Breastfeeding and calorie per day HELP!! PLEASE!!

erinlwagner3
erinlwagner3 Posts: 2
in Food and Nutrition
How many calories do I add for breastfeeding? I am really confused as to how many calories I should eat to lose weight? DO you add the calories that you exercise back into your diet? Does that really work? The only way I have ever lost weight is through going super low calorie (900 cals) per day....I have heard that I shouldn't do that...but I am scared to eat more...I have been heavy most of my life...anyone out there like me?!!

Replies

  • monica4354
    monica4354 Posts: 22
    http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mothers-diet/mom-weightloss/

    You can find breastfeeding under foods. It will add calories like a workout does. Your body needs to net at least 1500 calories to maintain your supply. 900 calories is not healthy for anyone at any time. I'm 5'1" and 125 lbs and I net around 1600 and I BF very little these days.
  • momwifenurse021406
    momwifenurse021406 Posts: 27 Member
    Breastfeeing is 300 cals per day
  • WaxMama
    WaxMama Posts: 369 Member
    Most people on here will tell you not to count calories, that you will lose the weight by bf'ing alone... This was not the case with me! It definitely helps though. What I did was set up by diary so that there are 6 sections- nursing, breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. Under nursing, I "add" food and search for breastfeeding. I don't know how old baby is, but if (s)he hasn't started solids, there's an option for exclusively bf'ing and it will add 500 cals per day. You burn 20 calories per ounce, if you pump sme, you should know about what baby gets per feeding so you can manually add that in if you'd like. My baby is 13 months, so I add in 200 cal every morning. To figure out your base calories, I suggest going under the tools tab on here and calculating your BMR. Your BMR is what you'd burn if you'd lay in bed all day. DON'T go under that. Whatever you set your goal to, you add on your bf'ing calories. I know it can be very confusing so feel free to add me or send any questions my way!
  • FlamingJune67
    FlamingJune67 Posts: 96 Member
    I was 190lbs, 4 weeks after giving birth to my last child which had pretty much been my weight for the 10 years previous, so I was working off long-time fat, not baby fat. Anyway, I exclusively bf for about 6 months and even then she still got most of her nourishment from me. I ate anywhere from 1700-1900 calories a day and did NOT exercise and I lost (on average) 1 lb per week until I reached 155 and quit. I have to say, the weight loss was pretty easy (I never was very hungry) and, because I lost it so slowly, I was able to keep the weight off for the first time ever. I did start exercising after the weight loss, though, and that was very beneficial.
  • erinlwagner3
    erinlwagner3 Posts: 2
    My son is almost a year old...he still BF 8 times a day...I have lost all the weight I gained with him...but want to lose about 50 more...I joined the gym a month ago...I feel a little more toned but havent lost any weight...so frustrating!!! I think I am not eating enough but that concept is so backwards to me?!

    PS the 900 cal a day was a LONG time ago...I am eating about 1600 cals a day..my BMR...but have been told to add BF and work out cals as well...scary to me...afraid I will gain more!!
  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
    Generally, if baby is breastfeeding exclusively you should add around 500 calories. Since your baby is almost one (and I assume eats some solids) you probably don't need that much. Even if baby is nursing frequently he may not be eating as much. However, you could start with 500 and see what happens. You can always reduce if you need to.

    I prefer to change my calorie goal to reflect breastfeeding (mine is set at 1700) rather than choose breastfeeding under the food or exercise section. That way I have a better picture of my macronutrients.
  • monica4354
    monica4354 Posts: 22
    My son is almost a year old...he still BF 8 times a day...I have lost all the weight I gained with him...but want to lose about 50 more...I joined the gym a month ago...I feel a little more toned but havent lost any weight...so frustrating!!! I think I am not eating enough but that concept is so backwards to me?!

    PS the 900 cal a day was a LONG time ago...I am eating about 1600 cals a day..my BMR...but have been told to add BF and work out cals as well...scary to me...afraid I will gain more!!

    Does he eat a lot of table foods? You could be burning as much as an EBF mom if he's nursing a ton. My son didn't slow his nursing down by much before 18 months. He nurses very little these days at 2 so I don't bother logging it. Good for you for making it this long. If you're seeing loss and maintaining your supply with 1600 cals then stick with that. Eat back at least half of your workout cals so your net isn't too low.
  • LPCoder
    LPCoder Posts: 404 Member
    Here is a website to calculate how much your caloric intake should be. You can determine how much you want to reduce for optimal weight loss without hurting milk production.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm
  • SpanishRapunzel
    SpanishRapunzel Posts: 53 Member
    I'm so glad someone asked!!!! I still bf my young toddler 3x/day or so and I know that can't be as many calories burned as bf'ing a newborn, but my calories are really low-ish (I'm trying to stay around 1300) and Idk if that's enough. It's not hurting supply any, so I guess I'm ok...? Me=confused
  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
    I'm not sure how accurate that calculator at freedieting.com is. They have my daily BF calories as less than what most sites say my TDEE is based on weight and activity (and not accounting for breastfeeding).

    Spanishrapunz--Without knowing your stats it is hard to tell, but I am guessing that 1300 might be on the low end. However, I am currently nursing my 4th child. The second and third I nursed until they were 3 and 2 1/2 years old. I did notice that I started to gain weight when they were around a year old, even though they were nursing quite often. I assume it is because they were getting less breastmilk at each feeding and I didn't adjust my caloric intake when the demands on my body decreased. I am trying to be more aware of that this time (baby just turned 9 months old and is starting to eat more baby foods/solids in the recent few weeks).
  • adeliahg
    adeliahg Posts: 5 Member
    reposting this site :O) thanks original poster LPCoder

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm

    My little girl is almost 3 months and I am trying to figure it all out too :O)
    Feel free to add me, I need the support too!

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