Breastfeeding and a Healthy Diet
"Should I change my diet when breastfeeding?" is a question many nursing mothers ask themselves. Many feel that certain foods can upset their baby; colic, diarrhea and even nappy rash are seen as being caused by the food mother has eaten. It is true that one or two things you drink or eat can affect your baby, but the good news is that you don't need to change your diet: having a well-balanced, nutritious diet is all a mother needs to worry about.
Experts have worked out that breastfeeding women need, on average, an extra 500 calories a day when they are exclusively breastfeeding for several months. The exact amount will vary as time goes by. Women with good fat stores who are less active may need less than this. You don't need to worry about the amount you eat, just be guided by your appetite. Many women settle into a routine of 4 meals a day with plenty of drinks and perhaps a nighttime snack. If your eating habits don't follow this pattern don't worry; as long as your eating well and feel fine, you have nothing to worry about.
What foods to avoid when breastfeeding?
There are very few foods and drinks to avoid when you're breastfeeding. Drinking alcohol in excess should be avoided, though occasionally drinking a moderate amount is perfectly okay. Recent studies have indicated that there is a link between caffeine and colic. Babies are not able to metabolize caffeine well, and caffeine in tea, coffee, coca cola and chocolate is quickly passed into your breastmilk. You don't have to stop taking caffeine entirely, just drink a moderate amount and try to consume evenly throughout the day.
You should avoid eating shark, swordfish and marlin and limit the amount of tuna you eat. Don't eat more than one tuna steak a week (weighing about 140g cooked or 170g raw) or two medium-sized cans of tuna a week. This is because of the levels of mercury in these fish. Some of the mercury in the fish you eat will pass into your breastmilk and high levels of mercury can harm a very young baby's developing nervous system.
There is no need to avoid spicy food or garlic. Some believe that citrus foods eaten by the mother can upset a baby when breastfed. Other foods like cabbage and onions are also thought to upset a baby when eaten by a breastfeeding mother. Unless these foods upset you continue to to eat them as part of your diet. In fact, foods like cabbage, citrus fruit, onions and garlic provide many of the nutrients and vitamins your baby needs.
Vitamins that are needed while breastfeeding
Vitamins occur naturally in many foods - but no single food contains all vitamins except breastmilk! Only one vitamin (vitamin D) can be made within our bodies - all others have to obtained from our food. Also, many vitamins aren't stored in our bodies; they have to be replaced each day. Apart from folic acid, it is best to obtain your vitamins from your food rather than from supplements.
The best source of vitamins is found in fruit and vegetables. Eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day will give you just about all the vitamins you need - you will get all the vitamin C you need, and one more portion will help provide the extra vitamin A and B you need when breastfeeding - broccoli is a particularly good source of both vitamin C and A. Eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day will also give your body most of the minerals and fiber it needs.
Vitamin D helps to keep bones healthy. If we don't get enough vitamin D our bones will go soft. In adulthood this condition is called osteomalacia; in children it's called rickets. As stated above, vitamin D can be made in the body but our bodies need the sun to do this. Many places (especially in winter) just don't get enough sunshine for our bodies to make enough vitamin D. Therefore, most of us also need to get vitamin D from what we eat. Foods like oily fish, margarine and dairy products help give us the vitamin D we need. Many health professionals recommend that breastfeeding women take s supplement of 10 microgram of vitamin D, especially if the mother rarely exposes her skin to the sun or if she doesn't like foods rich in vitamin D.
Vegan diets and breastfeeding
Vitamin B12 is needed for the growth of cells - so your growing baby needs plenty. Vitamin B12 is found naturally only in foods that come from animals and is typically found in meat, fish, eggs, cheese and yogurt. Getting enough B12 can be problematic if you don't eat meat or any dairy products. However, vitamin B12 is added to some fortified foods such as yeast extracts, soya milk and 'meat' as well as some margarines. If you are a vegan and breastfeeding you need to make sure you get enough B12 and you may be best advised on taking vitamin B12 supplements.
Calcium, Zinc and Selenium
You need to make sure that your intake of calcium, zinc and selenium is adequate when you're breastfeeding. Calcium is vital for your baby as she needs it for healthy bone development. Milk is a great source of calcium, so if you already like milk, you should make sure you drink lots of it whilst breastfeeding. As well as calcium, milk is a good source of zinc, vitamin B2 and B12. If the idea of drinking plain milk is a little off-putting, then use your imagination; try drinking a milk smoothy using bananas, raspberries or other fruit. If you don't like milk or dairy products, or if you're a vegan, you can get your calcium from other foods like sardines, tofu, calcium enriched soya milk, dried figs, white bread, almonds, spinach, tahini; the list goes on.
Foods rich in zinc include red meat, sardines, cashew nuts, lentils, hard cheese, baked potatoes, wholemeal bread, peanuts and other fish like mackerel and prawns.
Selenium is an antioxidant that helps protect our cells from the action of free radicals. The levels of free radicals seem to be on the increase, caused from things like cigarette smoke and car exhaust fumes. The best source of selenium is from fish, cheese and lentils.
Healthy meals that give you the 500 calories you need for breastfeeding
- 2 table spoons of rolled oats, 3 tablespoons of wheatflakes, 1 tablespoon of raisins, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, quarter of a pint of semi-skimmed milk, juice of on large orange. Mix ingredients together.
- A strawberry milkshake is a delicious way to get those healthy 500 calories. This recipe uses one-third of a pint of semi-skimmed milk,one heaped tablespoon of fresh strawberries, one teaspoon of sugar and a large scoop of ice cream.
- 2 slices of wholemeal bread with soya margarine; a matchbox-sized chunk of low-fat Cheddar cheese, with tomato and lettuce; a banana for dessert.
Please be aware that the information given in these articles should in no way be taken as a substitute for professional advice and does not necessarily reflect the views of Breast Feeding Information. If you have questions or concerns regarding your family's or your child's physical or mental health, please seek other professional assistance. We cannot be held responsible for any damages that result from the use of the information provided on this website. Any statements and opinions expressed within this site are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors of the site.