# how many calories does breastfeeding a 6+ months old burn?



## huggerwocky (Jun 21, 2004)

I am intrigued by the fact that for about a week now I need to eat for 3 people and I still loose weight. Yesterday I ate 2 pieces of birthday cake ( chocolate,very heavy), 8 birthday cookies ( yes yes, but we had a BIRTHDAY!







), a piece of string cheese, 1 cup milk, 6 chicken wings, a lot of mashed potatoes, carrots...and I'm nearly a pound less virtually over night. I also need to drink much much more than a gallon.

Now it's 10 o'clock and I already had 2 bananas and string cheese and I'm starving.

She's nearly 22 pounds, 6 months and exclusively breastfed. I think the 500 calories they say is more newborns?

I'm really curious.


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## SPOpa (Jan 27, 2006)

.


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## Twilight (Jun 9, 2005)

Well there are on average 20 calories per ounce...

Most babies this age are drinking around a quart of breastmilk each day. 32 oz x 20 calories = 640 calories per day, and that is just what is IN the milk. It might take more calories for your body to create the milk. Plus your child is 22 pounds???!? Girl, you may be burning 1000 extra calories a day trying to feed your cute chunky baby!

So eat, woman!


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## Hazelnut (Sep 14, 2005)

I'm jealous.


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## dimibella (Feb 5, 2007)

I'm had the same experience, DD is now 16 mo. and I still feel like I have to eat all day long to keep up my supply. Just recently I did start gaining weight but as I was underweight to begin with it's not a big deal for me.

Kelly


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## Klynne (Jan 1, 2007)

I don't know the number of calories but... I'm experiencing the same thing too. DD is nine months, I eat and eat and am still 10lbs under my pre-preg weight. DD is nursing about 6-7 times/24hrs plus one to two solid meals. I think the number of calories in the milk varies, aren't there more calories in the milk the older they get?


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## Dov'sMom (Jan 24, 2007)

I'm jealous too.

I'm also eating like a fiend, but there's no way I'm even back to my pre-pregnancy weight (according to my clothing -- I haven't seen a scale since my last pre-partum midwife's visist







). Of course that's probably because of my late night junk binging when I'm trying to write a paper...


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## vermontgirl (Aug 15, 2006)

I dont know the answer to your question but my body fat is going straight to my 8 month old. I am two pants sizes smaller than I was before I had him and he is a solid chunk of babe. I dont mind!

By the way, it is 10:48 and I still havent had more than a banana. I really need to start keeping more food in the house. I need some healthy but quick things to eat. AAAH i am starving right now.


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## greenkids (Jul 26, 2005)

nak
Oh please let this be true for me too







:

I went on vacation last week & came back 4 pounds lighter, I was shocked. I had eating disorders for about 10 years in my teens & early 20's, so my metabolism is really messed up. I don't loose easily, BF seems to really be helping. my DS eats a lot!


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## kochanyk (Jun 30, 2005)

It REALLY depends on you and your babe... with my first by the time he was 6 mo I was eating about 3-4K calories a day and still losing weight (unwillingly)- normally I'm a 2K calorie sort of person...... by the time he was a year I was up to about 5K calories a day and he was on solids and I was still losing. I became underweight b/c I literally could not possibly get enough calories (I lost 90 lbs from pg weight and 30 lbs under pre-pg weight and I wasn't overweight to start). Now, with a 20 lb 4 mo/old I will sit and eat an entire med pizza by myself and top it with cookies, add in some avocados and other high-fat foods and I am still losing weight.
I agree with twilight's calculation- at LEAST 1K calories extra (yeah for big babies! go mama go! that's awesome!!!)


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## huggerwocky (Jun 21, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Dov'sMom* 
I'm jealous too.

I'm also eating like a fiend, but there's no way I'm even back to my pre-pregnancy weight (according to my clothing -- I haven't seen a scale since my last pre-partum midwife's visist







). Of course that's probably because of my late night junk binging when I'm trying to write a paper...

I'm not down to my pre pregnancy weight, either, I put on more than 40 pounds


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## balancedmama (Feb 16, 2007)

I'm not sure, but I gained 55 lbs while pregnant







: and I'm already below my pre-pregnancy weight. I just polished off half a pint of Ben and Jerry's.







: I am NOT someone who usually loses weight easily. But while nursing my appetite has been voracious, to say the least.


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## ckhagen (Sep 6, 2004)

My little guy is almost 9 months, not eating solids, and 26+ pounds. Needless to say I'm WELL below my pre-pregnancy weight. This happened with DS1 as well, though not quite as drastic. But, when he started eating solids more often... I piled it all back on


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## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I am soo very jealous of you women!

I gained 48 lbs with pregnancy, and I'm 10 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight, which is all fine and all, but that is where I've been for the last 5.5 months (and ds is 6.5 months old







) I joke with dh about it, cause no matter what I eat, don't eat, exercise or lay around, I weigh exactly the same thing. Exactly. Every single day. It's actually quite bizarre. (And I could stand to loose more)


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## sarahsmiles (Jan 9, 2007)

This is so weird. DD is just about 6 months, and although I am still holding onto a lot of weight, I am constantly STARVING! I am eating now more than ever, but not losing any of the weight. I WISH it was going to her like some of you ladies.

I'm just hoping I can get more exercise this spring. It's the only thing that ever helps me lose.


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

I've plummeted to around 108 lbs. I was 142 when I gave birth, dropped back to around 120 after that. I actually get scared I'm going to lose too much weight!! I'm 5'0", weighed around 100 before I ever had kids, so I'm not there yet. But I know what you mean, it seems I can never eat enough. I was bad yesterday and we stopped at Wendy's for dinner on the way to rehearsal. You would think all that fat and calories ( I got a 1/4lb burger and fries ) would be enough to fill me up. But three hours later I was starving. I pumped on the way home, and by the time I got home I was famished. Henri is 7.5 months old. The last time he was weighed he was almost 17lbs, so an average size. But he is still 99% breastfed.


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## Mommy Cat (May 11, 2006)

Ack. I have largeish babies (95th %tile at birth but around 75th after that), ebf, and if I am not careful actually gain weight while breastfeeding. And I know I don't eat nearly 4,000 calories a day... usually it is a lot less. I do have a history of eating disorders and a wacky metabolism. I also gain very easily while pregnant.


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