Pregnant - Nursing Diet support for the pregnant or nursing chick!

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Old 01-02-2012, 03:43 PM   #1  
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Default If you've dieted while nursing.

How many calories did you eat a day and what did your meals consist of? I'm currently nursing my seven month old and terrified my supply will drop because she will not take a bottle but this extra weight needs to come off.

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Old 01-03-2012, 09:58 AM   #2  
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I'm also nursing a seven-month-old, and I'm doing an old variation of Weight Watchers on my own, which tracks points instead of calories. I do get extra points for nursing, which is pretty awesome. I've gotten so used to having the extra points that I'll probably be in mourning when I wean someday and have to give them up!

I think a lot of people hang on to extra weight while they're nursing, even if it's just that they can't seem to lose those last 10-15 lb. Personally, I'm carrying weight around my middle, which I usually never have. So frustrating!

If you're specifically interested in calorie counting, check out some free calorie calculators to get an idea of the range you should be eating to lose 1-2 lb per week based on your age, weight, height, activity level, etc., and then add about 500 calories back to account for breastfeeding.
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Old 01-03-2012, 10:17 AM   #3  
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I dieted whilst nursing, I breastfed my son till he was 16 months as he has a dairy intolerence and soya is not a good option. To be honest I just ate around 1800 calories per day but I found that I only really started losing weight when I weaned him as excercise and dieting do slow milk production, however dieting can prevent further weight gain as I stayed the same weight whilst breastfeeding for the last 5 months.

Hope this helped, you could always seek advice from your health visitor.
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Old 01-03-2012, 10:33 AM   #4  
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I started my journey when DD was still nursing (granted she was 1.5 at the time, though). Basically, I worked on life changes rather than calories. I started running everyday (well, most days) and cut out sugar/artificial sweeteners, white flour, and increased my veggies/fruit. I also worked hard at paying attention to my hunger signals. I certainly didn't set any speed records losing the weight but it definitely came off.
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Old 01-03-2012, 10:44 AM   #5  
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I'm bfing my 6 week old and am curious about this. I didn't gain too much during pregnancy and felt fantastic actually (I gained probably 23lbs), but post-preg has been a different story. I don't necessarily want to cut calories and kill my supply, but I feel so flabby and out of shape. My recovery has been hard and I'm going to start slow by walking. I have about 15lbs left to lose (I know it's still early )

It's a tough balance! You have to have enough fat and calories, but you don't want to have too much, you know? I've had friends whose supply disappeared the second they started dieting. I would like to avoid that even if it means hanging on to some extra padding!
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Old 01-04-2012, 03:22 AM   #6  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by junebug41 View Post
I'm bfing my 6 week old and am curious about this. I didn't gain too much during pregnancy and felt fantastic actually (I gained probably 23lbs), but post-preg has been a different story. I don't necessarily want to cut calories and kill my supply, but I feel so flabby and out of shape. My recovery has been hard and I'm going to start slow by walking. I have about 15lbs left to lose (I know it's still early )

It's a tough balance! You have to have enough fat and calories, but you don't want to have too much, you know? I've had friends whose supply disappeared the second they started dieting. I would like to avoid that even if it means hanging on to some extra padding!

I think the main mistake I made in the first few months was reaching for chocolate and crisps to keep me going cause I was so busy and so tired, I would highly recommend things like baked potatos rather than crisps, crumpets rather than toast (fill you for longer) and try to stick to fruit for snacks as much as possible. I put on a lot of weight in the early days breastfeeding but when I put my mind to it I stayed the same for the last 5 months breastfeeding then when I stopped lost a stone before joining weight watchers. you coulld always ask to see a dietician who could advise you on a diet for breastfeeding without gaining x
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Old 01-13-2012, 02:26 AM   #7  
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I was wondering this too. I heard 1800 calories for breastfeeding. I am bf a 10mo and this week started back on WW doing 24 points. My milk production, if anything, seems to have increased due to eating more at each meal. I have to remember to keep drinking more.
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Old 01-23-2012, 08:31 AM   #8  
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Hi,

I did weight watchers while breastfeeding and lost around 80lbs. I'm in the UK so I understand the programme is a bit different in the US, but on the points system I had 10 extra points a day while exclusively breastfeeding and on propoints it was 14 extra a day. My supply stayed good all the way through.

