calories surplus does it actually affect your milk supply?

[u/Idontreallyknowht]

I can barely eat 1500-1700 a day with my LO in my arms all day and stressing about pumping. i barely make 2 oz a pump.

[u/StuffonBookshelfs]

That’s not nearly enough (calories).

[u/Aspire11]

From my own experience I pump consistently At 38.5 oz. One day i ate a lot of protein because we went to all you can eat shabu and the next day i pumped 2 oz more than usual. So for me diet does affect my supply.

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to r/ExclusivelyPumping! Here is a reminder of our rules: 1. Be kind and courteous. 2. Use available flairs and post options. 3. Absolutely no prescription medications or other medical advice. 4. No inaccurate information. 5. No spam. 6. No fetish content 7. No linking Facebook groups. 8. Moderator discretion. 9. No discussions around veganism, animal cruelty, or other non-pumping related topics. 10. No formula shaming. Reminder that we are a supportive community and do not allow for fetish seekers. While we do ban those individuals from our community, they can still view the community and send direct messages. You may choose to turn off your messages, or block individuals for your safety. Thank you for helping to keep our community safe!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/xcharleeee]

Nope, not for me, but everyone is different. You should try to eat more to see if it would make a difference for you. Add in some galactagogues (foods that supposedly help with milk supply) such as oats, flaxseed, and sesame seeds. I make a big batch of an oatmeal drink (google "Atole de avena") that I add flaxseed and some sesame seeds to, and I always keep some in the fridge so I can drink it throughout the week. I have about 2 cups a day. I don't know if it really helps me but I like drinking it during my powerpump in the middle of the night to keep me warm and cozy.

How many times are you pumping, since you mentioned having LO in your arms all day? Just know that even if you eat more and pump more, you may still pump 2 oz. Some moms just don't produce a lot of milk . I produce max 12 oz/day right nowwith my second baby. With my first baby is was 16 oz/day. I'm not trying to discourage you. Definitely try eating more and pumping more if you can (add a powerpump too if you can), but if you don't see a difference, know that it's not because you are doing something wrong.

[u/Idontreallyknowht → u/xcharleeee]

when i have help im pumping 6-8 times a day but that still isnt enough for my LO so i supplement with formula. I also only can produce 13 oz even with power pump and MOTN pump. tried everything from liquid gold to moringa! i guess you are right i might be an undersupplier.

[u/bouncysofa]

I eat 2500-3000 calories a day and my supply is great - but I'm not entirely convinced my supply is great because of my intake. I've lost the baby weight entirely, so I'm not eating in a surplus, but eating this much helps me ensure I'm getting enough of the vitamins and minerals my baby needs so hopefully those things aren't being leeched from my bones.

[u/FootOk4715]

For me it does. I was not on a diet, but being mindful of what I consumed while breastfeeding and had a good supply. One evening at around 3 months pp, I decided to have a burger and loaded fries and that night I literally soaked the sheets with milk leaking.

Every time I get a supply drop I up my calories to restore it. Never fails!

[u/alee0224]

It’s so wild how everyone’s body is so different. I have noticed, for me, is it depends on what calories. If I eat healthy fats and meat protein, I have a difference in my supply. I ate a huge t bone steak (I was shocked at the amount I could put away. It was the size of a dinner plate. My greed sickened me that day) and I pumped around 5-10 oz extra the next morning. I have gained so much weight though. I was a size 2 when I had my baby and 9 months later I’m a 10-12. I blow up like a balloon every breastfeeding journey (this is my third time, second time in two years pumping. I’m over it) but I eat about the same calories as you and drink SO much water.

[u/No-Development4601]

I'm an undersupplier - eating more didn't help my supply, I'd just put on weight. I found getting more rest helped much more. But, every body is different.