Breastfeeding Hunger

Man! That is a special kind of hunger! I was absolutely ravenous when I was breastfeeding. I guess you can guess I didn't lose any weight.

There was nothing I could do. I just keep high calorie foods like junk out of the house, and if I were really pressed I would have to walk to get it. I did a lot of walking. That was all I could really do.

I just went on a diet after I was done because my appetite wasn't having any of that while I was breastfeeding.

Increase your protein. If you're as hungry as you are, you're not getting enough. I read in Women's Health that the body, when hungry for protein, will "crave" food until it reaches the right amount of protein. Eat more lean meats, nuts, peanut butter, and cheeses. Doing this, I lost all 60 pounds of my baby weight by the time my daughter was five months old. She's now nine months, and I'm down a total of 75 pounds and I'm still breastfeeding.

Because making milk sucks the calories right out of you, about 600 extra cal a day... you have to run on the treadmill for like an hour for the same effect.
I agree with what others said to eat protein rich snacks, personally I LOVED Luna bars when I was breastfeeding. Now I find them disgusting, but when I was bfing and pumping the sweetness really helped quench my cravings and the protein kept me full.
I lost all my 50 lbs of baby weight during the first 8 months or so and I never dieted... and then gained 10lbs back after weaning - because I was still snacking like I was breastfeeding...

Because you are losing a lot of calories breastfeeding. You have to consume a certain amount of calories each day to maintain your milk supply. This is very normal.

If you are craving sweets, get a bowl full of berries and drizzle 1 tablespoon Hershey syrup on them. Peanut butter & apples. Awesome, healthy and wont make you chunky! ;)

Also, try these green monster shakes. Great for the milk supply!!

http://greenmonstermovement.com/?page_id=39

Dont forget to take your vitamins!

I have a friend who gained more weight while breastfeeding, then while pregnant! This last time around, she made some changes. The first, being water. Like Sarah said, hunger and dehydration are often confused. She also would eat fruit for a sweet snack. Or, she would freeze grapes, which she said were delicious and like a dessert. Also, she would cover 1/4 of a banana with chocolate and freeze it. She was getting a small amount of chocolate, but not too much. Make sure your calories count. Eat things that are filling and have fiber. Don't eat anything white (white pastas, bread, etc.) as those are essentially sugar. Whole grains and complex carbs fill you more. Eat veggies as much as you can. Carrot sticks and hummus are a great snack. Snacks with proteins will fill you. Greek Yogurt (The flavored ones are loaded with sugar, you are better off adding fruit to plain,) eggs, cheese, etc. Basically, she made sure she was eating filling foods and nothing super sugary or processed. (Processed food = sugar. If it's pre-made, in a box, or a frozen meal of some sort...it's empty pointless calories.

I don't remember the hunger. I ate three good homemade meals a day with a snack or two and lots of water and a bottle of beer (brewer's yeast) and rested. The doctor gave me a prescription for an iron tonic which I took every day for about three months. I breastfed exclusivelyfor eight months or so and at three months after having her I was in a bikini with normal curves. A dress I made fit but I had to take the hips out a bit because they didn't go all the way back.

The colder the water the better I liked it. Load up on veggies and fiber that keep you filled up.

Good luck to you.

The other S.

PS When I finished nursing my clothes were a bit big and later I filled them out.

There is NO hunger on Earth like breastfeeding hunger! Be sure you get LOTS of fluids, protein and other good foods (oatmeal is good! Nice and healthy, full of filling fiber AND it helps boost milk production!)

The tricky part comes after they starts solids...I kept eating like I was the sole support of 2 people after he was eating solids good :(

man I wish I knew!!! I hear so many moms talk about breastfeeding and the weight falling off, well not me baby!!! Can't wait to read your responses!

It made me hungry all the time too, you burn 500 additional calories each day when you are nursing. I just focused on eating lots of fruit when I wanted sweets, tried to pack my diet with lots of veggies and whole grains, which have filling fiber and drank LOTS of water. Often you mistake dehydration for hunger.

I have no opinions but I have never been so hungry! When I was breast feeding , it was ridiculous. My hunger wasn't even comparible to when pregnant. My husband used to joke that me breast feeding didn't save us any money because our grocery bill was so high.

Almonds with a few dark chocolate chips and a glass of water became a staple of mine while bf. When I finally stopped nursing, I marveled at the satiated feeling after a meal - I had almost forgotten what that felt like. Fruit on yogurt was another favorite. ie some sweet plus protein

This may sound a little strange, but try drinking more water, before and after. Breastfeeding can definitely dehydrate you, and dehydration can present as hunger, instead of thirst.
Not sure why you would crave sweets, but try eating fruit such as an apple which is filling, sweet, and healthy.
good luck!

Breastfeeding uses calories, to make the milk. I was always hungry while I was BFing! I still lost weight, just slowly during that first year. No one saw me in a bikini that summer! Once I stopped BFing, my appetite went back to normal. Then my daughter started walking and I didn't sit down or finish a meal for the next several months! The weight came off, and then some!

Oh my, I was NEVER this hungry when I was pregnant! Despite my ravenous appetite, I lost all the baby weight in the first 3-4 months doing nothing but BF. Now we're not nursing nearly as much, so I've had to start actually watching what I eat again. I have a sweet tooth, too but really just needed a taste of something sweet to satisfy me. I'd eat a little mini candy bar or a few chocolate chips just to get that little something sweet. Good luck, mama!

It made me hungry too! i was always starving. I personally did not lose the last 15-20 lbs til I was done breastfeeding, and I think it was because I was so hungry and my body just held onto weight- and as soon as I stopped, I started dropping the weight. Frustrating because I didn't stop nursing til my daughter was 13 months old so the weight didn't come off completely til she was about 16-17 months old. It's normal, and a frustrating part of breastfeeding if you aren't one of the lucky ones who loses it all from breastfeeding!