Having a baby can be draining. And if you're breast-feeding, it can be downright exhausting: It burns about 200 to 500 calories each day, according to certified lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata. To preserve your energy, maintain your milk supply and protect your health, you should meet the required caloric intake for breast-feeding mothers.
Required Calories
Lactating moms require extra energy to produce milk, so you must eat and drink an adequate amount of calories each day. When you're breast-feeding you should consume approximately 500 calories above your pre-pregnancy diet of 1,800 to 2,200 calories each day; you should eat at least 2,000 calories per day, according to Children's Hospital Boston.
Individual Needs
Before you start adding snacks and meals to your diet, you should talk to a medical professional about how much extra you'll need to consume daily based on your weight, height, age and activity level. The amount of milk you need to produce should be taken into account when determining how many supplementary calories you will require, according to the California Food Guide "Maternal Nutrition During Lactation." For instance, you will probably need additional calories each day if you are exclusively breast-feeding -- as opposed to supplementing with formula or solid foods -- or if you are nursing more than one child.
Eating for Breast-feeding
Breast-feeding pulls nutrients from your body's reserves to ensure that your baby always gets proper nourishment; this means you are at risk for deficiencies, according to "Maternal Nutrition During Lactation." To replenish you should eat lots of calcium, vitamins A, B1-thiamin, B2-riboflavin, B6, B12, folate, iron and iodine -- all found in nutrient-dense foods including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, calcium-rich dairy and protein-rich fare like meats, fish, beans and nuts.
Healthy Snacks
Consume snacks and small meals that provide those nutrients so vital for your health while breast-feeding, recommends "FitPregnancy" magazine. One easy 500-calorie meal is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a cup of milk. Other snacks that help provide the extra nutrients and calories that you require include tomato, mozzarella and basil salad drizzled with extra virgin olive oil; plain yogurt topped with fresh fruit, nuts and a sprinkle of maple syrup; and fresh veggies and whole-wheat pita bread dipped in hummus.
Losing Weight
Breast-feeding can burn 200 to 500 calories each day, reports Bonyata of the KellyMom website, "so keep in mind that even without a weight loss program you are burning extra calories." You must give your body time to build a stable milk supply, so you shouldn't try to lose weight until your baby is at least 2 months old, notes Bonyata. And when you do decide to lose weight, make it slow and steady; rapidly cutting your calories can lower your milk supply and affect your baby's health.
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