How to breastfeed and lose weight without decreasing my supply?
Hello, I’m currently breastfeeding and since a month has gone by since my birth I want to start losing some weight again. Before I got pregnant I was on a deficit eating 900calories so in pregnancy I was eating around 1300-1400 during the last trimester. (My height is 159cm, age 24, pre pregnancy weight 55kg, now 59kg)
The calories I’ve been eating now for a month were about 2000 and I’m basically maintaining my weight at that. How much should I cut off without losing my supply but to start shredding the weight? I’m planning on going back to the gym as well and start with cardio mainly and then get back to lifting weights. I was very active even during pregnancy until one day before birth and was going 3-4 times per week lifting light weights and doing an hour on the elliptical. Planning on getting back to that slowly until I can start lifting heavier so I can build some muscle cause that was my goal before pregnancy after losing 20kg.
im just a bit confused cause Cronometer has added 300cal so now it says I should eat 1600 but everyone suggests to not eat below 1800 while breastfeeding. So idk whether I should eat 1600 or 1800 and then burn the 200 to get to 1600. Confusing in general as I just don’t know how much I’m supposed to eat
Answers
Is this your first baby and first time breastfeeding? The first 3 months really establish milk supply in particular, including the frequency no less than every 3 hours, though the night as much as possible too. So much water, and rest, is critical. So if you’ve got good milk supply, with lots of water and rest, you could start backing down calories to see where your body is responding. If you start losing supply with the sleep and water intake staying the same, then you need to increase some calories again. Make sure you’re getting enough calcium, too, for the sake of your own bones later. Baby will take the calcium s/he needs and you need it, too. ;) also- they don’t say it enough- if you start getting green diapers, you probably have oversupply and baby is getting too much foremilk first- not an issue if you’re pumping and they're getting it all in a bottle; if they’re not using a bottle, then you just do each side differently ( feed one side, pump the other, etc). If they’re getting orange diapers then they’re getting cream ;) - lots of hindmilk. Your local Leche League is usually awesome at helping.