Share |

What to Eat for Breastfeeding

By Martha Sanders

How I wish babies come with an instruction booklet that shows me exactly what I should be doing to keep them healthy and happy. Being a parent is no easy task, especially for a first time mom who decides to breast feed her baby. It takes a lot of hard work, trials and errors before you finally get it "right".

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Many moms often worry that they won’t have enough milk or that their breasts are too small. These fears are unfounded because women of all shapes and sizes can and do breastfeed successfully.

Breast milk is the best food for your baby. It offers the perfect balance of calcium, fats, vitamins and minerals, and provides protection for the baby against infections, allergic reactions, juvenile diabetes and obesity.

In addition, breastfeeding allows you to form a strong bond with your baby. It also burns calories and helps shrink the uterus so you return to your pre-pregnancy shape and weight faster.

Studies show that breastfeeding helps lower the risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer. However, if you're unwell or very overtired, it can affect your milk production.

The food you eat also affects the quality of your breast milk. While breastfeeding, it's very important to eat a well-balanced diet like you did during your pregnancy days. Focus on whole grains and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, and wholesome foods that provide plenty of protein, calcium and iron. Vitamin supplementation can't make up for poor eating habits so strive to eat a well-balanced but varied diet.

For Best Breastfeeding Nutrition, Here’s What to Eat

1. More calories – Increase your daily caloric intake to 2500 calories. If you plan to continue breastfeeding for more than three months, you can even take in more calories (2800 calories).

However, steer clear of empty calories such as cakes, cookies, and sweets.

Instead, select protein-rich foods such as unsweetened yoghurt, sandwiches made with wholemeal bread filled with leafy greens and canned salmon or tuna, cheese or hummus, a jacket potato with baked beans, or a piece of fruit, as healthy snacks.

Generally speaking, consume one gram of protein each day for every pound you weigh.

2. Small, frequent meals – Break down your caloric intake over five small meals (breakfast, lunch, mid afternoon snack, dinner, and an extra light snack in the evening).

Snack time is an opportunity to increase fluid intake, eat a low fat dairy product, and a fruit. Frequent meals are necessary for your body to continually produce milk.

3. Vitamin B9 (folic acid) – During pregnancy, folic acid is vital to the proper development of your baby's nervous system. Likewise, continue to take your prenatal Vitamins when you breastfeed.

Asparagus, cabbage, corn, chick peas, and spinach are good sources of folic acid or you might want to consider folic acid fortified foods such as breakfast cereals or orange juice

4. Zinc – Consume about 15 to 20 milligrams per day. Zinc is found in eggs, meat, whole flour and oats.

5. Calcium – A balanced diet provides about 800 to 1000 milligrams of calcium daily. However, when you breastfeed, you need 1200 milligrams of calcium per day.

You can either increase calcium intake through a calcium supplement or eat more dairy products, raw vegetables, tofu, almonds, and hazelnuts.

6. Vitamin A – You often hear about Vitamin A supplements for breastfeeding moms because their daily need rises from 1000 milligrams to 1300 milligrams per day. It's true if she had a Vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy as it may exacerbate after childbirth but any mom who eat a balanced diet that include carrots, vegetables, butter, fish, and meat will absorb enough Vitamin A. So, don't rush out to buy Vitamin A supplements.

7. Iron – Contrary to popular belief, breast milk takes very little iron from your body, about 0.3 milligrams per day. The loss is similar to what your body loses during menstruation, and because you aren't menstruating for at least the first few months of breastfeeding, you shouldn't be too concerned.

However, if you've a history of iron deficiency anemia, talk to your physician.

8.Fluids – Although too little fluid intake may not affect your quality of breast milk, it could affect the amount you produce. If you experience concentrated, strong-smelling urine and/or constipation, you aren't drinking enough fluids.

You need about 8 to 10 glasses of fluids per day while breastfeeding; drink enough fluids to satisfy your thirst and/or produce pale, odorless urine or relieve constipation. Plain water is the best. Juice, soup or milk can also provide the fluid you need.

What to Avoid during Breastfeeding

1. Caffeine – Any caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea or cola (and chocolate) has caffeine which can pass from your blood into your breast milk, and may cause your baby to be jittery, nervous and restless.

2. Alcohol – Excessive alcohol in your blood have the same effect on your baby as it does on you. Alcohol can also slow the release of your breast milk to your baby.

If you can't stay away from alcohol, have your alcoholic drink right after you finish breastfeeding or at least two hours before it's time to breastfeed again. Two hours is the least amount of time it takes to eliminate alcohol from your body.

3. Nicotine – Whatever chemicals are in a cigarette, are going to end up in your baby's body. If you smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day, experts say your baby may have nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.

4. Medication – Any antibiotics, sulfa drugs, chemical laxatives, and products containing iodine are contraindicated while you're breastfeeding. Other medications, taken over a long period, can be potentially dangerous. Before you take any medication, it's best to consult your physician first.

You might also want to avoid certain foods. For instance, if your baby's sensitive to something you ate, he's likely to express his discomfort being unsettled after feeds, crying inconsolably or sleeping badly.

While some moms say that spicy foods induce irritability in their babies, others are perfectly fine with it. So, you've to work this out on your own. If it doesn’t feel right or makes your baby miserable, it isn’t right for you. Some common colic offenders may include broccoli, cabbage, onions and Brussels sprouts.

Get Enough Calcium Without Diary

Discover good sources of calcium other than milk, including delicious dairy free meal and snack ideas.

10 Easy Ways to Eat More Vegetables

Get reader-approved delicious ideas to eat more veggies everyday and love every single bite of it!

10 Ridiculously Cheap and Healthy Foods

Eating well doesn't have to be expensive and bland. Add these deliciously nutritious foods to your grocery list and you can still eat healthy even on the tightest budget.

Are You Buying Really Whole Grain Products?

How can you be sure a food is really made with whole grains? Learn to tell good sources of whole-grain and take the guesswork out of your selection process.

6 Bad Ingredients in Food Labels

Learn how to read food label for unhealthy ingredients, and know the effects they have on your health.

5 Exciting Ideas to Eat Raisins

If you're wondering what is good to eat with raisins, but eating them straight out of the box doesn't appeal to you, then get inspired with these interesting recipes, and start enjoying the health benefits of raisins in your everyday meals.

What Should You Eat for More Fiber?

Troubled by constipation after quitting smoking? Find out what is good fiber foods to eat and get delicious ideas to make eating veggies fun to boost your dietary fiber intake.

How to Eat a Balanced Vegetarian Diet

Learn how to plan a healthy vegetarian diet and know what key nutrients should be included in your meals to get the best nutrition.