Preventing weight loss or gaining during nursing are both problematic. If you are nursing and want to gain weight but aren’t sure how or need some suggestions, read on!
Most new mothers fret about their dwindling uteruses and weight loss, but if you want to put on weight after giving birth, you have a problem just as serious and substantial as those with the opposite goal.
Breastfeeding raises your daily energy needs. Making breast milk requires a lot of energy, which comes in part from the fat cells you store during pregnancy and the food you eat.
Plus, if you don’t get enough calories from food, your body will pull from its reserves to fuel the milk-making process, which might lead to weight loss.
Because your baby relies on you for all her nutritional requirements, losing weight too rapidly while nursing is not a smart idea.
Depending on your activity level, body composition, and the amount of breastmilk you produce, you may need an additional 500 calories per day to gain or maintain 1 pound per week of weight when nursing.
Possible causes of weight loss during nursing, as well as strategies for gaining weight during this time, are explored in this in-depth essay.
Why I’m Losing Weight While Breastfeeding
About 10-15 pounds, including the water you held throughout pregnancy, your baby’s weight, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid, will be lost in the first week following giving birth. Afterward, your body’s metabolism slows down, and your weight reduction will be more sluggish.
Rapid weight loss just after giving birth isn’t always negative. Your physical condition is beginning to normalize.
However, the rest of your weight loss journey will be determined by your preexisting body type, the amount of weight you gained during pregnancy, your genetics, whether or not you are nursing, your degree of physical activity, and your metabolic rate.
The body utilizes external food calories and stored fat to drive milk production. According to studies, nursing women have a higher metabolic rate than the average person and burn an extra 500 calories daily.
If your caloric intake falls short of your body’s energy needs, you will begin to lose weight.
If you are nursing or pumping, you must consume a healthy, calorie-dense diet to satisfy your baby’s nutritional demands.
The weight loss efforts of nursing women may be aided by their awareness of the need to eat a nutritious diet full of fiber-rich foods, vegetables, fruits, protein, and grains and limit processed foods.
How Can a Breastfeeding Mother Gain Weight?
Moms who breastfeed need 500-700 calories a day more than those who don’t, yet it’s still possible to gain weight while nursing. And now, what you must do:
Consult your doctor before beginning a calorie restriction or diet regimen.
Make Use of a Calorie Counter
It’s important to figure out how many calories you need daily to maintain the same weight while nursing before adding more to your diet.
You may find online calorie calculators that consider your height, weight, age, and whether or not you’re nursing to provide you with an accurate estimate of your daily calorie needs. A tool like this nursing calorie calculator might be helpful.
This tool considers whether or not you are nursing when estimating the number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your current weight.
This calculator provides a rough estimate based on your height, weight, and other relevant data input.
Your doctor or a nutritionist, depending on your health, will be able to give you a more precise calorie count.
They will assist you in determining your calorie requirements and developing a strategy to add healthy calories to your diet.
Track Your Daily Calorie Intake
Tracking your daily caloric intake will help you figure out how much more food you need to eat to gain weight while nursing. Keeping a food diary might be a helpful tool for doing this.
Include the types and amounts of food and drink you consume at each meal, including breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks.
To determine the calorie content of your meals, you may need to measure the size of the dish. Keeping a food diary might help you estimate your daily caloric intake.
Also, you may use an app to keep track of the calories you consume.
Determine How Many More Calories You Need Daily
Breastfeeding calorie calculator results and daily food consumption estimates will help determine how many additional calories you’ll need.
So, let’s say the nursing calorie calculator determined that you need 1900 calories per day to maintain weight and height.
Based on your food diary, it seems that you are not eating enough calories to maintain your current weight.
To put on weight while nursing, you must ingest more calories daily than you burn. You need to eat 500 more calories than you burn daily to gain 1 pound weekly.
If you want to gain 1 pound per week while nursing, you should eat an additional 500 calories per day above what the breastfeeding calorie calculator recommends (in this case, 1900 + 500 = 2400).
