Leena Watts
Breastfeeding is a healthy choice for babies, but it also has benefits for mothers. A mother's diet while breastfeeding should be healthy and diverse, with plenty of protein, iron, calcium, iodine, vitamins, and omega-3 fats. While there are no foods that need to be strictly limited or avoided, it is recommended to reduce caffeine intake, especially when babies are less than six months old, as caffeine passes into breast milk and may affect the baby's sleep. Alcohol should also be avoided, or limited to one to two drinks occasionally, with 2-3 hours of breastfeeding avoided after drinking. Fish is a good source of protein and vitamins, but certain types of seafood should be consumed in moderation due to potential mercury content. A vegetarian or vegan diet can meet the nutritional needs of a breastfeeding mother with careful planning and specific supplements. Overall, a balanced diet with a variety of nutrient-dense foods is key to supporting breast milk production and ensuring the baby receives all the necessary nutrients for proper development.
What should your diet consist of while breastfeeding?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Calories | 340 to 400 more kilocalories (kcal) per day than the amount consumed before pregnancy |
| Vitamins | Vitamin D, B12, iron, calcium, iodine |
| Minerals | Choline |
| Protein | Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, lean meat, dried beans, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, dairy |
| Carbohydrates | Starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, whole grains |
| Fibre | Wholemeal bread and pasta, breakfast cereals, brown rice, potatoes with the skin on, pulses such as beans and lentils, fruit and vegetables |
| Fluids | Drink when thirsty, up to 2 litres of water per day |
| Caffeine | Limit to no more than 200mg per day |
| Alcohol | Avoid during the first month, then limit to one to two drinks occasionally |
| Seafood | Eat a variety of fish from the "Best Choices" and "Good Choices" categories on the US Food and Drug Administration's chart |
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What You'll Learn
Eat a healthy, balanced diet with nutrient-dense foods
Eating a healthy, balanced diet with nutrient-dense foods is important for breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding uses a lot of energy and nutrients, so it's crucial to ensure your diet meets your nutritional needs. Here are some guidelines to help you eat a healthy, balanced diet while breastfeeding:
Firstly, make sure to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Aim for at least five portions per day, including fresh, frozen, tinned, and dried options. These foods provide essential vitamins and minerals that are important for both you and your baby's health.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, include starchy foods in your diet. Choose higher-fibre or wholegrain varieties whenever possible, such as whole wheat bread, pasta, cereal, and oatmeal. These foods provide energy and can help with digestion.
Another important component of a healthy diet while breastfeeding is protein. Include a variety of protein sources in your diet, such as beans, pulses, fish, eggs, and lean meat. Fish, in particular, is an excellent source of protein and contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, such as DHA, which is important for your baby's brain development. However, be mindful of the type and amount of seafood you consume due to potential mercury content.
Dairy products or calcium-rich alternatives are also essential. Calcium is a major ingredient in breast milk, so include milk, cheese, yoghurt, or fortified soy milk in your diet to ensure you're getting enough.
Finally, stay adequately hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Breastfeeding can make you very thirsty, and it's important to listen to your body and drink when you're thirsty. Water is the best source of fluid, but you can also include other beverages like herbal teas and fruit juices in moderation.
While it's important to eat a healthy, balanced diet, you don't need to follow a special diet or restrict specific foods while breastfeeding. However, it's recommended to limit caffeine and alcohol intake as these substances can pass into your breast milk and affect your baby. Additionally, if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, work with a healthcare provider to ensure you're getting enough nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fats.
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Include protein, iron, calcium, iodine and vitamins
Breastfeeding is a tiring process and requires a lot of energy and nutrients. It is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet with a variety of foods every day. This includes starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, and other starchy carbohydrates. It is recommended to choose higher-fibre or wholegrain varieties where possible.
Protein is essential to include in your diet while breastfeeding. Good sources of protein include beans, pulses, fish, eggs, and lean meat. Fish is an excellent source of protein and contains essential vitamins and minerals. However, certain types of seafood should be consumed in limited amounts due to the presence of mercury, which can adversely affect the baby's brain and nervous system. The US Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency advise breastfeeding women to eat a variety of fish from the "Best Choices" and "Good Choices" categories on their charts.
Iron is another important component of a breastfeeding diet. If you are vegetarian or vegan, it is important to ensure you eat other sources of iron, such as dried beans, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and dairy.
Calcium is a major ingredient in breast milk, and adults need around 2 to 4 servings of calcium-rich foods daily to protect bone strength. Good sources of calcium include dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt, as well as soy milk fortified with calcium.
Iodine is a nutrient that is required in higher amounts during breastfeeding. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend breastfeeding women consume 290 micrograms of iodine daily throughout the first year after giving birth.
Lastly, it is important to ensure you are getting enough vitamins while breastfeeding. Vitamin D is one of the key vitamins, and it is recommended that everyone, including breastfeeding women, consider taking a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months. In addition, breastfeeding mothers may benefit from taking a multivitamin supplement, as their need for certain vitamins and minerals, such as iodine and choline, increases during lactation.
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Limit caffeine and alcohol
While breastfeeding, it is important to limit your caffeine and alcohol intake. Caffeine passes into breast milk, and while most babies are unaffected, some sensitive babies may become extra fussy or wakeful after drinking milk with trace amounts of caffeine. It is recommended that breastfeeding mothers limit their daily caffeine intake to less than 300 mg, or 200 mg according to the NHS, which is equivalent to about one cup of coffee per day. To be safe, you can try herbal teas, which are caffeine-free, or fruit juice, but limit yourself to no more than one 150 ml glass per day.
