o think this is quite enough to eat in a day?...despite what MIL says

[Lemonsqueegie]

So I am 37, bfing DC3 8mo who is on 3 meals a day, quite active with the other DCs and do a bit of exercise (run 5k twice a week). I am only 5ft. I weigh 48kg roughly which is a UK size 8-10. And I like to eat healthily but not deny myself anything I like. At all.
But my baby is quite petite ( born 25th centile, growing along it nicely)and my MIL will not stop going on about how I am not eating enough "so she is not growing". And now she has started telling DH to tell me to eat more.
So whilst I am perfectly capable of politely ignoring her advice, I am starting to doubt myself...
so is this enough to eat...?

Porridge (big bowl - 60g dry I guess) and apple and plum. 2 cups tea.
Latte coffee
Banana and water.
Salad, two slices of toast, cottage cheese, yoghurt, fruit. Water
Pineapple chunks
Pasta with ham and veg.Fruit. 2 cups tea.
2 meringue nests
Another massive bowl of porridge

I eat chocolate when I want it and have a bottle of wine (at least) every week (spread out obv)

You're not getting much protein.

wish I could eat that much in day. You need to tell her firmly but nicely that you are fine, you eat enough and your DD is a perfectly healthy weight. If she doesn't listen to you your DH needs to step in and tell her to keep her beak out.

You're petite, so it isn't surprising if your daughter is too!
What you eat sounds fine to me .
I would take no notice of her.

You are completely right. You eat well. Baby is eating well. Mil should butt out.

Your MIL is a loon.

You are healthy. Your daughter is healthy.

YANBU.

Ignore. If you're producing enough milk then you know you're eating enough.

Your diet is nothing to do with your milk. Enough food for you is an amount which provides everything you need and stops you feeling hungry.

Tell your MIL to bog off. She clearly understands nothing about centiles. A 5ft woman will tend to have a smaller than average baby. Centiles are about averages not targets.

Also my DS was on the 25th centile when born and is now 13mo and still on it. He's on 80th for length. He's gonna be a beanpole. I've lost count of the number of people who've made comments about us not feeding him enough despite the fact that he eats more crap then both me and DH most days.

People are annoying. Fact.

Maybe more protein? Ignore MIL though. Your decision.

Yup. She is a loon. A rather curvy loon, so I suspect the fact that I am virtually constantly eating and yet not overweight annoys her. (evil DIL emoticon)

There was a great thread on here once where someone made the point that the baby is not getting a smoothie of what you eat. Breast milk has been analysed in different countries and found to be nearly exactly the same no matter what the mother's diet.

Did wonder about the protein but depends if this what you eat everyday or just a snapshot.

Your MIL sounds a bit ignorant / old fashioned but to give her the benefit of the doubt, she is just concerned about you and the baby because she cares.

i agree that you are low on protein, but over all it is about 3 times what I eat in a day and I am a size 16 so tell her that!

Seems like youre eating a decent amount but it doesnt seem very balanced - very low on protein which isnt healthy

Show MIL your dd's growth graph and say "look, she is growing, she is not overweight or underweight, look how wonderfully she is sticking to that line, her doctor says that is just perfect, aren't we lucky to have her, isn't she beautiful, it must be your genes ..."

Or alternatively say "you don't know what you are talking about, you are being rude, make another comment like that and you'll have to leave".

And make very sure your dh is saying "Lemon is doing a fantastic job, dd is growing perfectly, shut up mother".

Lots of older people (and younger ones) think a baby isn't healthy unless they're big and chubby. My first dc was very slim & petite, and then dc2 was chubby,, both equally healthy. I was shocked by the approval that was radiated toward the chunkier baby!

Think you have a point about the protein though.
I do love her really, and I know it cos she cares, but I think she's the classic stereotype of a "feeder" as a substitute for displaying real affection.

And Countess, if I ate like this when not bfing then I would soon know about it! (which is why I will be bfing ti DC3 is 17... )

Even if you aren't getting enough protein (as long as you are getting 40g or more a day apparently that's fine for a woman) it won't affect your milk - your body will burn lean mass if needs be to make your milk "quality". In fact your body will burn lean mass to feed your brain if needs be. I'd say don't fix what's not broken.

I suppose you could get more protein. Maybe add a small handful of almonds (protein and omegas and fibre, what's not to like eh?) and ignore, ignore, ignore.

Actually if bf you need more but sounds like you are at the end bit of that or tailing off slightly

Oh god I just read that back and it sounds like I am saying its okay for your body to burn lean mass. Its not, it will shoot your metabolism. The point I was trying to make (!) (badly) is that what you do will not really effect your baby at this point. Your body will suffer, but your baby's body wont. As mother nature intended. Twas ever thus.

I'm BFing a baby around the same age, a few years younger and quite a bit larger... and I eat less than you. I think your diet sounds fine.

As for the not eating enough/not enough milk argument, I was as sick as a dog after having DD and literally didn't eat anything except hobnobs and milk for the first two weeks after she was born, and I had plenty of milk.

Turns out it was the iron tablets making me sick.

YANBU, that looks a good list.

and the porridge is just fab for the bm

Like others have said, your diet simply says lack of protein to me.

I would expect you to eat a lot of calories! - you do a lot of exercise and are breastfeeding a baby.

But where is the protein?

looks fine to me

If you are having your porridge with milk you are NOT low in protein. Just looked on the back of a pack and a 60 g serving with added milk has about 21g of protein in it and so if you have this twice a day you are getting nearly all the protein you need just from that!