When you're breastfeeding, it's essential that you maintain excellent nutrition, not only for your baby's health but for your own. According to KidsGrowth.com, a poor diet can cause you to produce less breast milk and may result in loss of both muscle mass and bone-strengthening calcium if you are not consuming adequate amounts of protein and calcium. Good breastfeeding nutrition isn't complicated. It follows the same basic tenets of every balanced and varied diet, with only a few exceptions.
Caloric Recommendations
Physicians recommend that breastfeeding women consume 300 to 500 more calories a day than they would on their normal, non-breastfeeding diet. This can bring your total daily caloric intake up to 1,800 to 2,700 calories per day. The wide difference between these high and low numbers is due to the difference between each woman's height and weight; however, most women fall within the 2,000 to 2,200 calorie per day range.
Recommended Daily Allowances
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that, each day, a breastfeeding woman should consume five servings of milk or milk products; four servings of protein from a lean meat, fish, other seafood, beans or nuts; and four servings of a whole grain bread or cereal. At least one fruit or vegetable from each of the following three categories is also recommended: leafy, dark green vegetables such as asparagus and spinach; dark-yellow fruits or vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes or winter squash; and produce rich in vitamin C, including oranges and tomatoes.
Calcium
Calcium is one of the most important minerals for you to monitor your intake of as a breastfeeding mother. Calcium is an essential component of breast milk, with each liter of breast milk containing approximately 300 mg of calcium. Numerous studies have shown that breastfeeding women whose diets lack sufficient amounts of calcium end up with calcium leached from their own bones to provide the needed calcium in the breast milk. While dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are rich in calcium, there are alternatives for vegans or those intolerant to milk. Leafy, dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli and watercress; almonds; tofu and oranges all contain significant amounts of calcium. Ameda Answer Sheet suggests that, if you choose to get most of your calcium from non-dairy sources, you should be careful to consume ample amounts of foods containing magnesium, zinc and vitamin D or take a reputable supplement that contains these three nutrients.
Fluids
Drink 10 to 12 glasses a day of milk, water or unsweetened juice to ensure that you are staying hydrated enough to produce adequate amounts of breast milk. Since breast milk is predominantly water, drinking enough fluids is important to help keep your production levels ample. Ameda suggests drinking a glass of water or juice every time you nurse to help remind you to keep hydrated. Limit the amount of beverages you consume that contain alcohol or caffeine. Although neither in moderation will harm your baby or impair your ability to breastfeed, they don't add any benefit to the milk and may make some babies fussy.
Considerations
Many people believe that certain foods should be avoided by breastfeeding women since these particular foods--cabbage, beans, chocolate, onions, broccoli, extremely spicy dishes--are thought to cause gas, colic or general fussiness after the baby has consumed the breast milk. However, all babies are different: there is no one list of foods that all breastfeeding women should avoid. Try avoiding certain foods if you suspect they are bothering your infant's digestion, but otherwise aim for a varied, balanced diet. If you have a family history of food allergies, asthma, eczema or other related diseases, talk to your doctor about avoiding certain foods during the time you are breastfeeding.
Member Comments