Good luck.
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Old 02-15-2012, 12:04 PM   #9  
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I don't do any sort of counting of points/calories. I just found that when I stopped eating desserts at night and cut out the dairy (mainly cheese, butter, cream, ect. b/c I still dairy once in a while) that I started to lose weight. Once I added exercise, it start to melt right off! Then I stopped exercising and I plateaued.

You DO NOT want to be super restrictive. This can cause your body to 'detox' and all the toxins in your body will become 'free' which is normally a good thing because then you sweat/pee/excrete them out but when nursing the toxins can go into breastmilk! Also, this can actually make you hold on to your energy storage (aka fat) for baby b/c it thinks food is scarce.

Just eat healthy and exercise!
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Old 02-18-2012, 12:29 PM   #10  
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Well, I'm still looking to lose 15lbs, but I'm now able to get out and walk, weather permitting. I have given up most dairy for my son's reflux, but my carb sensitivity has returned, which sucks since I eat so much oatmeal (for supply).

Oh well. All I can do is eat well and adjust my diet when I'm done breast feeding. It's not worth it to kill my supply and things are going so well so I might as well just keep doing what I'm doing.
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Old 02-18-2012, 02:23 PM   #11  
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I eat 1600ish calories on dyas that I'm being good, but my DD drinks soy formula while I'm at work- so I only nurse in the evenings and over night. Not sure if that would make a difference. She's also 6 months old, so my supply is well established. It was definitely harder for the forst 2-3 months.

I've been laid up for the last month because of a bad sprained ankle so exercise hasn't been great. I would probably eat closer to 1800 if I was also exercising. I did that with my first DD and it worked well.
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Old 02-18-2012, 03:34 PM   #12  
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I bruised my kneecap around Christmas and I'm just now feeling stable on it- just in time for our late winter to arrive! Grrrrrr! I respond so well to exercise and the extra calories I'm taking in to keep my suy up wouldn't be as much of an issue. I'm wondering if a more established supply would allow me to cut carbs and shave off some calories? I might try it around the 5-6 month mark. The times where I've burned more calories hasn't affected my supply so I know I'm good there.

I hope your ankle feels better! It's so frustrating to not be able to move.
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Old 02-19-2012, 02:54 PM   #13  
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I'm still nursing my (almost) 17 month old. I aim for around 2000 calories per day. Sometimes it ends up being less, others more. I haven't noticed a dip in supply and my son still nurses a lot.

A few things I have noticed and may apply to other nursing Moms...

I had to give up dairy and soy the first 6 months of my son's life due to protein intolerance. I could not lose weight with dairy out of my diet. Nothing would budge! As soon as dairy was back in my diet, I lost 10 lbs easily. After that, weight loss has been slow. Very slow, but it's coming off.

Also, I didn't get my period back until 15 months postpartum. It's been so much easier to lose weight since then. I think we underestimate just how much of an impact our hormones have on weight loss. Honestly, it's been so frustrating that (at times) I've had to take a break from actively trying to lose.

Our babies are only little for a short period of time. If weight loss is harming your supply or driving you crazy, it's okay to wait until your child is weaned. I fully expect the last 5-10 lbs to stay until then. Whomever said breast feeding helps with weight loss didn't have a body like mine. That's for sure.

Good luck!
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Old 04-15-2012, 09:38 PM   #14  
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I am nursing a 6 1/2 month old. Weight is listed, height is 5'2".

I average 2000-2200 calories a day. I eat as many fruit and veg carbs as I want, but I wind up only eating "bread" or "starch", as commonly understood, once a day, max. I am eating for my thyroid, which means no cruciferous veggies uncooked, lots of beef, turkey, eggs, and for veg I am focusing on chard, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms. I snack on pumpkin and sunflower seeds and brazil nuts and walnuts. I have lost about 1.5-2 pounds a week since starting this. Previously, I was eating about 1800-2000 calories a day and would lose 1/2 pound a month if I was lucky.

I am also eating tons of fat, I should mention. Healthy fat, and lots of water, and my daughter is sleek and sassy while still exclusively breastfed, if I may say so myself. She's eaten about 3 peas and a spoonfull of applesauce, all that chunk is my doing.
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