Do breastfeeding mothers need extra calories?

In general, you should simply listen to your body and eat to appetite – this is usually all you need to do to get the calories you need. When exclusively nursing a young baby, it is very common to feel hungry much of the time… listen to your body. Mothers of older babies may feel hungrier when baby temporarily increases his or her milk intake (for example, during a growth spurt)… again, listen to your body. Counting calories is rarely necessary unless you are having problems maintaining a healthy weight.