It is also important to limit your alcohol intake while breastfeeding. Alcohol also passes into breast milk and can affect your baby. Abstaining from alcohol is the safest choice, especially during the first month of breastfeeding. If you do choose to drink, it is recommended to limit your intake to one to two standard drinks and to avoid breastfeeding for two to three hours afterward.
In addition to limiting caffeine and alcohol, it is important to maintain a healthy and diverse diet while breastfeeding. A healthy diet is always important, but it is especially important if you are breastfeeding due to the increased energy and nutrient demands. Your diet should include a variety of foods from all food groups, such as fruits, vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, lean protein, and calcium-rich foods. It is also important to stay well-hydrated, as many women experience increased thirst during breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding mothers may also require additional vitamins and supplements, such as vitamin D, iodine, and choline. It is recommended to consult with a healthcare provider to determine if any supplements are needed and to ensure adequate nutrition.
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Consider vitamin supplements
Breastfeeding mothers need to consume an additional 340 to 400 kilocalories (kcal) per day to meet their nutritional needs. It is important to eat a healthy and diverse diet with a variety of foods every day. A healthy diet is always important, but it’s especially important if you are breastfeeding. A balanced diet should include:
- At least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day, including fresh, frozen, tinned, and dried fruit and vegetables.
- Starchy foods, such as potatoes, bread, pasta, and rice.
- Plenty of fibre from wholemeal bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, brown rice, pulses, and fruits and vegetables.
- Protein-rich foods, such as beans, pulses, fish, eggs, and lean meat.
- Calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products and fortified soy milk.
However, diet alone may not ensure adequate nutrition for breastfeeding women. The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) for some nutrients, such as iodine and choline, increase while breastfeeding. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers may benefit from taking a multivitamin or specific vitamin supplements.
Vitamin D supplements are recommended for breastfeeding women during the autumn and winter months. If your baby is only having breast milk, they should also be given a vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is found in certain foods, including oily fish, red meat, and some breakfast cereals, but it is difficult to obtain sufficient amounts from food alone.
Breastfeeding mothers who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet may need supplementation of iron, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fats. A vegan diet, in particular, needs careful planning and specific supplements to provide all the necessary nutrients for the mother and baby.
It is important to note that caffeine and alcohol pass into breast milk and can affect your baby. It is recommended to reduce caffeine intake while breastfeeding, and not drinking alcohol is the safest choice.
Healthcare providers should work with breastfeeding women to determine appropriate dietary supplements during lactation. It is always best to consult with a healthcare professional to determine your specific needs and those of your baby.
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Plan carefully if you're vegan or vegetarian
It is a common misconception that vegans and vegetarians cannot breastfeed due to a lack of nutrients in their diet. This is not true, and there is nothing to stop vegans and vegetarians from breastfeeding. In fact, breast milk provides huge benefits for the baby, contributing to their healthy development and resistance to common infections. However, there are some things to consider when breastfeeding as a vegan or vegetarian.
Firstly, it is important to ensure you are getting enough iron and vitamin B12, which are mainly found in meat and fish. For vegans, good sources of vitamin B12 include fortified breakfast cereals, fortified unsweetened soy drinks, and yeast extract spreads. To increase your iron intake, eat pulses, dark green vegetables, wholemeal bread, fortified breakfast cereals with added iron, and dried fruit such as apricots.
Secondly, vitamin D is good for both you and your baby, and while the best source is sunlight, it is also present in oily fish and meat. If you are a vegan, you can get vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified breakfast cereals, soya milk, and non-dairy fat spreads. The NHS recommends that women take a vitamin D supplement containing 10 micrograms while pregnant and breastfeeding.
Thirdly, calcium is an important part of the diet for both you and your baby, and the calcium requirement for breastfeeding is nearly 80% more than the general requirement for adults. If you are vegan, you can get calcium from calcium-fortified foods and calcium-set tofu.
Finally, it is important to note that a vegetarian diet can meet the nutritional needs of a breastfeeding mother as long as it includes a variety of foods. However, a vegan diet may need careful planning and specific supplements to provide all the necessary nutrients. In general, it is recommended that breastfeeding mothers consume a healthy and diverse diet, with a focus on protein, iron, calcium, iodine, and vitamins.
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Frequently asked questions
You don't need to follow a special diet while breastfeeding, but it's important to eat a healthy, balanced, and diverse diet. Include whole grains such as whole wheat bread, pasta, and oatmeal in your daily diet. Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables a day, and plenty of protein-rich foods such as beans, pulses, fish, eggs, and lean meat.
The recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) are the average amount of vitamins and minerals that meet the daily nutrient needs of healthy people. The RDA for some nutrients, such as iodine and choline, increases while breastfeeding, so you may benefit from taking a multivitamin supplement. Everyone, including breastfeeding women, should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months.
You can eat and drink whatever you want while breastfeeding as long as you are meeting your nutritional needs. However, caffeine and alcohol pass into breast milk and can affect your baby, so it's best to limit your intake. Most fish contain mercury that can pass from mother to infant through breast milk, so breastfeeding women should be careful about the amount and type of seafood they consume.
Breastfeeding uses a lot of energy and nutrients, so it's important to eat regularly and include a wide variety of healthy foods. Breastfeeding mothers generally need more calories to meet their nutritional needs—around 340 to 400 more kilocalories (kcal) per day than they consumed before pregnancy.
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