Does anyone know really how many calories it takes to make milk?
I'm talking general ballpark figure, not exact amounts...but I'm
remembering a few things I've heard over the months/years and thinking
some of it just doesn't add up.
First of all, people generally say a breastfeeding mom is supposed to
need *about* 500 cal. per day more than when not breastfeeding. Is
this over and above a 500 more for pregnancy (ie 1000 more than when
not bf/pg, or just 500 more than when not breastfeeding?)? I've heard
that this is the amount her body needs to expend, but that she can be
only taking in an extra 200 per day or so, and that the extra calories
will be made up with what she deposited during pregnancy.
Well, then I come across the "nutritional value of human milk" chart
in "From Tiny Tot to Toddler" that Québec gives out to all new
parents. As references, it says it's adapted from "Bresatfeeding; a
Guide for the Medical Profession" 3rd edition, by Ruth A. Lawrence,
1989, pages 505-506. In this chart, it claims thatthere are 70
calories per 100 mL. I assume this is an average, since foremilk
ought to be less calorie-dense than hindmilk?
Well, then I also once heard that an average woman will produce about
a litre of milk per day. I've also heard it's upwards of more like
2-2.5 litres...but assuming it's a conservative 1 litre, that means
1000 mL, therefore at 70 cal per 100 mL, multiply by 10, you get that
the mom will be putting out 700 cal. per day in milk. More if she
produces more than a litre of milk. Assuming these references are
right, and are based on an average.
So...how could a breastfeeding mom "only" need 500 cal. per day if she
is putting out 700? Is the 700 calories the amount needed to actually
be *in* the milk, and she needs on top of that, another X number of
calories to actually *make* said milk (i.e. get the "factory" running)?
I just am not sure if I'm missing a puzzle piece...or am I thinking
too much? ;-)
By the way, I should admit...this subject of conversation came up when
I was trying to figure out how one could determine how many calories
were needed to manufacture a pint of blood. Could one lose weight by
giving a pint of blood several times a week? ;-) (this is a joke,
but no one seems to know how one would calculate this...if anyone has
any ideas, I'd love to hear them off list, since this ends up being
rather off-topic compared to the milk!).
Thanks in advance,
Fio
ressource person with Allaitement Québec
Mama to Sandrine, 3 years 1 month, and Nyssa, 5 mos, tandem nursing.
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