Nutrition for the nursing mother

What you eat affects your health and breast milk. While breastfeeding, it is important to eat a well-balanced diet like you did during your pregnancy. If you are not able to eat or drink calcium-rich foods (such as milk, cheese, yogurt, fruit, fortified orange juice), check with your health care provider or dietitian about supplements.

A well-balanced diet

Dietary Needs

After delivery, most women have an increased appetite and thirst. It is important to eat nourishing foods and drink enough liquids to support your health and your body’s production of breast milk. A well-balanced diet contains:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Milk and other dairy products
• Breads and cereals
• Protein foods (such as meats, poultry, eggs, beans and peanut butter)

Most women need about 500 extra calories per day to establish and maintain an adequate milk supply. Caloric needs may vary depending on your activity level, weight gain and desired weight.

Drinking too little fluids may not affect the quality of your milk, but it could very well affect the amount of milk you produce. If you have concentrated urine, strong-smelling urine and/or constipation, you may not be drinking enough fluids.

Most women need about 8 to 10 glasses of fluids per day while breastfeeding. Juice, water, soup or milk can provide the liquid you need. You should drink enough fluids to satisfy your thirst and/or produce pale, odorless urine or ease constipation.

Almost everything a breastfeeding mother eats or drinks will come through in her breast milk. Most foods that are good for you will be good for your baby too. Some babies may become fussy or cry more when a mother eats certain foods. Some babies react to spicy, gas producing foods (such as cabbage, onion, garlic, broccoli, prunes, etc.) eaten by a nursing mother. Protein foods, such as dairy and peanut butter, can also make babies gassy. If your baby responds this way within 24 hours of nursing, take a look at what types of food you had eaten and avoid or limit them while you are breastfeeding.

For questions or concerns about your diet and its effect on breastfeeding, contact a lactation consultant.

Substances you may want to eliminate or cut down on while breastfeeding:

• Coffee, tea and cola beverages containing caffeine may cause your baby to be jittery and restless.
• Alcohol in your blood quickly passes into your breast milk. Too much alcohol in your blood will have the same effect on your baby as it does on you. It can also slow the let-down or release of your breast milk to your baby. Discuss concerns with your health care provider.
• Smoking is not recommended while breastfeeding. Nicotine and marijuana are passed through to the breast milk and may be consumed by your baby.
• Many medications are passed into breast milk, but usually in such small amounts that the baby is not affected. To be safe, check with your health care provider before taking any medication.

While breastfeeding, your weight loss should be slow and consistent, about 1/2 to 1 pound per week.

Always remind health care providers, including dentists, that you are breastfeeding.