Caloric intake while nursing

Nursing mothers generally need 500 calories more a day than their pre-pregnancy Recommended Daily Allowance. This takes into consideration the fact that the average breastfeeding infant consumes 650 calories a day, which is why breastfeeding mothers generally lose weight much more quickly than their bottle feeding counterparts. The weight you gained while pregnant will make up the difference. That’s an instant weight loss of 150 calories per day just by doing what comes naturally! (For reference sake, that’s roughly the equivalent of fifteen minutes of running or stair climbing.)

Those nursing twins or who had little weight gain during pregnancy may to eat more calories in a day because their bodies will not have enough extra weight to compensate. Again, your baby is getting the calories it needs from your body. If you do not have enough calories to spare to create an adequate amount of breast milk your baby will go hungry, forcing you to either up your caloric intake or begin to supplement.