Breast feeding!

[lilypond1]

HELP! does anyone know how many calories a day i need to breastfeed? i just seem to be getting fatter so im obviously eating far too much, but i dont want to start dieting as it will affect feeding my 13week old dd! can anyone offer any advice? im desperate!!

The simple answer is that you do not need any amount of calories to breastfeed. The milk is produced as a priority and your supply will not be affected by what you eat. Dieting sensibly will not affect feeding in any way.

However, at this stage I would suggest that you should eat healthy foods and eat to your appetite. You can't really go wrong. Plenty, plenty time for the weight to come off yet. Lots of pram-pushing and fresh air too!

thanks fairmidden, guess its getting me down because i seem to be fatter now than i was 12weeks ago which is a bit depressing!!!i do walk alot, we have 2 big dogs so a good hour each day and swimming twice a week! still getting chubbier!! will give it a bit longer eh!!

lilypond there have beensome threads on here about the idea that BF is supposed to make you lose "the baby weight" - but for loads of it that's just not true!

It seems about 50% see the weight fall off while the rest of us have to wait until we stop BF

I defininely lost weight straight after the birth and then got bigger again as well. It was a bit disheartening!

If you're feeling hungry eat I reckon- like fairmidden says try to keep it healthy...

I think a lot of people (bfing and non-bfing) mistake thirst for hunger. Try the Nigel Slater thing of having a glass of water before you go for a not so healthy snack.

Agree with Jazzhands. I seemed to lose loads of weight in the week after giving birth and then regained it again! BF made me hungry (could be pyschological, I suppose) so I just ate and ate. The weight has only just started to fall off again now I've gone back to work and so don't have time to sit with my nose in the trough all day

Aren't you always supposed to drink loads of water when BF? It made me very thirsty. Maybe I should have forced some more down and laid off the food. Never mind.

samjams is that a good trick when you're pregnant too?

yeah im drinking loaaaaaaads of water, on the loo every 5mins! think it must be quite normal if other people have lost then gained weight! suppose i will just have to live with it! thanks x

If you search for breastfeeding weight loss or something you will find loads of threads about it.

Definitely normal I think.

Am currently enjoying a glass of water let's see how I get on with that. Feel bloody starving but presumably it's all in my mind.

I know that you can follow certain diets such as Slimming World whilst still breastfeeding. You'll make enough milk even if you were virtually on a starvation diet, so I don't think you need to worry if you're getting enough calories.

Maybe focus on the types of foods you're eating. Do you graze or go for quick energy-fixes in the way of food - chocolate, biscuits etc? Can you try and focus on healthier eating and filling up on the right kinds of food?

So drink water when you feel hungry and cut the food back then?

it all sounds so much fun!! why does fat equal flavour and everything else is crap!

Personally I don't do diets.

There is a theory going round at the moment that turning our back on and demonising natural fats is what has fuelled the obesity crisis.

Was just trying to see if anyone would advocate a pg woman drinking water whenever she felt hungry and cutting back on the food

i think eating what you want is about the only perk of being pg so why cut back and drink water instead!!!!! MADNESS!!!!!haha

I just remember reading about Nigel Slater's big year of weight loss and he said he particularly noticed a link between craving sweet things when he was actually just thirsty. I find myself that sometimes when I have an urge for chocolate a glass of water actually can do the job instead. I think there's a theory that most of us are actually a bit rubbish at recognising hunger and thirst gets confused.

Generally I am NOT one to deprive myself of food. I have never done a diet. I just let baby weight slip off slowly (and it is very slow) and have some faith that nature has a vague idea. I am 15 months pp and still a size 14/16 and pre-baby was a 12.

The other thing that can affect hunger/ cravings is tiredness. When we are tired (i.e we have a baby) we often crave sweet things to give us an energy boost. So think low GI stuff for a snack rather than end up with big highs and lows in sugar.

No, you are not supposed to drink lots of water when bf....drinking to thirst is just fine.

Dieting will not affect breastfeeding.

Aha lay off the water and the food as well. I feel we are getting somewhere.

Samjam love your assumption that the OP was a sucker for sweet snacks when she has never actually said that. Could it say something about you I wonder...

For me it's cheese rather than sweeties...