Breastfeeding and Caloric Intake

[Beltane]

Are there any breastfeeding moms here that struggle with eating enough? I go back and forth between wanting to lose weight and eating the right amount of calories to produce enough milk. I'm really struggling and am only gaining weight instead of dropping it. I try and eat whats required and find that somedays I don't want to eat at all. Then other days I am ravenous and attack the fridge.

 

[vicwick]

Unfortunately i eat too much

I wanna lose weight for my hols but don't know how to manage it without risking it effecting my BF!!! Apparently weight watchers do points for BF mums, think you get 10 extra points a day

 

[freckleonear]

I was so hungry for the first few months of breastfeeding that I didn't lose any weight at all, in fact I probably put more on. But you're feeding two, so try not to worry about it and just fill up on healthy stuff instead of unhealthy snacks. I did lose the weight eventually without even trying.

 

[ryder]

hmm rae gave me this cool site that you put in your weight and goal weight or the weight you want to maintain and it has an option for bfing too.. I will post it once I talk to her and get the link again. The main thing is that you eat enough to give your baby his milk and yourself enough energy to care for him.

 

[sam's mum]

I was exactly the same at first...think some of it was to do with tiredness and being so busy I'd get through most of the day and realise I hadn't eaten at all (so unlike me - I've always had a huge appetite!), and I didn't lose any weight for a while. The huge appetite came back when Sam was about 2 months though, and I was eating what I liked (but most of it healthy) from then until now and I did start losing weight - without any sort of exercise other than chasing him around I was half a stone lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight by the time he was 10 months, and I'm sure at least some of it must have been because I was breastfeeding. I would just focus on eating as balanced a diet as you can and not worry about the weight loss and you'll probably find that you start losing weight without trying soon - it's gradual though, so I didn't realise I was losing any x

 

[DonnaBallona]

Beltane, I am sooooooooooo feeling like this too!!! I was a RUBBISH eater before I was pregnant though and could survive all day on just a banana or something.

Thanks for that post Sam's mum-I found it really really helpful! ta xx

 

[Dragonfly]

I am the opposite i am eating like a pig worse than i was when i was pregnant

 

[Mrs_Nesbit]

Somedays are better than others appetite wise but I drink tonnes of full fat milk and take my vits..

 

[Margerle]

I was exactly the same at first...think some of it was to do with tiredness and being so busy I'd get through most of the day and realise I hadn't eaten at all (so unlike me - I've always had a huge appetite!), and I didn't lose any weight for a while. The huge appetite came back when Sam was about 2 months though, and I was eating what I liked (but most of it healthy) from then until now and I did start losing weight - without any sort of exercise other than chasing him around I was half a stone lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight by the time he was 10 months, and I'm sure at least some of it must have been because I was breastfeeding. I would just focus on eating as balanced a diet as you can and not worry about the weight loss and you'll probably find that you start losing weight without trying soon - it's gradual though, so I didn't realise I was losing any x

Yah what she said!

 

[dippy dee]

Dragonfly i'm so like you then as i am constantly hungry it's like i'm pregnant again and at that ravenouse stage.

 

[CamoQueen]

Right now I am eating ravenously... I've lost a lot of weight (over 20 lb less than I was pre-preg) by eating approx 1800 cal/day. Breastfeeders should not eat less than this because it can effect milk production (it doesn't do this to all women, but better safe than sorry). I've had no problems with my milk production -- my 4 month old is over 16 pounds!

The best thing about breastfeeding is that you can eat a LOT and you generally will not gain much weight, because you are burning so much by BFing. I have been stuffing my face this week and I haven't gained any weight. It's great!

 

[sam#3]

I have days when i eat 3meals but then i have some days when i will get to dinner time and realise its the first time ive eaten.
I try to drink loads as i find that effects my milk more than food does.
Ive been worrying about my weight but its all started coming off in the past month