Breastfeeding HELP!!!!!!!!!?

Question

Hi, I am Due for a c section sept.9...I plan on breastfeeding as long as I can for the health of my lil girl!!!! I need help though. I have no clue what the daily calorie intake is nor what kind of foods to eat and what kind of food to stay away from!!!! Plz help!!!!!

Oh and is it true breastfeeding helps you lose weight faster?? Just wondering...Thanks in advance and God Bless!!!!

Answer 1

You can eat anything you enjoy. There is no need to routinely avoid any foods (including alcohol and caffeine in moderation.)  IF you find that a particular food bothers your baby, (which does happen on occassion)  try eliminating it for a while.

Breastfeeding does burn calories, so if you keep your calorie intake stable, you should lose some weight. (About a pound a week, probably.)  If you want to keep your weight where it is, you would need to increase your calorie intake by around 500 calories/day.  

(Of course some nursing moms find that they are always famished, so they don't lose weight.  Others find that they dont' have time to eat, so they lose weight rapidly.)

Answer 2

eat whatever you like as long as you limit/exclude caffeine and alcohol ( pretty much the same as when you're pregnant). Make sure you get at least 3 meals a day and some snacks.

I've heard that even if you don't eat that much, your body will still prodcue the milk, but the milk becomes much more fatty (up to 1000 calories for a few ounces). You're baby will gain weight but I don't believe that's a very healthy way to gain (Its like an adult eating burgers everyday).

Oh and yes, breastfeeding helps you lose weight (but don't make being skinny the reason you want to breastfeed because it may not come off as fast as you'd like). I do have to say though that I lost all my baby weight and 5 pounds more (a total of about 40 pounds) in less than 2 months.  

Answer 3

"I have no clue what the daily calorie intake is nor what kind of foods to eat and what kind of food to stay away from!!!!"

Eat what it pleases you to eat; there aren't rules about that. Plenty of old wives' tales, but.

See http://kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/index....

Answer 4

Eat when you are hungry and try to eat healthy foods.  Stay away from alcohol because it does pass into the baby but you are allowed 1 drink twice a week.  There are also over the counter medication that isn't safe to take while breastfeeding.  Ask you doctor about anything that you will be taking to make sure it is safe.  I was told cold medicine was okay but it effected my daughter while I was on it so I stopped taking it.  I don't know of any food you need to stay away from. Also, you born more calories while breastfeeding so it is possible to lose weight faster.  I know I lost my baby weight by 6 weeks.    

Answer 5

It's commonly advised that breastfeeding burns 600 calories over your normal daily requirement.  But it's really an average, and will be different for everyone.  I know personally that I ate a lot more than 600 calories extra a day, and I lost 12 extra pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, no exercise.

Just eat healthy foods, whenever you're hungry.  Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy and lean meats.  You don't necessarily have to avoid any sorts of foods.

Answer 6

Don't worry about not knowing "how" to breastfeed. It takes practice and some getting used to but almost all hospitals have lactation nurses for this exact reason. When I had my son (via c-section) they came in each day to help and see how I was doing. They even called me after I left the hospital to answer any questions I had!

About losing weight: breastfeeding actually reduces the size of your uterus more quickly then if you chose not to do it...in addition to burning calories.

Foods to avoid: I was advised to stay away from onions, garlic, broccoli, ect.-- Anything that causes gas because it will be passed onto the baby giving them gas and pain in their tummy.

For me, I couldn't get my son to latch on even with the nurses help so they suggested a "pump". They can be pricey but there is nothing more important then the health and BRAIN DEVELOPMENT of your little one. Good luck and enjoy every minute of it...even the tough ones :)

Answer 7

I was told to eat the same diet as while pregnant. Try to eat healthy foods and not so much junk. Although I slip some c**p in once in a while, you just have to if you wanna stay sane lol. I also highly recommend NO caffeine. I love coke but it can cause your baby to have reflux, or make it worse. It was so hard to stop the caffeine but caffeine free coke and sprite aren't so bad. I also found that too much fast food was no good for me. Especially Taco Bell. I think the sauce in the meat was the problem. It caused my baby to have terrible reflux issues and spit up all her food.

It is true that breastfeeding moms lose weight faster due to the nipple stimulation that in turn causes uterine contractions therefore discharging the contents of the uterus. It also burns calories. My baby is 7 weeks old. When I found out I was pregnant I was 110lb. The day she was due I was 158lb. From that day I lost about 10lb per week and am currently at 120lb. It was amazing! Now It's to the piont that working out is the only thing that will get my extra flabby tummy back into shape lol.

Congrats on choosing breastfeeding. It will be difficult at first and you may want to quit, but keep it up. I wanted to quit so badly and tried exclusive pumping but missing the connection and started nursing again. I'm so glad I did!

Good luck, and if you have any questions let me know. I want to do anything I can to help encourage someone to breastfeed. Don't be ashamed if you can't do it when the time comes, though. Good luck!