I get hungry quickly during breastfeeding.

Many female friends who used to have very small appetites will feel hungry quickly during breastfeeding, especially after each feeding, the hunger will be more obvious. So why do breastfeeding mothers feel hungry so easily? Here I will explain to you the reasons why you feel hungry quickly during breastfeeding, and also tell you how breastfeeding mothers can eat safely.

Do breastfeeding mothers need to eat more?

Compared with non-breastfeeding mothers, breastfeeding mothers do need more calories and nutrients to support their own body needs and lactation needs during breastfeeding. Generally speaking, mothers who exclusively breastfeed need 400-500 extra calories per day. In addition, while increasing calories, breastfeeding mothers will also need more high-quality protein, water, and a variety of minerals and vitamins to support the additional nutrient requirements brought about by lactation.

Can breastfeeding mothers burn off the fat by eating more?

Many mothers believe that during breastfeeding, since milk secretion increases consumption, there is no need to worry even if they eat extra. Is this true? In fact, although lactation does require additional calorie support, if the total calorie intake is too high and exceeds the calories we can consume, the excess calories cannot increase the amount or quality of milk indefinitely. On the contrary, these excess calories will be converted into fat tissue and stored by the body, turning into the unwanted fat and little belly fat.

Many mothers feel that they get hungry faster than usual during breastfeeding. So what is the most scientific way to avoid going hungry while balancing the calorie intake throughout the day so that it does not exceed the calorie expenditure? First of all, we should learn to judge what causes your hunger.

Can you tell the difference between different causes of hunger?

Are you thirsty or hungry?

Sometimes we feel hungry, but our real need may be thirst. We often cannot distinguish between hunger and thirst. This is because the centers in our brain that control hunger and thirst signals are in the hypothalamus. This sometimes causes confusion in nerve sensors, and the brain clearly sends a signal of thirst, but we mistakenly interpret it as hunger. Breastfeeding mothers often need more water due to lactation, and after breastfeeding is an active time for the body to send signals for water replenishment.

Therefore, if mothers feel hungry after feeding, they might as well ask themselves: "Am I feeling hungry or thirsty?" Drink some water immediately after feeding, and wait for 15-20 minutes before judging whether you are hungry or full. This way, you will not consume unnecessary calories because you always mistake thirst for hunger.