Yay! My first post in my new blog schedule!
I thought I’d start with a somewhat frivolous post.
I’m going to make a small confession to y’all… I’m a little too interested in reading/watching “what I eat in a day” posts/videos.
They’re just so dang motivating and inspiring!
Plus it feels a little bit like I’m a fly on the wall. You know what I mean?
So I thought, “why not do my own?!” Especially because breastfeeding twins is no joke. I thought maybe my other twin mamas could find some inspiration.
It’s pretty straight forward: I eat a lot, and I try to eat as clean as possible.
Also, I have cut dairy out of my diet because Rosie is sensitive to it.
So yeah! Here’s what I eat in a day while breastfeeding twins:
Breakfast: Oats with raisins, apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, ground flax seed and coconut milk + coffee. This combo is so good for breastfeeding mamas. The oats (they have to be old fashioned, not quick oats) and flax are really good at increasing supply. I know a lot of people will do brewer’s yeast as well, but I find that it makes the girls gassy.
For my first snack of the day, I almost always do a protein bar of some sort. Protein is really important when you are breastfeeding and this helps me get a lot more of it in my diet. I really like these Health Warrior bars because they’re vegan, but they don’t taste vegan (you know what I mean)? I don’t always have a green juice like I did this day, but I always treat myself to one when I go grocery shopping. I believe I got this particular one at Target.
Lunch is almost always leftovers. This day it was chili made by my mother in law, some organic tortilla chips and some melon. Not much to say about this meal, except “thanks mom!”
I always have a little mini meal around 2:00 because I find that my blood sugar always seems to dip a bit around that time and I just get hangry if I don’t eat something substantial. This is pretty typical for me: an egg with spinach, a veggie muffin (I get this particular kind at Costco) and a smoothie (frozen cherries and banana, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, cocoa powder, acai powder, and vegan protein powder). This really fills me up, but it’s still light enough that I don’t lose all of my energy by 4:00.
We do super simple dinners nowadays. This may look kind of fancy, but it really is not! We get boxes of this salmon and rice medley at Costco. The rice cooks in 90 seconds in the microwave and I just throw the salmon on the same pan as the carrots and green beans and roast everything together. We always have a bit of fruit (mango this time) after dinner to satisfy sweet tooths and because I know that if Kit doesn’t eat much else, she’ll for sure eat the fruit.
And finally, my night time snack! I try to do low carb, high protein at night, but sometimes you’re just craving something sweet haha! This is just peanut butter, bananas, honey and cinnamon on a tortilla. Pretty simple!
And that’s it! Did anyone notice that my photo quality got progressively worse as the day went on? #naturallightproblems
When I took these photos, I was doing about 3,000 calories a day (as recommended by this book). Since then, I’ve been experimenting with fewer calories because I was starting to gain weight. My number one goal is to have enough milk for the girls so if 3,000 is what I have to do, then so be it! However, I find that I do just fine in the 2,000-2,500 calorie range. with that said, I don’t exercise hard core. I think if I was exercising harder (I just do walks and light yoga) I would absolutely need to eat more than that amount!
If you’re new to breastfeeding, remember that now is not the time to get ripped. I know a lot of women feel pressured to lose the weight fast and look really toned, but the reality is that our bodies hang on to that extra fat for a reason. It’s needed to produce milk. So just relax, enjoy the fact that you are producing nutrients for your baby and give yourself time to take the weight off.
K. I’ll step down off my soapbox now.
Let me know what you think! Does anyone else find that they are ravenously hungry when they’re breastfeeding? What are some of your go to recipes and snacks?
Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time,
Karin, I so appreciate you sharing this! Your perspective is right on. I am very much out of the breastfeeding stage (I have 4 boys and my youngest is 5) but I find that so many mamas are so focused on weightloss right after delivery and not on providing milk for their babes. I know the struggle to want to loose weight, but I also have the perspective now that it’s such a short time and so very important. I think it is really encouraging to see you focused on eating enough calories but also on making healthy food choices. Good for you. And thank you for being an example to other mamas in that stage. Proud of you.
Thank you Meg! I definitely didn’t have this perspective with my first, but that struggle really shed light on where my priorities were at the time and it’s made me re-prioritize this time around.
I love oatmeal. I only have one baby but even at 9 months he still nurses every 2 hrs sometimes more! I eat all day long. ☺ I think a lot of women’s milk supplies are affected by pressure to lose the weight.
What a hungry boy haha! And I think you are absolutely right!
wow! Your diet looks so nice and healthy! I remember how ravenous I would get when I was breastfeeding, and it wasn’t even twins. Sadly the food I craved wasn’t healthy at times. I remember when M was 1 week old my husband went grower shopping and forgot to buy doughnuts… I was in tears, literally. Funny thing was that before giving birth I never craved doughnuts. I guess my body needed the crazy calories 🙂
It’s definitely a struggle! I’m motivated by the fact that when I eat healthier (in the right proportions), I see an increase in my milk supply. I just try to get a good amount of healthy fats so I stay satisfied and don’t crave as much unhealthy foods.
Great post! I do a cup of full fat Greek yogurt with either granola or flax, blueberries, and sliced almonds. Really satisfying and high in protein! Oh and I usually drizzle it with honey…makes it feel like a special treat 🙂
I miss Greek Yogurt!! I can’t have ANY dairy or Rosie projectile vomits. So sad!!
I know, I’m sorry! I totally spaced on that detail. I’m going to try your old fashioned oats concoction.
No worries! 🙂 Hopefully someone else will get inspiration (and I’ll totally make it when I’m done breastfeeding!)
Love this post, Karin! I am starting to enjoy the “What I eat in a day” videos as well! For me, it is mostly because I am tired of cooking the same recipes all the time. I need some variety. The treat at the end of your day seems perfect for a healthy sweet snack!
Same here! I love seeing what people are cooking “in real life” 🙂
Your meal choices are very inspiring! They so do healthy and delicious!!
Thank you!
Haha I get hangry around 2pm as well! I love having half an avocado to help me last until dinner 🙂
Yes! A little healthy fat goes a long way!
I’m breastfeeding an eight month old (doing it right now, ha) and I’m always hungry. If I forget to eat or don’t eat enough I also feel sick and weak, which didn’t use to be the case. I also find protein is very important for my supply, as are healthy fat and carbs. Oatmeal with peanut butter is the best!
I’m the same way! Breastfeeding is no joke! I struggle to get enough protein, but those bars definitely help!
I love these kind of posts too, so motivating and I always pick up a new healthy mom snack or two. Thanks!!
I remember at one stage I was drinking 5 litres of water! (1.3+ gallons) but when I worked it out the twins were drinking about 3+ litres of milk so really that was obviously what I needed to be drinking!
You’re doing awesome feeding twins!!!
Also, peanut butter/oat balls with real peanut butter and a drizzle of honey in the mix. Or a drizzle of dark choc on top ?
I love
I drink about a gallon (easily) as well! But I know water is so important with breastfeeding! Those peanut butter/oat balls sound so good! I’m going to make them for sure!
Oh and one more, Jamie Oliver bircher! I make a big bowl (or several small jars) each week with coconut milk and add my ground linseeds. I also add in some dried cranberries if I’m not going to grate any fruit. It’s so filling!
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/bircher-muesli/
This looks so good too! Thanks!!
im so nosy about what others eat, loved your daily meal intake…girls are getting well-nourished 🙂
Haha! Me too!