Breastfeeding:Physical effects on mom

How many calories does it take to produce breastmilk?

It takes about 900 calories to produce a quart of breastmilk! During pregnancy, most women store around five to ten pounds of body fat that supplies a portion of these calories during the first three to six months postpartum. The remainder of the calories comes from the daily diet. A womans daily calorie needs will vary depending on activity level, maternal age and amount of breastfeeding.

Safe Weight Loss for Breastfeeding Mothers
A breastfeeding mother can lose weight safely by combining a healthy diet and moderate exercise. Losing 1 pound per week is considered safe.

When you do not eat healthy
The body is protective of the infant, by making high quality breastmilk even if the mothers food intake is not high quality. If the mother is not eating enough calories, vitamins or minerals, the body will take the nutrients from her body stores to produce breastmilk. When the mother does not eat well, she may suffer from fatigue and be less resistant to infection.

Sore Nipples
Most women will experience "normal" nipple soreness in the first few weeks of breastfeeding. This occurs as the nipples adjust to nursing. "Normal" soreness is usually minor and does not interfere with the typical desire to breastfeed.

However, some women will develop nipple problems in the first few weeks that can cause severe nipple pain. These problems are usually caused by latch on or positioning problems. The nipple pain should decrease when the latch on problems are corrected.

Normal Nipple Tenderness and Discomfort

Pain is brief.
Pain is felt most during latch on.
Pain goes away quickly.
Pain gets better each day after the mother`s mature (white) milk comes in.
Pain goes away by the second week of breastfeeding.

Nipple Pain that is NOT Normal

Pain continues throughout the feeding.
Pain worsens during the feeding.
Mother is in severe pain.
Visible nipple injury like cracked and bleeding nipples, or flattened, white nipples, or red, shiny nipples.
Itching or burning after feeding or sharp radiating pain inside the breast. (See Thrush)
Diets - Do
- Eat slightly less food than she has been eating.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a variety of healthy foods.
- Take a multi-vitamin supplement.
Diets - Don't
- Do not use liquid diets or fad diets.
- Do not use weight loss medications.
- Do not lose weight too quickly.
- Do not start dieting before 6 weeks postpartum.

Comments: Breastfeeding - Physical-effects-on-mom

Comments 1 to 10 of about 10.

shelly32 - 153 days ago.
hello - i breastfed my son until he was one year old and had no problems, now i'm nursing my daughter, she is now 7 weeks old, for the past few weeks when she begins to nurse (right befroe letdown occurs) i get this feeling of deep sadness and anxiety and then it just goes away...i know it's just the rush of hormones from nursing because it is the only time i get this feeling. I do NOT have depression - i dont feel negatively towards my baby at all, it just feels like someone just told me somethign really sad - it's so strange i never had this before. I read it can be thyroid/anemia problems which i do have anemia problems. Anyone know how long this typically lasts? I dont really want to go telling my husband/doctors because i dont want people thinking i'm depressed - so please don't tell me that's what it is because i know it's not - i'm just trying to figure out if the chemicals sort themselves out and it stops eventually, or if you have to stop breastfeeding for it to go away, or if i should go to the doctor to have my iron/thyroid checked? please leave comments on my page as i am not on here much - thanks!

gladek - 155 days ago.
myownqueen-my LO is seven months, and I have one side that produces twice as much as the other (at least whe I pump). However, for some reason the lower-producing side is the only one that still leaks once in a while. Odd, eh? I know most people has some difference, but somelike us have a big one. I also hope it is that way if I have another, but I have a feeling it will be...

myownqueen - 155 days ago.
I have one breast that I swear is darn near empty, and the other breast is a milk machine...I've pretty much accepted that my breast will be lopsided duds when this is all over, but I hope with baby two (one day) my breast may even up a bit (it's a BIG difference). Has anyone else experienced this???? My son is almost 8 months...

jinx-marcell - 236 days ago.
I don't know about the sex part yet (I'm only 9 days pp) but I know I've been horny as hell and when my bf plays with my breasts...I damn near tackle him.

kym22 - 256 days ago.
I have zero libido too and am a nursing mom. i agree with prior comments.- its like a chore!

janet8 - 263 days ago.
I'm bfeeding and, after a low-libido pregnancy (more emotional than hormonal, I think, cos I was high risk), both my hubby and I have such high sex drives. and the quality is better than before I was pregnant.. I had a c-section, and m finding I orgasm much more easily now (sorry if tmi). LO is just over a month now. Also I have lost 12.5kg's since LO was born.

aussie-jess - 273 days ago.
I have a 1 year old son, I nursed him til about 11 months, i never had a libido the whole time, and now i am pregnant again, first try... And still no libido.... My poor husband.

lizzy831 - 273 days ago.
its mother natures birth control lol

michellelaughs - 278 days ago.
Yea, no libido here either, nada.

sasrafrass - 284 days ago.
I think the nursing hormones are really messing with my libido. I mean I don't even think about it and when my hubbie wants to it's almost like a chore. Anyone else having somethibg similar?