If you plan on breastfeeding your baby, it is important that you maintain a healthy lifestyle that you achieved while you were pregnant with your baby. Breastfeeding your baby will burn anywhere from 300 to 500 calories a day. Most new mom’s are anxious to lose the baby weight that they put on during the nine month pregnancy. However, it is best to establish a healthy milk supply before attempting to lose any weight.
Disclosure: This post is for informational purposes only. I am not a lactation consultant or a doctor.
Why is it important to wait until my milk supply is established?
During the first few weeks of your baby’s life, it will feel like he or she is constantly on the breast eating. Feeding your baby every 2-4 hours will help you to establish your milk supply. It takes roughly two months for your milk supply to establish and it is important that you don’t try to lose weight during this time. Trying to diet during this crucial time period could encounter health problems or low milk supply. Keep in mind during this time frame that it is important that you eat the number of calories that it took to maintain your pre-pregnancy weight and add an additional 200-500 calories of healthy food choices.
A nursing mother can safely begin a weight loss regiment once your milk supply has been established. It is important that you maintain at least 1500 to 1800 calories a day while you are still breastfeeding. This will allow you to maintain your current milk supply and lose the baby weight. If you eat fewer than the 1500 calories, you may notice that your milk supply may drop and that could leave your baby unsatisfied or you might encounter health problems from not getting enough nutrients. Are unsure how many calories that your are eating? If so, there are websites or apps for your phone that can help you figure out your caloric intake.