Breastfeeding & Calories

MadisonAvePhoto · 01-11-2011, 05:51 PM

Just curious about how many calories you're consuming while breastfeeding...? I'm going between 1600 & 1700. From what I've read, 1500-1800 calories a day is safe, but I just read something that said I should eat like 2229 per day - I'd gain eating that many & I need to get out of the obese category.

Gale02 · 01-11-2011, 06:59 PM

I eat between 1700 and 2100 per day. I aim to be closer to 1700, but some days aren't so. I lose about 2 lbs per week on that.

sept15lija · 01-17-2011, 09:30 AM

I eat 1500. Up until the last month or two, I've been losing 11-12 pounds per month. My baby is almost 1 and I've been eating this way since she was 5 months.

ToriLeigh · 01-17-2011, 11:50 AM

I've seen sites that say I should eat ridiculous amounts too. From my books for school, it says you shouldn't go much below 1800, but as long as its not effecting your milk supply, why not. I was eating between 1700 and 1900 with my last, haven't started counting calories this time, just focusing on eating healthy until he is a little older.

kifli · 01-18-2011, 02:46 AM

My baby just turned 8 weeks old. I'm breastfeeding exclusively. I lost 30 pounds without much effort the first 5 weeks, but now my weight hasn't budged in the last 3 weeks.

I started a lower calorie diet a few days ago. I ate 1200, then 1500, then 1700 calories in the last three days. I wasn't sure how much to consume. My milk supply is normally okay, but tonight it seemed like baby emptied breasts quickly and kept sucking his fingers and wanting to nurse for the last 3 hours before falling asleep. I really worry about supply issues developing. I might try staying around 1700, but increasing if needed. I'm also in the obese category and really want to lose more than 1 pound per week.

I'm really glad to have found other BF'ing women who are trying to lose weight as well.

Mad. Ave. member- please keep posting and let us know how you are doing. I would love to know how many calories you are consuming and how much you are losing each week. I'm curious to know how old your baby is and if you are supplementing at all.

Liz- I sure wish I could stay at 1500 also. I'm just so worried about supply. The extra weight loss each week would be soo nice. Did you ever have any supply issues at 1500?

Gale- Good going. Sounds like you have a nice weight loss rhythm. Hoping I can find a nice balance.

ToriLeigh- Good for you. I have such a hard time 'just eating healthier'. I always blow it. Years of bad eating habits I'm really struggling hard to break.

Thank you, Ladies.

sept15lija · 01-18-2011, 01:25 PM

kifli - 1500 has been really good for me, no issues with supply. I was breastfeeding exclusively until about 6 1/2 months, and then started solids with her - she's now on three meals a day of solids and breastfeeds probably 5-6 times through the day and once through the night still. I was really worried about supply too but everything's been OK. I didn't start eating low calorie until she was 5 months, so my supply was really well established as well - I might be more concerned before the 3-4 month mark. If I were you, I think I'd stay at the higher range for a month or two longer (like 1800?) and then lower it a bit. The extra weight loss is nice but I would be cautious for the first little bit if I were you.

kifli · 01-20-2011, 01:34 AM

Thank you so much for your response, Liz. I'm going to stay between 1700-1800 cals, but will keep it closer to 1800 like you suggested. I'm still nursing exclusively, but my extra am & pm pump volumes are down. Also, baby has been nursing frequently, like he needs more than he's getting. We'll see how this number of calories goes.

sept15lija · 01-20-2011, 09:49 AM

How old is he now? Maybe it's a growth spurt. For pumping, just remember, the baby is much more efficient than the pump at getting the milk out. As your supply gets established to what he needs, sometimes I think pumping output can go down. I never really pumped too often so I'm no expert, but just thought I'd throw that out there.

sacha · 01-20-2011, 10:42 AM

I exclusively pumped. Pumping doesn't provide nearly as much as the baby's sucking so you really need to be careful with your calories if you choose to pump. I'm no longer nursing and now eat 1600! I was up around 2000-2200 when exclusively pumping (I was around 145lbs then)

XLMuffnTop · 01-20-2011, 10:59 AM

I can go as low as 1500 calories and it doesn't affect my supply. I usually keep it higher because I can and still lose.

I am an exclusive pumper as well; I went one year pumping with my first child and am nearing the 5 month mark with my second.

Around 1700 calories a day (I'm not a dedicated calorie counter but check occasionally doing SBD) I can usually pump 11-12 ounces first thing in the morning then 8 ounces at 10am, 2pm, 6pm and 10pm. This allows plenty for daily bottles and enough to continue to build up my freezer stash.

If it goes below this, I usually need more water!

sacha · 01-20-2011, 12:31 PM

Your supply is impressive

Mine was sadly quite poor

XLMuffnTop · 01-20-2011, 12:50 PM

I feel like a freakin cow and can't wait for the 1 year mark.

I was actually really nervous in the beginning with my second. While pumping for my 1st, I got an awful case of mastitis. It didn't affect my supply at the time but I guess it caused scar tissue and once I dried up ducts closed up. This time around I only produced 1/3 of the amount on that breast that I did prevously or what the other can make this time.

So, my first child, I was pumping about 10 ounces every 3-4 hours. I felt like I needed to be called Bessie with a cowbell around my neck.

There are downsides: My feezer in the garage is so full of frozen milk I had to take over my mom's. Doh!

sacha · 01-20-2011, 02:04 PM

Wow that's amazing!!! I had to pump because my son was injured in the labour. Unfortunately I never had enough for him (he had severe reflux and I could not keep up with the amounts he was vomiting)

XLMuffnTop · 01-20-2011, 03:03 PM

Yikes! That's awful. Makes me count my blessings that both my children have been relatively easy when it comes to feedings.

Has it improved as he's gotten older and onto solids? Both of my children were "spit-uppers." They would spit up after every feeding, sometimes a significant amount, but it was never reflux and never hindered their growth. My son's improved once he started solids. Hope it's the same for you.

sacha · 01-20-2011, 03:05 PM

Yes, it's practically gone now since we began baby-led weaning. Thanks