Why Does Breastfeeding Make You So Hungry

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Your breastfed baby seems to always be hungry. And you may be surprised to find you're always hungry, too. After a meal that would usually keep you full for hours, you're suddenly ready to eat again an hour later. What gives?

It turns out that your body burns a lot of calories to make milk. It's normal to feel hungry and eat more calories to keep up your milk supply.

Read on to learn why your appetite increases when you're nursing, and how to best nourish yourself and your baby.

Can breastfeeding increase your appetite?

Yes. It's common for nursing to increase your appetite. Nursing provides your baby with all of the nutrients they need for growth and development. And making milk takes a lot of work from your body. People who are nursing burn through about 500 extra calories per day to make milk.

Calories are the body's source of energy, and they come from the foods you eat. The calories and nutrients you get from food are used more quickly when your body makes milk. You need to eat enough to replenish those calories. The foods you eat are literally nourishing your baby - and your body.

There's no need to count calories to ensure you get 450 to 500 extra calories per day. The best thing to do is listen to your appetite. When you feel hungry, have a nutritious meal or snack.

When friends or family members ask if there's anything they can do to help you, request food. Single-serve meals and snacks (especially ones that freeze well) are always helpful to have on hand.

How often should I eat while breastfeeding?

It's normal to have more meals and snacks than usual while you're nursing. Babies eat often, sometimes as frequently as every 2 to 3 hours. That means you will have to eat often, too. You may eat every few hours, just like your baby, to replenish the calories and nutrients that your body used to make milk.

Since babies have erratic sleep and feeding patterns, you likely will, too. You may find yourself hungry at odd hours, like 3AM. This is normal. Once your baby develops more regular sleep/wake cycles and feeding cycles, your own eating schedule should follow suit.

Diet for breastfeeding

According to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the best diet while nursing is the same balanced diet pattern recommended to everyone. This includes:

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Grains, including whole grains (at least half of the time)

• Dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy alternatives

• Meats, poultry, and seafood

• Beans, peas, and lentils

• Nuts and seeds

• Soy products such as tofu and edamame

• Oils, which provide healthy fats

The guidelines also recommend limiting foods and beverages that are high in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. This includes fast food, baked goods, and candy.

Nutrients your body needs more of while breastfeeding

Your body needs a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to support the process of making milk. Here are some specific nutrients to make sure you get enough of while nursing:

• Protein: This helps build and repair muscle tissue. You can get protein from meat, poultry, and seafood. It's also found in eggs and dairy, plus plant-based sources such as legumes and soy foods.

• Calcium: This nutrient helps with baby's bone development (and keeps your bones strong, too). It's found in dairy foods, fortified dairy alternatives, and some legumes. Aim for 1,000 mg per day.

• Vitamin D: This vitamin helps with calcium absorption. It's found in fish, egg yolks, and fortified beverages. You can also take vitamin D supplements. Aim for at least 600 IUs each day.

• DHA: This is needed for baby's brain development. It's found in fatty fish such as salmon and trout. Vegans, vegetarians, or anyone who doesn't eat fish may need omega-3 or DHA supplements. Aim for 200 mg to 300 mg of DHA per day.

• Iodine: This essential nutrient supports brain development. Most people get enough if they use regular iodized table salt in their saltshaker. Skip non-iodized sea salt while nursing, and fill your saltshaker with regular table salt. Aim for 290 mcg per day.

• Choline: This nutrient supports development of the baby's brain and spinal cord. It's found in protein-rich foods, like eggs, meat, and seafood. It's also found in beans, peas, and lentils. Aim for 550 mg per day.

It's a good idea to keep taking your pregnancy multivitamin while nursing. This is especially important if you're vegan, or lack variety in your diet. This multivitamin will ensure you're filling any potential nutrient gaps.

What drinks should you choose - and avoid - while breastfeeding?

You need lots of fluids while you're nursing, and your body may tell you so by making you feel extra thirsty. Remember, the milk you feed your baby is mostly fluid, which comes from your body. So staying well-hydrated will help you produce enough milk for your baby.

As an example, a nursing 6-week-old baby takes in about 3 to 4 cups of milk daily. And you still need fluids for yourself. Aim to drink a total of about 10 to 12 cups of water each day to stay hydrated while nursing. You may find it helpful to drink a cup of water every time you feed your baby.

Caffeine is something to be mindful about while nursing. It can be passed into breast milk, and excess caffeine can make your baby fussy or disrupt their sleep. Up to 3 cups of coffee per day (or 300 mg to 500 mg of caffeine) should be OK for most people. But if your baby is a preterm infant or showing signs of extra fussiness, try reducing your caffeine intake. And be mindful of other caffeine sources, such as chocolate, soda, tea, and energy drinks.

And finally, it's important to not drink alcohol while nursing. If you do drink alcohol, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests:

• Limit your alcohol use to occasional intake as much as possible.

• Don't consume more than 0.5 g of alcohol per kilogram of body weight. Note that this recommendation is in grams of alcohol, and kilograms of body weight. So, a 60 kg (or 132 lb) person should stay below 2 oz of liquor, 8 oz of wine, or 2 beers.

• Wait at least 2 hours before nursing. This allows the alcohol to leave your bloodstream and avoid ending up in your milk.

• You don't need to express or pump and discard your breast milk.

Can I lose weight while breastfeeding?

If you're hungry all the time, you may wonder how this will affect your weight while nursing.

About two-thirds of the calories your body requires to make milk come from the foods you eat. The remaining calories come from the weight you gained during pregnancy. So, nursing may help some people lose weight. But this isn't true for everyone. While some studies show that nursing aids weight loss, other studies show no effect.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a weight loss of 1 lb per week is safe for nursing individuals whose goal is weight loss. But remember, your body added pregnancy-related weight for a reason - and gradually over 10 months. Be patient with yourself. If you feel like you want to lose weight, it's best not to try and do it quickly. And remember all the hard work your body is doing for you and your baby on a daily basis.

Restricting food or ignoring your hunger isn't a safe way to lose weight while nursing. It can deprive you and your baby of necessary calories. In fact, eating less than 1,800 calories per day can reduce your milk supply, which means fewer nutrients for your baby.

Eat when you feel hungry to nourish your body.

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