Breastfeeding, Diet and Weight Control

If you want to breastfeed your baby and control your weight, think "healthy eating" rather than "dieting". Provided you eat the recommended number of calories and (above all) eat a variety of healthy foods, you won't gain weight during lactation, and you will probably shed some of your excess fat.

How Many Calories Do You Need When Breastfeeding?

Women's bodies are typically very efficient at producing breast milk, so you don't need to eat for two people! As a rough guide, increase your calorie-intake by about 500 calories over what you needed before you became pregnant. On average, this means that most nursing moms need to eat at least 2000 calories per day. (Note: You can obtain an extra 500 calories by eating a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk.)