Nursing moms, diet question

HOTHARMONY · 11-29-2010, 09:19 AM

What food plan are you following, if you are following a food plan. If not are you counting calories and what are you doing to supplement for the nursing in your diet.

booskibabe · 11-29-2010, 10:18 AM

My daughter is 5 months old, and I'm exclusively nursing her. I'm counting calories and aiming for an average of 1600 a day. So some days I eat 1400, some days 1700, but it averages to 1600. So far my milk supply hasnt suffered and I'm losing .5 - 1 lb a week. So far I haven't paid much attention for macronutrients (protein, fiber, etc) although on my hungrier days I naturally gravitate towards more protein.
I hope this helps!

Gale02 · 11-29-2010, 10:59 AM

My son is almost 3 months old and I've been doing Weight Watchers since he was 4 weeks old (which is basically glorified calorie counting.) I don't pay huge attention to my macro nutrients either, but I don't eat sugar and try to get a fruit and/or veggie in with every meal and snack. I'm averaging 3lbs per week lost right now. I also naturally gravitate toward protein on my hungrier days, I want things like chicken and cottage cheese and milk when I get really hungry. When I feel that way I give myself the leeway to eat a little more since I feel like my body is letting me know what it needs. When I crave sugar or chips, etc., I ignore it and stay totally on plan.

I really like Weight Watchers, they have a great program for nursing mothers and it takes a lot of the work out of it for me. They calculate everything, I just have to point and click to track my food (more or less.)

hotmamacitax2 · 12-01-2010, 06:12 AM

I also plan to do WW. I did it after my second and lost weight while eating 34-40 points a day (which was over my allotment but I still lost 3lbs the first week)! It's a generous amount of food if you make good choices and I like the freedom it gives you.

sept15lija · 12-01-2010, 07:48 AM

I count calories - I've been doing 1500 per day since DD was 5 months old (she's 10 months now). I haven't had any supply issues. I try to get at least 60-70 grams of protein a day, but it's not a hard and fast rule. Other than that just trying to make reasonably healthy choices. I've been losing around 3 pounds per week doing this.

booskibabe · 12-01-2010, 11:33 AM

I second (third?) WW! My SIL did it after having her second child and is now the smallest she's been since HS.

wfonseca3017 · 12-01-2010, 12:01 PM

I did WW , then mix it whit south beach diet , but still WW .... now I am rejoining WW , since I really want to reach my new goal weight.

Snoopysgirl · 12-05-2010, 11:56 AM

I am doing Weight Watchers. It works really well for my hectic life.

Becky Quilts · 12-07-2010, 10:51 AM

I nursed DS for a year - the last 4 months I was on WW. At the time they allotted +500 cals is you were nursing FT and +250 if you were supplementing. I don't know how that compares to what else is out there for extra calories needed.

While nursing I basically kept eating like I did when I was pregnant - plenty of fruits and veggies, balanced, few sweets, prenatal vitamin. When I got on WW I really learned what balanced eating really meant which helped me a lot.

Make sure you're getting plenty of water, honestly I think that was my biggest challenge while nursing.

Kudos for nursing! It's such a great thing for both you and your LO!

just_a_dreamy1 · 12-29-2010, 10:00 PM

I am loosely counting calories, but not sticking to it strictly. I have been maintaining for a few months now on 1800-2000 calories/day + 500 extra.

rivkasreviews · 02-09-2011, 01:21 PM

I just started WW online because my baby hates being shlepped around so there's no way I can do meetings. I find that it really is easy and I like the extra weekly allotment of points for those days when I go over

I need to get better though at doing weekly weigh ins.

kifli · 03-11-2011, 08:23 PM

I have been doing BMD. Supplementing with my own snacks. Aiming for 1500-1600 calories a day. Baby is 3 months old and exclusively breastfed. Will be going to straight calorie counting soon. I have had really good weight loss, but have recently hit a plateau. Making sure I get enough calcium. I am also taking prenatal vitamins with DHA. Good luck with everything =)

jitterfish · 04-06-2011, 11:49 PM

My baby is almost 5 months, I'm just eating wisely. Not really counting calories just making wiser choices and getting in some exercise. I've lost 35lbs in 10 weeks.

19Deltawifey · 04-20-2011, 10:12 PM

After my 1st pregnancy my nutritionist put me on a 2000 cal diet a day, basically 5 meals 400 cals each. With both of my pregnancies I got back down to pre preg weight by the 3-4 months post partum. With my 1st pregnancy I gained 70 lbs and with my 2nd 40 lbs. After my 2nd I joined WW around the 8 week mark and nursed both of my kids till they turned 13 months old. Nursing always helped me lose the weight quickly and I always weighed less than when I became preg.

WW worked the best IMO but I might go back to IE which I'm doing this pregnancy and haven't gained hardly any weight just following my hunger cues and I'm hoping it will work after I give birth but birth is still months away so I will have to wait and see what works.