Breastfeeding and counting calories.. any other moms want to keep track together?!

Hi there, I just joined cc. I have a 5 week old baby and I'm pretty desperate to get this weight off! I weight 135 before getting pregnant, and I am stuck at 165 now! I am usually a very healthy eater, but I know I let myself splurge a bit while pregnant!  I am breastfeeding and the baby is also have a little bit of soy formula I would say 2 times a day, along with the breast milk.  CC put me on a 1600 calorie a day schedule, I should technically be adding 300 calories I think while breastfeeding.  If there are any other b/f moms out there that would like to keep track of our weight loss together that would be awesome! Hope to talk to you all soon, Jennifer

Hi Jennifer and welcome! Congratulations on your little one!

I just finished nursing my son at the beginning of October when he turned 1. I also have an almost 5-year-old daughter who I nursed for 6 months. When my son was born, I had gained 40 pounds during my pregnancy. I have since lost almost 45 pounds, most of it in the first 4 months postpartum.

CC isn't designed to accomodate nursing mothers so I'm not sure that you should go by the 1600 recommendation. I suggest using this calculator instead:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/tools/calories-b urned

Basically, I just ate what CC said my maintenance calories are and let the calories I burned producing milk be my deficit. I also "ate back" any calories I burned exercising. You'll be surprised at how many calories you can take in and still lose weight while nursing. I'm only 5'3" and was eating 1,900-2,100 calories a day and losing at least 1 pound per week.

I would have loved to join you in losing weight! Good luck with the nursing and weight loss! I also recommend KellyMom.com if you have any questions/problems/concerns about nursing.

Thanks so much for your help! I will keep you in mind whenever I've got questions thanks again! Jen

I would like to join you. I have a two  month old baby and am breastfeeding. I was overweight before I got pregnant lost 45 pounds before getting pregnant then didn't gain any weight during the pregnancy. I've have lost 22 since have the baby and have about 80 pounds to go.

Hi!  My name is Sally; I am 34 years old and have a 2 year old and 6 week old (both girls).  I am also breastfeeding as I did with my first until she was 7 months old.  The weight from my first pregnancy (30lbs) came off--especially when I resumed moderate exercise (jogging 3x week) when my first was 9 months old.  Before then I was finishing my masters degree and working full time.  About a year and a half ago my family and I moved from NYC to Hamburg, Germany where my husband is from.  It is quite rainy here now and the weather will be similar most likely until April or May---last February/March was miserable as I know I overate from the mix of pregnancy hormones and the slight bout of depression over the drab weather.  I will resume exercising if my doctor gives me the go ahead next week, but only walking/light jogging as I had back and pretty severe pelvis pain from my 5th month of pregnancy that has not completely gone away yet.  I gained much more weight with this past pregnancy due to the back-pelvis pain (nearly 50 lbs) but currently weigh 84 kg (187 lbs).  Considering I am 5ft 10inches, I am not completely upset with this number, but I do want to get back to 155lbs at a safe and steady rate, especially without cutting my newborn short on her nutrition. Ultimately, I know that by keeping a food log and being accountable to a support group, as well as myself, will help me achieve the goals I hope to attain.  I would love to join you not only for my own support but be be a cheerleader for you all as well! 

I am having the hardest time losing weight after the birth of my son, and that was about 5 months ago.  I've really only lost about 15 lbs or so.  I'm so frustrated!!  According to just about every calorie calculator I have seen, I should be able to eat 3000 calories a day to maintain.  I'm trying for about 2200 a day and the weight is NOT coming off and I'm always hungry.  I do have a big baby though!

I would be totally into having a weight loss accountability group!  I need some help!

I would love to join you. You sound just like me, I was 135 before, and now I am 164. My son is 8 weeks old and breastfeeding supplemented by formula. I am frusterated by having no time to even attempt to workout : (

I am a bit confused as to how many calories I should be consuming though??

I plugged in my info onto the link from bier and this is what it shows?? 

Can someone explain this please?

Thanks, Corrina

Hi, babymamax3! In order to lose 1 pound per week, you need a calorie deficit of 3,500 or 500 per day. For lactating women, it's recommended to lose weight slowly so any more than that isn't recommended.

If it's estimated that you burn 2,450 calories per day, you would want to consume 1,900-2000 calories each day in order to get that 500 calorie deficit and still maintain your milk supply. I'd also recommend eating back your calories burned by working out.