went from 2500 calories a day to now around 1500 a day and my supply is fine..but that ..was a 9 month transition depending on how often was nursing.Tons of water though,don't forget the water!
  • jillthemom
    jillthemom Posts: 31 Member
    If you go to the food diary, you can do a search for breastfeeding and different options will come up. Choose the one that describes your situation and it will add calories to your daily amount. I am also nursing, and I haven't had any issues with my supply using this option.
  • beachbumant_man
    beachbumant_man Posts: 48 Member
    you need to have an intake around 1500 for a healthy supply for milk product. issues with that if your not intake is high enough you cannot product milk! if your exercising that much then you will lose weight, its a matter of getting the rid nutrition into your diet!
  • lsegatti
    lsegatti Posts: 77 Member
    A very wise pediatrician once told me when I had my first child: the only thing you need to make plenty of rich milk is protein and lots of water! That is all a Moo Cow eats to make good milk and the protein for a cow comes from grains/grasses!

    So evaluate your protein, make it low fat and of good quality without risking any food allergens or high sensitivity content like peanut/nuts and eat lots of good veggies and fiber to make your daily caloric intake. Not sure how old your child is at this point but you can avoid lots of foods that might be causing digestive issues for the child and still make high quality milk.

    Hope this helps!
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    How old is your little one? Enter in breastfeeding as food, it shows up as -500 for young babies, there are -300 (6-12 months?) and -200 ones as well if they are between 1 and 2 or whatnot. The negative number gives you the extra calories for BF'ing.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 961 Member
    A very wise pediatrician once told me when I had my first child: the only thing you need to make plenty of rich milk is protein and lots of water! That is all a Moo Cow eats to make good milk and the protein for a cow comes from grains/grasses!

    Wow, that is MUCH better advice than "Make sure you drink lots of milk so you'll make good milk".... yes, I heard that one a lot ... wouldn't you know, I had two children who were dairy-intolerant the whole time I was nursing them.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    I've personally found that I need to keep my intake above 2100 to make the best milk. When I was eating under this, my daughter was gaining less than 4 ounces a week, where now she is gaining 6-10 ounces a week, and the only change was increasing my calories. My weight was also stuck, I kept bouncing between the same couple pounds. Since upping my calories, I've been losing a couple pounds a week.
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    A very wise pediatrician once told me when I had my first child: the only thing you need to make plenty of rich milk is protein and lots of water! That is all a Moo Cow eats to make good milk and the protein for a cow comes from grains/grasses!

    So evaluate your protein, make it low fat and of good quality without risking any food allergens or high sensitivity content like peanut/nuts and eat lots of good veggies and fiber to make your daily caloric intake. Not sure how old your child is at this point but you can avoid lots of foods that might be causing digestive issues for the child and still make high quality milk.

    Hope this helps!

    A lot of water yes, but I found that eating oatmeal or drinking non-alcoholic beer helped with milk production a lot more than extra water did.
  • JanSmelly
    JanSmelly Posts: 143 Member
    You need to consume between 1500-1800 calories per day and for many women they need to be on the higher end. If you cut your calories too low not only could your supply be comprised, but your body will take the nutrients from you for your milk.

    LLL general rule is to eat to hunger and drink to thirst. I like the idea of drinking to thirst plus a little more.

    ETA - You can drink too much water while breastfeeding and it will decrease your supply. More water =/= more milk.
  • riouxha
    riouxha Posts: 995 Member
    As a student nurse who JUST finished working with a lactation consultant on a high risk maternity floow, i must say all you MFPers are awesome. You know your stuff and are a great bunch to go to for advice. ESPECIALLY with water. as long as you're eating enough nutrients to supply yourself and a little extra for your milk, and drinking plenty of water, you're fine.
  • iknickles
    iknickles Posts: 2
    How old is your little one? Enter in breastfeeding as food, it shows up as -500 for young babies, there are -300 (6-12 months?) and -200 ones as well if they are between 1 and 2 or whatnot. The negative number gives you the extra calories for BF'ing.

    she's 8 months and eating 2 meals of solids daily. She has been nursing 6-8 times at night, but I have no idea if that's a meal-sized portion or if she's just nursing for comfort and she's not really taking much in.
  • cindyrella3
    cindyrella3 Posts: 3
    +500 for Nursing is reccommended.
    Careful on the high impact workouts....Milk may have a different unappealing taste to baby.
    Plan to nurse after cool down- baby will be happier!
    Keep up the fluids most importantly!
    You are likely producing a liter a day therefore, you will need an extra liter of fluids a day.
    Hope this helps!
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 961 Member
    Okay, if she's onto solid foods you can change that 500 to 300, and still be fine. :smile:
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    How old is your little one? Enter in breastfeeding as food, it shows up as -500 for young babies, there are -300 (6-12 months?) and -200 ones as well if they are between 1 and 2 or whatnot. The negative number gives you the extra calories for BF'ing.

    she's 8 months and eating 2 meals of solids daily. She has been nursing 6-8 times at night, but I have no idea if that's a meal-sized portion or if she's just nursing for comfort and she's not really taking much in.

    I would pick either the 300 or 400 extra calories for that if I were you, probably 400 until her solids are at 3 meals per day.
  • pat6250
    pat6250 Posts: 90
    I did not count calories when I was nursing, I ate what I wanted, drank LOTS of water, and baby nursed on demand. Baby gained nicely, and I lost more weight than I ever had. I got down to size 10 jeans. I felt and looked great. After I weaned the babies, my weight went back to my usual overweight. Nursing worked better for me than any diet.:sad: Oh well, I hope MFP will help me get near or to, my size 10 size again.:tongue:
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 961 Member
    Nursing worked better for me than any diet.:sad: Oh well, I hope MFP will help me get near or to, my size 10 size again.:tongue:



    Same here!!!!

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