I was wondering if you have any info/advice about breastfeeding and losing weight. I, as well as a friend of mine, when trying to lose at times have lower milk production. Any advice for still losing and still producing enough?
After the babe has made their debut, the LEAST amount of calories a nursing mom should intake is 1500-1800 per day (and that is pretty darn low). Any below that an you'll start losing your milk.
It isn't recommended to start restricting calories until after your baby is 2 months old. By that time, your milk supply should be up and running.
Nursing burns between 200-500 calories a day (500 at first, then 200 as they get older). Just think, if you ate the amount of calories you need to maintain your weight and just nursed -- YOU'D STILL LOSE WEIGHT. I swear it is God's gift to mothers for sweating through 10 months of pregnancy.
All these facts and figures aside, I will tell you my personal experience:
After I gave birth, I had those 70 lbs to lose. At first a lot of weight dropped off those first 4 weeks. I can just nurse and moderately exercise and about 35 lbs comes off. But, alas, those last 35 I have to get down and dirty with.
My body likes to hang onto the last 10 lbs while I'm nursing. Once I stop nursing around 1 year, that last 10 lbs just gloriously falls off.
I have known MANY nursing mothers who exercise extensively and nurse for a very long time (over a year). I would definitely recommend not losing over 1 lb per week while nursing, just to be sure your calories are up there. And I would strongly advise against any fad diet, liquid diet, HCG diet, weight loss medications while nursing (and when you're not nursing either for that matter!). If you are needing to reduce calories, do so gradually, just so your body knows what is going on.
Nursing is a gift. A gift to bond with that baby. It is cheap. It is convenient. And a mother's secret weapon to weight loss. Use it while you have it! :)
3 comments:
Thanks for this. I'm nursing and restricting (to lose .5 lb/week). I'm finding with exercise and eating less, I'm still SO hungry. I probably need to take into account the 200 extra calories needed.
I, too, hold on to about 10 pounds until I'm done...
Good post.
What an interesting blog you have here! I've only in the last year started making working out part of my routine to keep my weight under control. Eating is a big part of my life and I always worry what will happen during my pregnancy. Um, you know, when I get pregnant. ~crosses fingers~
I suppose its easier to work out now as I don't have kids schedules to work around :)
Hi Ladies, I just thought I'd share. Being pregnant I have really wanted to be more conscious about my food choices, but at the same time I've been worried about finances and how much it costs to buy healthy food, which can seem more expensive. Well today, SUCCESS! I just decided to go for the gold and only buy healthy food.
Among other things, I needed cereal, and found Kashi crunch for only $1.99with coupon. I needed snacks and found blueberries for $1. I needed bread, and found some whole wheat bread for $1.50.
Where there's a will there's a way, that's all I'm saying. :)
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