Can You Eat Anything While Breastfeeding? Advice from a Midwife and Mom
Are you wondering if you can eat anything while breastfeeding? As a midwife, IBCLC lactation consultant, and mom of three, I understand your concerns. It’s a common question that many moms ask, and here’s some good news: Yes, you can eat almost anything! However, there are a few tips that can help you adjust your diet for both your well-being and your baby’s.
Does your diet really affect the quality of your milk?
Great news! The quality of your diet has little impact on the quality of your breast milk. Even if your diet isn’t perfect, your milk will still be nutritious for your baby. Your body is incredibly efficient at drawing from its reserves to produce high-quality milk.
That said, to keep your energy levels up and feel your best (especially with the demands of being a new mom!), it’s recommended to eat a varied diet with whole, unprocessed foods. Don’t forget to include your 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, which will help ensure you're getting all the nutrients you need.
How to adjust your diet while breastfeeding
You’ve probably heard the phrase "eating for two" during pregnancy. In reality, you should focus on eating twice as healthy, and this principle holds true during breastfeeding. However, there’s an added bonus: you burn around 700 calories a day through breastfeeding. To compensate for this, you should add an extra 300 to 500 calories to your daily intake.
Even though your baby benefits from your milk, a poor diet is more likely to affect you than your milk quality. It’s essential to eat well to maintain your energy and health!
Foods to avoid or limit while breastfeeding
There are no strict rules about avoiding specific foods while breastfeeding, but you should be mindful of a few things. For example, fish high in mercury, such as tuna, shark, and swordfish, should be avoided. These larger fish can contain high levels of mercury, which can be passed to your baby through breast milk.
Another key point: make sure you’re eating all foods in moderation. If you notice certain foods cause digestive issues like bloating, it’s possible that your baby may experience discomfort as well. So, it’s important to listen to your body and pay attention to your baby’s reactions.
What about caffeine?
Good news for coffee lovers: you can still enjoy your coffee, but it’s best to limit it, especially during the first three months of breastfeeding. Caffeine can pass into breast milk, so be mindful of when you consume it, particularly if you notice that your baby has trouble sleeping after you’ve had coffee.
Is alcohol okay while breastfeeding?
Drinking alcohol while breastfeeding is possible, but with some precautions. After having one drink, your body needs about two hours to metabolize the alcohol. If you drink right after or during a feed, your body will have time to process the alcohol before the next feeding.
If you drink more than one glass, you can calculate the time needed before breastfeeding by multiplying the number of drinks by two. For example, after two drinks, you should wait four hours before breastfeeding. If you’ll miss a feeding due to alcohol, you can pump in advance and discard the milk produced while the alcohol is still in your system.
Key takeaways for eating while breastfeeding
Eat a varied diet with whole foods, including 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Add 300 to 500 extra calories to your diet to account for the energy used in breastfeeding.
Listen to your body: if a food causes digestive issues for you, it might also affect your baby.
Limit caffeine and be cautious with alcohol, respecting the time it takes to metabolize before feeding.
Avoid fish high in mercury like tuna, shark, and swordfish.
So yes, you can eat almost anything while breastfeeding, as long as you practice moderation and pay attention to how your body and baby respond. The most important thing is to take care of yourself, because your well-being is just as important as your baby’s!
Anne.
Comments