Breastfeeding requires extra calories to support milk production and maintain your energy levels. Most experts recommend consuming an additional 500 calories per day while nursing. However, the exact amount can vary based on factors like your pre-pregnancy weight, activity level, and rate of weight loss or gain. Here’s a closer look at determining your optimal calorie intake for breastfeeding.
Quick Answers
The general guideline is to consume an extra 500 calories per day while breastfeeding. However, your specific needs may be higher or lower based on your weight, activity level, and weight changes.
Most lactation experts recommend starting with an extra 500 calories per day and adjusting up or down as needed to achieve your goals.
Adding two to three 250-calorie snacks per day is an easy way to increase your intake by 500 calories.
Focus on getting extra calories from nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, dairy and healthy fats.
Drink plenty of fluids, especially if you find yourself getting thirsty between nursing sessions.
Listen to your body’s signals for hunger and fullness and adjust your intake accordingly.
How Many Extra Calories Do You Need?
During the first 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, your body requires an extra 500 calories per day to produce breast milk. This helps support your milk supply while avoiding excessive weight loss. Here are some general guidelines on calorie needs while nursing:
- Underweight women: +500 to 670 calories per day
- Normal weight women: +500 calories per day
- Overweight women: +500 calories per day (no need to eat extra if trying to lose pregnancy weight)
- Obese women: +500 calories per day (no need to eat extra if trying to lose pregnancy weight)
However, every woman’s calorie needs are unique. You may require more or less than average depending on factors like:
- Pre-pregnancy weight and BMI
- Amount of weight gained during pregnancy
- Activity level
- Fitness goals postpartum
- Rate of weight loss while breastfeeding
- Milk supply
Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues, energy levels, milk supply, and rate of weight loss to determine if you need more or less than 500 extra calories per day.
When Do You Need More Calories?
Some situations where breastfeeding women may need more calories include:
- Underweight: Women who start pregnancy underweight often require more than 500 extra calories while breastfeeding to provide adequate nutrition for milk production.
- Very active: If you are very physically active with exercise or an active job, you will burn more calories and likely need more than 500 extra per day.
- Twins or multiples: Breastfeeding multiples requires higher milk output, so your calorie needs will be greater.
- Frequent nursing: Mothers who nurse very frequently or exclusively breastfeed without pumping may need the higher end of calorie recommendations.
- Excessive weight loss: If you are losing more than 1-2 pounds per week after the initial postpartum period, you may be in too much of a calorie deficit.
Aim for the higher end of recommendations (about 500-700 extra calories per day) if you are in any of the above situations. Monitor your weight, energy levels and milk supply and adjust as needed.
When Do You Need Fewer Calories?
On the other hand, some situations where you may require fewer than 500 extra calories per day include:
- Overweight or obese: If you started pregnancy overweight or obese, you can meet milk needs without eating extra calories, especially if trying to lose weight.
- Sedentary: Less active moms or those who sit often may only require an extra 300-400 calories.
- Pumping: Exclusive pumping provides milk on demand without burning extra calories from nursing, so needs may be lower.
- Rapid weight loss: Losing more than 2 pounds per week likely indicates you’re in too much of a calorie deficit.
If you are in any of the above situations, aim for 300-400 extra calories per day instead and tweak your intake based on your rate of weight loss.
Nutrient-Dense Food Sources
To maximize your nutrition, the extra calories you consume should come from nutrient-dense whole foods like:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Lean protein (fish, poultry, beans, lentils, eggs)
- Dairy (Greek yogurt, milk, cheese)
- Nuts and seeds
- Avocado
- Healthy oils (olive, avocado, canola)
Limit empty calorie sources like sweets, sugary drinks, fried foods and refined carbs. These provide extra calories without nutrition.
Easy Ways to Add 500 Calories
Here are some examples of quick 500-calorie additions to your daily diet while nursing:
- A smoothie with Greek yogurt, milk, banana, peanut butter and chia seeds
- A latte made with 2% milk and 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- One ounce of nuts and one ounce of cheese
- Half an avocado spread on toast
- A serving of granola with milk
- A slice of toast with nut butter
- Oatmeal made with milk, walnuts and fruit
Or, you can add two to three 250-calorie snacks throughout the day, such as:
- 1 string cheese + 1 small apple
- 1⁄3 cup trail mix
- 3 cups air-popped popcorn
- 1 cup edamame
- 1 cup cottage cheese + 1⁄2 cup berries
- 1 ounce cheddar cheese + whole grain crackers
Tips for Increasing Calories
Here are some tips to help you safely increase your calorie intake while breastfeeding:
- Graze frequently: Eat every 2-3 hours to help meet calorie needs.
