Nutrition Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers
For nine months, you’ve carefully monitored your diet, making sure to eat foods that would help your baby’s growth and development. Now that your precious child is born, you are facing another challenge: Ensuring your baby gets the nutrients they need from your breast milk.
Breastfeeding mothers need to monitor their diets because what they eat is often found in breast milk.
This causes many breastfeeding mothers to ask us: What foods promote healthy growth? Are there items that you should avoid entirely? And how many more calories do you need to consume for breastfeeding?
We’ll tackle these questions and give you some practical nutrition tips for breastfeeding mothers that will help ensure your baby gets the best start in life.
7 Nutrition Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers
1. Select Foods High in Protein
Your nutritional choices should be ones that are protein rich so they can help your milk production. These include lean meat, dairy, beans, eggs, lentils and seafood (but see our warning about seafood in our next nutrition tips).
2. Make Sure To Select Seafood is Low in Mercury
Seafood is filled with useful and important nutrients. However, certain kinds of fish have a high mercury content. Mercury can pass to your baby through your breast milk. Extensive exposure to mercury can negatively impact your baby’s nervous system development.
We go into more detail about which fish are safer to eat in our earlier blog, “Is It Safe to Eat Fish While Pregnant?”
In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides this helpful flier about which fish to avoid It gives the vital information you need at a glance.
3. Eat Whole Grains
We suggest eating whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal and whole-grain pasta. Not only are these high in fiber, but they are also full of important vitamins and minerals. Another advantage is that they will help your blood sugar remain steady. They’ll also make you feel full longer.
4. Continue to Eat Fruits and vegetables
By now, you’ve noticed that a lot of our nutritional tips for breastfeeding are also good advice to follow when you’re not breastfeeding. Fruits and vegetables are always an important part of everyone’s diet.
Certain fruits, such as fresh apricots, can reduce inflammation. Apricots are particularly useful for supporting healthy blood pressure. When you do select fruits, try to avoid those that are canned in heavy syrup. If you must use the canned variety, make sure they are packed in water.
5. Continue to take your prenatal vitamin
First, don’t take any supplements without first speaking with us. We want to be sure you’re taking something that will provide the best possible outcomes for you and your baby. You should continue to take a daily prenatal vitamin while you are breastfeeding to ensure you’re getting what you need to nourish your baby.
6. Eat a Variety of Foods
Did you know that your diet may help your baby when they later learn to eat solid food?
The flavor of your breast milk changes with what you eat. By exposing your child to a variety of tastes, they may be more likely to accept solid food.
7. Stay Hydrated and Monitor What You Drink
Be sure to drink plenty of water and be on the lookout for signs of dehydration. Don’t overindulge on sugary drinks or juices. The added sugar can cause you to gain weight.
Also, avoid too much caffeine. This makes its way to the baby through your breast milk. Therefore, it may make it more difficult for them to fall asleep. Try to have no more than 16 to 24 ounces of caffeinated drinks.
Did you know that alcohol can be found in breast milk? That’s why we believe the safest option is to avoid alcohol while you are breastfeeding.
Vegetarian? Customized Nutrition Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers
If you’re not getting your protein from lean animal meats, you’ll need to be sure to use meat substitutes to get enough iron and protein. This includes legumes, eggs, nuts, whole grains, lentils, peas and dried fruit.
You may need vitamin B-12 or vitamin D supplements. We’ll work closely with you to determine the best course of action for you.
How Many Extra Calories Do I Need While I’m Breastfeeding?
While this may vary from person to person, in general, you’ll need an additional 300 to 400 calories a day to produce milk.
Associates in Women’s Healthcare: Providing Comprehensive Care Throughout Your Life
Whether you’re expecting your first baby or you’re nearing menopause, our gynecologists in Raleigh have decades of experience providing the best gynecological and obstetric care. We’re women providing care for generations of women.
Are you past due for your annual exam or Pap smear? Are you trying to get pregnant? (If so, take a look at our preconception checklist).
We would consider it a privilege to care for you. Contact us for more information so we can start a journey to a healthier life together.
