Want to know how to gain weight while breastfeeding in Nigeria?
Then this post is here to help!
You'll discover why weight loss happens during lactation, how to calculate the calories you need to gain weight, what nutrient-rich foods to eat, and how to adjust your meals to meet your goals.
Let's get started!
Why Weight Loss Occurs for Some Breastfeeding Moms
For many women, breastfeeding accelerates postpartum weight loss. Several key biological and lifestyle factors drive this phenomenon:
- Increased Calorie Burn: Producing breast milk requires extra energy - approximately 500 extra calories per day above regular metabolic needs Breastfeeding moms burn more calories than formula-feeding moms even with milk production taken into account.
- Hormone Changes: Prolactin and oxytocin, key hormones for breast milk synthesis, also impact metabolism and fat storage patterns.
- Appetite and Stress Regulation: Many moms naturally eat less while adapting to an infant’s demanding feeding schedule. Emotional stressors related to parenting can suppress appetite signals.
Thus, breastfeeding gives a boost to postpartum weight loss through several interconnected bodily mechanisms.
The right nutrition plan can help remedy unwanted weight loss or plateau for nursing moms. The following sections provide evidence-based strategies. Let start from the top...
Calculating Optimal Calorie Intake Goals
Determining an appropriate and healthy caloric intake is the first step for managing weight during breastfeeding. Several simple tools can help estimate needs:
- Online calculators: Account for key variables like age, height, activity level, and weeks postpartum. You can use this >> calculator
- Food journals: Track current intake for 3-5 days to determine starting point
- Nutrition labels: Provide calorie content for all prepared items
These tools help tailor calorie goals for an individual’s unique needs. Current guidelines suggest breastfeeding mothers need:
- An extra 330–400 calories per day: During the first 6 months postpartum
- An extra 400–500 calories per day: After 6 months postpartum
Using these estimates as a starting point, mothers can fine-tune their daily caloric intake based on their personalized health objectives.
How To Gain Weight While Breastfeeding In Nigeria
For moms needing weight gain, the goal is a modest calorie surplus of around 500 extra calories daily above estimated needs for milk production and regular activity. This stimulates 1/2 to 1 pound of added body fat per week. Slow gains within this range allow nursing to continue without disruption.
Choosing Quality Calories for Optimal Health
Simply adding extra calories may help boost weight, but nutrition quality also matters. The right foods nourish mothers while providing complete, allergen-free nutrition for developing infants.
Emphasize a mix of minimally processed foods:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Legumes, nuts and seeds
- Dairy products
- Eggs and meat
These provide balanced macronutrition with sufficient proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. They also supply ample vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients for optimal function.
Nutrient-Dense Foods to Include
Specific examples of high-quality, high-calorie choices:
Nuts, seeds, nut butters
- Almonds, walnuts, pecans
- Peanuts, peanut butter
- Pumpkin, chia and flaxseeds
- Tahini, sunflower seed butter
Dried fruits
- Raisins, cherries, blueberries
- Mango, papaya, pineapple
- Dates, apricots, apples
Avocados and oils
- Avocado slices or mashed
- Olive oil and canola oil
- Nut oils like walnut and almond
Full-fat dairy
- Whole milk, full-fat yogurt
- Cheese slices or grated
- Cream cheese, sour cream
Eggs and meats
- Eggs any style
- Salmon, sardines
- Chicken, turkey
- Lean beef, pork
Grains, legumes
- Oats, muesli, granola
- Brown rice, quinoa
- Tofu, lentils, chickpeas
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes
This diverse mix provides lasting energy and satisfies hunger. Combining several choices in meals and snacks prevents nutritional gaps.
Increasing Calorie Density of Meals
Beyond specific food choices, preparation technique also modifies calorie density. Consider these easy tips:
Boost smoothies
- Blend in chia seeds, flaxseeds, nut butters or avocados
- Use full-fat milk, yogurt or cottage cheese
- Mix in oats or muesli cereal
Fortify hot cereals
- Use whole or 2% milk instead of water
- Stir in dried fruits, berries, banana and cinnamon
- Top with chopped nuts, seeds or shredded coconut
Enrich savory dishes
- Add nut oils, olive oil, seed butter sauces
- Mix in avocado chunks or slices
- Top with cheese, eggs, meat crumbles, beans
Sweeten healthier
- Drizzle maple syrup, raw honey, molasses
- Mix in jams, preserves, fruit butters
- Blend bananas, dates, dried fruits
With some easy additions, the calorie density – or calories per bite – really adds up. This prevents the need to eat bigger portions for weight goals.
Eating More Frequently for Consistent Fueling
Along with adjusting food quality and density, eating smaller amounts more often keeps energy steady. The key principles are:
- 5-6 mini-meals daily
- Spacing meals 2-3 hours apart
- Combining complex carbs + protein + fat at each mini-meal for satiation
- Preparing snacks ahead of time for convenience
Benefits of this pattern include:
- Preventing extreme hunger
- Maintaining consistent milk supply
- Stabilizing blood sugar highs and lows
- Boosting metabolism through “grazing pattern”
With planning ahead, quick mini-meals easily fit between nursing sessions.
Tracking Changes Over Time
After establishing weight gain or loss goals and implementing diet and lifestyle changes, be sure to:
- Weigh weekly under consistent conditions
- Assess body composition monthly or quarterly
- Re-calculate calorie needs after major milestones
Adjust intake up or down by 100-200 calories as needed to stay on track. Plateaus are normal and calorie needs may shift over time. Tracking progress builds motivation while allowing course corrections.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Despite best intentions, sticking to a nutrition plan amidst sleep deprivation and demanding infant care can be challenging. Watch for these common diet missteps:
| Pitfall | Impact | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Overeating high-calorie treats | Too rapid weight gain, fat storage versus milk production | Control portions of sweets, emphasize nutrient-dense choices |
| Making too few nourishing meals and snacks | Energy crashes, dehydration, milk supply dips | Meal prep healthy grab-and-go items, set phone alerts to eat |
| Drinking excess calories from frappes, juices, soda | Blood sugar and energy spikes and crashes | Hydrate with water, limit sugary drinks |
| Skipping meals from exhaustion | Lack of energy for nursing, milk supply reduction | Accept help from partner, friends, family to ensure self-care |
| Endless nursing on demand | Increased hunger and calorie needs | Use feeding cues but alternate breasts, take breaks |
| Over-restricting calories | Losing too much weight, milk supply problems | Meet increased needs to support nursing, fuel your body |
While striving for postpartum weight goals, self-care remains priority one for nursing mothers. Watching for these potential pitfalls and promptly correcting course keeps both mom and baby thriving.
Conclusion: Supporting Health in Balance
The physiologic process of breastfeeding drives shifts in appetite, metabolism and weight unlike any other stage of life. While some moms need to actively try to gain weight, others find pounds melt away unexpectedly.
Achieving personalized weight goals requires tailored calorie intakes through nourishing food choices. Adjusting meal frequency, density and portion sizes gives moms control in meeting their needs. Tracking progress over time and avoiding common diet pitfalls helps to stay on course.
Most importantly, breastfeeding mothers deserve adequate nutrition and realistic weight expectations to flourish in their vital role. With accurate information and support, moms can find where their changing body settles into a healthy balance.