- Have convenient snacks on hand: Stock up on items like mixed nuts, cut-up veggies, yogurt and fruit to grab quickly when hungry.
- Add extras to meals: Top foods with avocado, cheese, olive oil, dressings, etc. to increase calories.
- Choose higher fat dairy: Drink 2% or whole milk and eat full-fat yogurt and cheese.
- Drink caloric beverages: Smoothies, juice, milk, and soups can help boost your caloric intake.
- Include larger portions: Follow your hunger cues and eat larger portions of healthy foods at meals.
Focus on getting nutrients along with extra calories by choosing wholesome, minimally processed real foods.
Stay Hydrated
Fluids are essential while breastfeeding.Aim for about 3 liters (12 cups) of total fluids per day. Drink water as your primary beverage and include sources like milk, soup, fruit and vegetables.
Increase your fluid intake if you find yourself excessively thirsty, have dark yellow urine or feel constipated. Dehydration can decrease milk supply.
Example Day of Meals and Snacks
Here is a sample one-day meal plan that provides around 500 extra calories for a breastfeeding mom:
Meal | Foods | Calories |
---|---|---|
Breakfast | Oatmeal made with milk, walnuts and berries Hard-boiled egg Latte with 2% milk |
500 |
Snack | Apple with 1 tbsp. peanut butter | 250 |
Lunch | Turkey and avocado sandwich on whole grain bread Carrots with hummus Greek yogurt |
500 |
Snack | Cottage cheese and berries | 250 |
Dinner | Salmon baked with olive oil Quinoa Sauteed spinach Glass of milk |
600 |
Snack | Trail mix | 250 |
Total | 2350 |
This provides a balanced mix of protein, carbs, fat and calories from nutrient-rich foods to support milk production.
Common Concerns
Will eating more cause me to gain too much weight?
It’s understandable to be concerned about weight gain when you increase calories. However, the extra 500 calories recommended is carefully calibrated to provide energy for breastfeeding without leading to excessive weight gain in most women.
Focus on getting the extra calories from healthy foods. Additionally, keep exercising as your doctor allows and let your hunger cues guide you.
What if I’m still hungrier than the extra 500 calories?
Occasionally, you may need more calories than average. If you are eating 500 extra calories per day yet still feel ravenous between meals, pay attention to those hunger signals.
Try adding two 250-calorie snacks each day for a total of 750 extra calories. Monitor your weight over 2-3 weeks. As long as you are not gaining excessively, it is fine to eat more than 500 extra calories while breastfeeding if your body cues tell you it needs more fuel.
Will eating fewer calories affect my milk supply?
In most cases, a moderate calorie deficit should not impact your breastmilk production, as long as your calorie intake does not fall below 1,500-1,800 per day. However, every woman’s calorie needs are different.
Watch for signs that your milk supply may be decreasing, like baby being fussy or unsettled after feedings, wanting to nurse more frequently or producing fewer wet diapers. If you notice supply issues, try bumping your calorie intake up by 200-300 per day.
Can I diet while breastfeeding?
Most experts recommend waiting until 2-3 months postpartum to intentionally try to lose weight. After this period, aim for a modest deficit of about 300-500 calories below your maintenance needs for steady weight loss without compromising your milk supply.
Crash dieting, very low calorie diets or rapid weight loss are not recommended while breastfeeding, as they may lead to issues with milk production.
The Bottom Line
While every woman’s needs differ slightly, most breastfeeding moms require an extra 500 calories per day to maintain energy levels and milk supply. Pay attention to your hunger cues, rate of weight loss, and energy levels to determine if you require more or less.
Focus on getting extra calories from nutrient-dense whole foods like fruits, veggies, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. Stay hydrated by drinking fluids whenever you feel thirsty. This will help ensure you get the calories and nutrition you need to thrive in the postpartum period.