breast feeding

Options
95011
95011 Posts: 1 Member
okay, so how many extra calories should breastfeeding moms be eating. ive done some research and the internet is saying to add on an additional 500 calories to what you were eating prior to getting pregnant. for me that would be 1,500 calories. so is 2,000 calories an appropriate amount? ever since lily was born ive been so hungry! limiting to 2,000 calories a day is really hard!

Replies

  • mumma1019
    mumma1019 Posts: 1
    Options
    I am a breast feeding mom and my daughter is 7 months now. I have two other children and I fed them till they were a year old. I never actually counted calories like I am this time but I find that if you just eat when you are hungry and drink plenty of fluids you should be fine. I am doing a 1300 calorie diet and its hard to stay within that because I do find myself getting hungry especially after dinner. So I am trying to make sure my snacks are healthy even if all of a sudden I get a huge craving. But I'm not working out either. If I were doing more cardio and burning calories that way then I wouldn't do a 1300 calorie diet. I read online that you can burn up to 500 calories a day by breastfeeding alone and to eat a 1800-2000 calorie diet to maintain your supply. But it also said to eat when you are hungry and not to deprive yourself or do any crash diets. Basically this is the time to not be so strict on yourself. You can eat right and still lose some weight even when you breastfeed and also indulge a little. Don't stress too much since that can also affect your milk. Stay active, eat right, rest when you can, watch your calories and enjoy the baby. The weight will gradually melt off and stay off that way. Good luck!
  • miss_rye_
    miss_rye_ Posts: 94 Member
    Options
    There is a section under snacks that you can add for EBF. I personally am sticking around 1600-1800 a day, and have found that it is NOT enough. If you are starving, your body is telling you that you need to eat more. When I was not nursing, before pregnancy, I had to FORCE myself to fill my calories. I suggest having a "meal" every 2 hours. It will really help.

    BTW, at 1800 calories and no real working out, other than walking at work at a very slow pace, I have dropped 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Also, make sure you have your supply in place before you start to diet. My son is now 15 weeks old, and I just started truly watching what I eat. My supply has started to drop (I pump at work, so I know what I pumped before) so I will be adding another 100 calories a day.

    Oh, and the weight I gained during pregnancy, I dropped all but 10 pounds in the first 2 weeks. Now I am at my pre pregnancy weight. Granted, I was on bed rest, so I lost a lot of muscle.
  • hannaheddo
    hannaheddo Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Ryeb2u, can I ask how you add bf to the snacks? I can't work it out... not very computer savvy :( Thanks x
  • tabitha4511
    Options
    I'm also a BFM and at my 2wk pp I lost all my baby weight plus 2 pounds. I just put in that I burn like 300 calories a day bf I'm sure its more then that but rather not over due it. I try to eat all my calories but I don't seem to get it unless we go out to eat. My baby is 3 1/2 weeks now and I've lost another 5 pounds.
  • dearprudence1964
    dearprudence1964 Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    Hi I'm new here, but I am also a busy breast feeding mom to a 7 month old. I have always struggled with weight but using MFP I managed to reach my mini goal literally ONE WEEK before I found out I was pregnant. I stayed healthy and worked out 4-5 nights a week right up until I delivered. I have lost all but ten pounds of the baby weight, HOWEVER I am wearing 1 to 2 sizes larger than previously because I have not been able to keep up my gym regimen. I work full time and have grad school 2 nights a week until 10pm. My husband works second shift so I am the sole caregiver to my daughter each night I am not in school. The only time I can make it to the gym is at 6am before work a few times a week. Even this schedule is hard to keep, but it's not enough to get me back into the shape I was in before. I hate when people talk about breast feeding just melting the weight away!! It's not working for me!! I just started back on MFP because I realize I need to focus more on my diet because of the lack of gym time. I am eating around 1400 calories a day and my milk supply is still strong and I'm not starving. So far, it's too early to tell if I am dropping weight, but I feel better. I just wanted to post on here for the ladies who can't lose weight by just breast feeding or cutting out soda or desert. There really are some people who need to give up much more than that to drop the weight. Hang in there and remember to appreciate all the natural talents you have that make up for this one pain in a** trait.
  • IoTheo
    IoTheo Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    Hallo ladies!

    I joined MFP when my first baby was 8 months old and I was stuck with 10 pounds. After some time that I was stuggling with my diet and couldn't loose weight, I found out that I was pregnant again.

    So now I'm the delighted mother of two, the youngest is 6 months old, and I'm stucked with 18 pounds.

    Though I lost the weight from the 2nd pregnancy much faster, those last pounds don't seem to drop. I don't want to overdo it with my diet cause I'm still breastfeeding so i bought an elliptical machine and try everyday to do some. That has proven to be even harder than I thought with the kids in the house and a non suportive husband but I have to stick to the plan cause I can't bear the weight anymore, all of my joints hurt and I feel older and much more tired than I should be.

    Anyhow what I wanted to say was that anfortunately after our 30y's ther's no magic recepy for loosing weight "even if that's called breastfeeding" only hard work. So good luck everybody and stick to the plan.
  • lydiahelen
    lydiahelen Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    Hello,

    I have 13lbs to loose post baby... Now I am actually watch the calories and paying attention to what I eat I hope it will start to fall off... My baby is 4 months so we'll have to see.

    Exercise for me has to fit round my baby and two year old. I dot't like to workout in the evenings, so I have a collection of exercise DVDs which work for me. The 30min ones are good as I can just do that before one of them needs my love!
  • casey1135
    casey1135 Posts: 19
    Options
    Where us the snacks section for EBFing??
  • laceylady1
    laceylady1 Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    I found it by searching "breast feeding" under the snacks section.
    But I prefer to add it to my cardio. I added it myself as "breast feeding" and gave it 500 calories.
  • laceylady1
    laceylady1 Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    Hi I'm new to MFP. I'm a mom of a 4yo and a 7week old. Trying to loose weight without compromising my babys milk. I'm trying to EBF for 6mths. I lost 24lbs (from heaviest while pregnant) right a way and then my weight stayed the same for a couple weeks. Since joining MFP a couple days ago I've already lost 2lbs. I'm not cutting calories just cutting out the crap.
  • casey1135
    casey1135 Posts: 19
    Options
    Where in the world is the snacks section???
    why is this so hard for me?
  • casey1135
    casey1135 Posts: 19
    Options
    NM. i found it!!!
    *Happy Dance (because it took me forever)