Supplement Your Current Eating Plan With High-Calorie Foods
Eat lean proteins, essential fats, and complex carbohydrates to meet your caloric needs. You won’t have to worry about getting enough vitamins and minerals while nursing.
Bread made with healthy grains, vegetables, pasta, nuts, almond butter, avocado, beans, purified ghee, and legumes should all be part of your daily diet.
Increasing your calorie intake can assist if you struggle to put on weight because you either have trouble eating too much at once or feel full after eating a little.
Raise the Calorie Content of Your Meals
Use good fat for cooking. Sauté vegetables in peanut oil, boil pasta in sunflower oil, or make roasted peanut sauce with ghee. Milk, milk powder, or yogurt may be used instead of water in the cooking process.
Put Some Calories on Your Ready-Made Meal
We can do this with little effort. If you want extra flavor, try topping your spaghetti with cheese, your salad with almonds, or your salad with more salad dressing. It improves your meal’s flavor and, without effort, increases the number of calories you’re eating.
Snack A Lot
Breastfeeding increases your hunger. Instead of reaching for junk food, try a peanut butter and jelly (or honey) sandwich, some avocado toast, almonds, and dried fruit.
Some women have trouble eating much at once or feel full very soon. If that’s the case, it explains why you aren’t putting on weight even if you’re nursing.
Alternating between three smaller meals and one larger one will assist. Consuming a moderate amount every two to three hours rather than a huge amount at mealtimes can ensure that your caloric needs are met.
Drink Plenty of Water
When nursing, adequate hydration is just as crucial. When you feel thirsty, make sure you’re getting enough water.
However, if water consumption before a meal tends to make you feel full, you should limit your intake of this fluid.
Use coconut water or breastfeeding smoothies instead of water to increase your caloric intake. The increased calorie intake and subsequent increase in milk production are both great side effects.
What Is the Best Food to Eat to Gain Weight When Breastfeeding?
To gain weight while nursing, you should focus on eating meals high in calories. Have a balanced diet of healthy fats, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates.
Include peanut oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, fatty fish, avocados, bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and whole wheat bread.
Are Protein Shakes Good for Weight Gain While Nursing?
Breastfeeding mothers might benefit from protein drinks for weight gain. Protein shakes are a great way to get your daily dose of protein by blending protein powder with frozen fruit. Breastfeeding mothers may safely use protein powder so long as it is manufactured from pure, whole-food sources.
Since many nursing mothers lack time to prepare protein-rich meals for each meal, protein shakes are an excellent option for meeting their nutritional demands.
Protein smoothies are a popular alternative for some nursing moms who need to skip a meal. Protein shakes do include calories, although they are often less in number than a typical meal.
If you want to gain weight, you shouldn’t substitute protein shakes for meals but rather consume them in addition to regular meals.
When you don’t feel like eating, try substituting a protein shake for one of your meals. It may also replace the water in your diet or as a calorie-rich snack.
Can I still breastfeed while consuming a mass gainer shake?
Using a mass gainer is completely safe if you’re trying to gain weight while nursing. Most of these nutritional supplements are manufactured with beneficial ingredients for your health.
However, you should be wary of the formula’s inclusion of artificial food coloring, chemicals, excessive sugar, and preservatives. That’s because your kid will absorb the tastes and smells of anything you consume.
If it’s created with healthy, whole foods and natural components, it may be beneficial and provide nursing moms with the strength they need.
It also shouldn’t be substituted for actual meals. It’s an excellent way to supplement your diet with additional calories if you’re trying to bulk up while nursing.
Are Weight Gain Supplements Safe for Breastfeeding Mothers?
No! You shouldn’t consume anything with artificial chemicals while nursing.
A healthy, calorie-dense breakfast is crucial for nursing mothers to ensure they get enough nutrients and minerals to produce breast milk and maintain their health.
Conclusion
We hope you found this post useful. To gain weight while nursing, happily mother team advise you to focus on foods rich in calories.
If you attempt these solutions and still lose too much weight, it’s time to see a doctor. If you need to gain weight, you and your doctor may work together to create a food plan based on your specific needs.
