Hunger Control While Breastfeeding

Instead of eating three big meals a day, eat five or six small meals. Eat something small for breakfast, a small snack, a small lunch, another small snack, some dinner. And make sure that you're eating mostly fresh fruits and vegetables. I would suggest, and this is what I'm planning on doing once I have this baby, to make a fruit smoothie for breakfast, and a vegetable smoothie for lunch. Maybe have some fresh fruit for my morning snack, and some veggies for my afternoon snack. Then eat a normal dinner. Fruits and vegetables are the best things for you, so there's no way you can really go overboard on them. And I don't count calories, so I don't know much about them, really, but I know that fruits and veggies are always the right way to go. :)

Here's something I found out after I quit nursing when my son was 16 months old-it is perfectly normal to hold on to 5-10lbs over your pre-pregnancy weight while you are nursing! I couldn't figure out why I held on to those last 5lbs. Of course I found out the info after the fact but it helped the second time around! Don't worry, the weight will most likely fall off once you finish weaning. Continue to eat healthy with small, frequent meals (even after you stop nursing that's the best way to eat). Your body is telling you it needs more to sustain you and baby! Listen to your body. If you are starved by the evening you may not be eating enough during the day in an attempt to lost those last 10. They will come off once you are done nursing!

You are not eating enough. You need fiber and protein.

Your appetite will more likely be sated if you eat frequently, and when you do, if your portions are smaller, you don't really notice. Also, are you drinking enough water? Sometimes hunger is really a sign of thirst. Even with an older bf baby, you should have a glass of water every hour.
Don't be discouraged about the extra 10 pounds. Often when breastfeeding, you take a lot of weight off quickly, and then hold that 5-10 til you wean. Be kind to yourself and don't demand too much of your body - it's been doing an incredible job of providing someone's food for almost a year!

Hi R.,
I tricked myself out of that cycle.
Healthy snacking is what helped me. I would have my 3 portioned meals a day and in between I'd eat nuts, nutritional bars, lots of furits and water just to keep me full, hence, save me from going after anything with flour!
And one thing I realized was that if I kept myself on a strict diet, I would completely go crazy and start knocking on depression door. So don't deprive yourself of anything. If you want a piece of cake with your tea at 4pm, go ahead have your well portioned piece of cake. It will give you peace of mind, huge satisfaction and will eliminate any feelings of deprivation, which in turn creates that little wicked voice the tells you to gobble up a whole pint of mocha ice cream.
Try attain bars and shakes, whole grain crackers for the carb fix, water, water, water to fill your tummy and keep you hydrated...
Good luck.
L..
Working From Home, Helping Others!

Hello - I'm currently nursing my 2nd son who is almost 8 months old. I nursed my 1st son for just over a year. Honestly, I feel like pregnancy and breastfeeding helped me to form a healthier diet and lifestyle! I never could get myself to stick with writing down what I ate or counting calories (please...that drove me nuts and lasted less than a week!), but I don't think that is too important. You get so used to eating 6 or more small meals a day when you're nursing that it seems strange to ever go back to eating 3 times a day with an occasional snack in between. (For the first 3 months or so I had to have a small meal in the middle of the night or my tummy would be growling for it!) You definitely should still be eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I recommend that you do have something light but satisfying in between meals and in the evening (post-dinner but not right before bed). The trick is to make a healthy choice that still satisfies your sweet tooth. Ideally this snack will have some casein (slow-release) protein in it to help feed your muscles at night and fiber to help you feel full. A few of my favorite evening meals: yogurt, and cereal. They're sweet but healthy, and the dairy contains proteins that you need. They carbs in cereal burn off quickly so it doesn'y hurt to have it at night. I love yogurt and often throw blueberries into yogurt, or I stir in some flax seeds. Don't feel guilty about eating more than 3 times a day - in fact I believe more frequent but smaller meals works best for our bodies and our health (especially when you nurse). I still make sure to have something every 3-4 hours (used to be every 2 in the beginning!) I eat healthy but not "too healthy" - I can't stands the taste of most "health foods" out there. I've tried tons of those "health bars" and most of them are just awful!! Another sweet treat I've stumbled upon in this search for the good-tasting snack bar: Fiber One bars. Oats and Chocolate is my fav, PB is 2nd. They taste good, hit the spot as a midday snack between meals or craving curber at night, and have some fiber and protein in them. And did I mention they taste good?
Oh yes, and keep drinking plenty of water - I love water, and carry a water bottle with me everywhere I go, even if it's just around the house. I drink water all the time, especially when I nurse, which is very important. And just like someone else pointed out, sometimes we mistake hunger for thirst. It's amazing.
Anyway, good luck with figuring things out, and be patient. I'm going through the same thing - 10 pounds that are stuck there. I want them gone but realize I'll have to wait until I'm where you're at, when I'm done nursing my son. It will come in time. If you exercise and eat healthy, that's all you need. And don't worry about the number on the scale - worry about your body being at a healthy BMI and in proportion. Remember muscle weighs more than fat too, so if you do any strength training, keep that in mind.

Good luck to you!

C.

I read that it actually requires more calories to nurse an older baby than a younger one, so you are probably requiring more food than you think. The other post is right, your body needs those extra pounds to fuel the breastfeeding and will not give them up willingly! Just give yourself a break and enjoy these last few weeks of nursing. Also, give yourself a big pat on the back for making it to a year!