*This post is part of our “Industry Insights” series and is brought to you by Bravado! Designs in honor of World Breastfeeding Week.
You know what to eat (and avoid) while pregnant. But what about when you’re breastfeeding? Breastfeeding moms require 300-400 more calories daily than before they became pregnant, to fuel milk production. Many of the nutritional needs are the same as when you’re pregnant, but there are some nutrients, like calcium, that you’ll actually need more of while breastfeeding. When you think about it, breastfeeding moms are still “eating for two”.
Here are some guidelines for the first few months of breastfeeding.
Choose foods from all four food groups daily, in order to get the recommended daily amount of vitamins and minerals. Be sure to include:
• Carbohydrates for energy. Include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
• Protein to fuel growth. Choose from fish, chicken, red meat, nuts, seeds, legumes and tofu.
• Fats for the nervous system, protection of cells and healthy growth. Sources include seeds, nuts, fish, flax and pumpkin and hemp seed oils. Other good sources include olive and sunflower oils and avocados.
• Vitamins and minerals. These are abundantly present in fresh fruits and vegetables. Aim to “eat a rainbow”.
• Calcium for bone growth and integrity. Your requirements when breastfeeding are actually about 50% more than when pregnant! Good calcium sources include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, almonds, salmon and fortified tofu.
• Iron for cardiovascular health and energy. Make sure you’re getting 40-80mg a day – roughly double your pre-pregnancy needs. Foods high in iron include red meat, leafy green vegetables, grains, prunes, figs and beans.
• Water. What goes out must come back in again. Breastmilk is mostly water, so it’s important for a nursing mom to keep topping up her fluids. This can include juice and milk and herbal tea, as well as plain water.
To feel your best and meet both your own, and your baby’s nutritional needs, be sure to mix it up and vary the foods you eat, both cooked and raw. This is the time to take care of yourself as well as your baby. Tempting as it may be to diet, the first few months are not the time to try and lose your ‘baby fat’. Dieting and cutting out important nutrient-dense foods, especially in the first two months of breastfeeding, will only make you feel tired and depleted (more than you already are from sleepless nights!).
Your diet is important not only to develop breastmilk for baby, but also to keep you a healthy, energetic mom.
If you have concerns about your diet and nutrition, always consult your doctor, nutritionist or other healthcare provider to determine what is best for you and your baby.
Source: MaryAnn Scandiffio, BA, CNP. MaryAnn is a practicing nutritionist and busy mom to 4 children, all of whom were breastfed.
Content in this post was provided by Bravado! Designs. For more information on nursing and Bravado! products, please visit the Bravado! Web site. You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
