Nursing how many calories

In theory, then, for every week a woman breastfeeds she should be able to lose about half a kilogram, getting back to her pre-pregnancy weight within two months. But, as many mothers will testify, it is rarely this simple. For one thing, breastfeeding is widely regarded as a licence to eat cake; a generous slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting contains about calories; even a skinny blueberry muffin from Starbucks contains calories. Add a grande latte to that, at calories , and you have already pretty much busted any calorie-deficit acquired through breastfeeding.

Of course, women could make healthier eating choices, but most breastfeeding mothers live in fear of their milk supply drying up — leaving them with an angry baby, who wants to feed even more often — and health visitors will often advise them to eat more and rest, as a means of ramping up milk production.

Sources of these "healthy fats" include canola oil, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon as well as avocados, olives, nuts, and seeds. Limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats, both of which are considered unhealthy. Saturated fats show up in high-fat meats, whole milk, tropical oils such as palm kernel and coconut , butter, and lard. Partially hydrogenated oils contain trans fats.

Saturated fats and trans fats are both listed on a product's nutrition label. In addition to being bad for your diet, getting too much of these unhealthy fats can alter the fat composition of your breast milk , which isn't good for your baby's health. While we don't know the long-term effects of unhealthy fats on infant cardiovascular health, we do know that in adults these fats negatively affect heart health by raising LDL bad cholesterol , lowering HDL good cholesterol , and increasing signs of inflammation.

Unhealthy fats also boost the risk of heart attack and death from heart disease. It's a good idea to try to minimize your exposure to contaminants in your food and your environment while you're nursing. Pesticides, insecticides, and other chemicals that you ingest can make their way into your breast milk. Although research is ongoing, we know that environmental chemicals could affect your baby's long-term health.

Here are some tips for limiting your exposure:. As of the "dirty dozen" that tested highest for pesticides, according to the Environmental Working Group , were apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, imported nectarines and grapes, sweet bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce, and kale and collard greens. The fruits and vegetables that had the lowest amount of pesticide residue were onions, sweet corn, pineapples, avocados, asparagus, sweet peas, mangoes, eggplant, cantaloupe, kiwi, cabbage, watermelon, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, and mushrooms.

When you're nursing, it's important to get protein from a variety of sources — including fish. The American Heart Association recommends fish for a heart-healthy diet. Some fish especially cold water fish also contain DHA and EPA, omega-3 fats that play an important role in the brain and eye development that continues during your baby's first year. Your baby gets these omega-3s from your breast milk.

Not only does DHA help your baby, but it helps you too. Research suggests that moms who have lower levels of DHA, as well as lower seafood consumption, are more likely to develop postpartum depression. Eat up to 12 ounces of most types of fish and seafood per week, including salmon, shrimp, canned light tuna, lake trout, tilapia, catfish, crab, pollack, and scallops.

If you don't like seafood, try an omega-3 supplement. Just be sure to talk to your healthcare provider first to find out how much to take.

Also, be aware that some types of fish contain contaminants that can be harmful to pregnant and nursing women and children. The Environmental Protection Agency and U. Department of Agriculture advise not eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

Solid white or albacore tuna tends to be higher in mercury than other types of canned tuna. If you eat solid white or albacore tuna, limit your intake to 6 ounces per week. Other experts and advocacy groups are even more cautious, expanding the list of fish to avoid. Read more about eating fish when you're breastfeeding. If you time it right, an occasional drink probably won't harm your breastfeeding baby, but in general you may want to hold off on drinking alcohol while you're breastfeeding.

Alcohol does enter your breast milk, and having as little as one drink may affect your milk letdown reflex. Studies show that babies consume less milk in the four hours after you have an alcoholic beverage. And your baby may become drowsy and fall asleep more quickly after you have a drink, but he'll also sleep for a shorter amount of time. And, of course, heavy drinking makes you unable to safely care for your baby. If you're going to enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage, keep in mind that it takes two to three hours for your body to eliminate the alcohol in one serving of beer or wine.

Specific time frames depend on your size and how much you drink, but the more you drink the longer it takes your body to get rid of it. So you might want to time that toast for right after a feeding session. Alcohol isn't stored in breast milk — instead, the level increases and decreases just as it does in your bloodstream. If you have an alcoholic drink, wait at least two hours before breastfeeding your baby or you may need to "pump and dump.

If you're a breastfeeding mom who supplements late-night feedings with formula, another option is to wait until your baby goes down for the night before you drink alcohol. Also, drink water with your alcoholic drink, and eat before or while you drink to help lower the amount of alcohol in your blood and your milk.

When you're breastfeeding, your body needs plenty of fluid, but there's no need to keep a record of how much you drink. A good guideline to follow is drink to satisfy thirst — that is, drink whenever you feel the need.

If your urine is clear or light yellow, it's a good sign that you're well hydrated. Speaking of fluids, it's okay to have your morning cup of coffee while breastfeeding if you like, but don't overdo it. A small amount of caffeine winds up in your breast milk, and it can accumulate in your baby's system because she can't easily break it down and excrete it. Most experts suggest that nursing moms limit their consumption of caffeine including coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate, and coffee ice cream to no more than mg per day.

That's about as much as you'd get in three 5-ounce cups of coffee. You may want to drink even less if you're nursing a newborn or preterm baby. The relationship between breastfeeding and postpartum weight change—a systematic review and critical evaluation. International Journal of Obesity, 38 , Wiessinger, D. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding 8th ed. New York: Ballantine Books. For best printing results, open the llli. Although you can view the site well in any browser, printing from other browsers might not operate correctly.

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