Raw Food Diet & Nursing

Many new mothers worry what to eat to produce nutritious milk for their babies. Infants, like older children and adults, require certain amounts of nutrients to stay healthy. Babies that breastfeed depend on their mothers' milk to supply all the necessary nutrients. The quality of the mother's diet plays an important role in producing breast milk. Some diets, such as the raw food diet, impose strict regulations that may limit the amount of certain nutrients in breast milk. Pregnant and nursing mothers should consult their doctors before starting any diet plan, including the raw food diet.

Raw Food Diet

Like many types of diet plans, several variations of the raw food diet exist. The basic objective for this type of diet includes consuming foods in their natural, raw state. While many diet proponents choose to eliminate heat entirely, other dieters choose to heat certain vegetables to a temperature below 116 degrees F, the temperature that may begin to deteriorate or destroy natural food enzymes. The main foods in this diet include fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds.

Infants' Nutritional Requirements

According to the Institute of Medicine, the recommended dietary nutrients for infants younger than six months old include 60 g of carbohydrates, 31 g of fat, and 9.1 g of protein each day. While packaged infant formulas contain nutritional information on the labels, the quality of breast milk depends on the maternal diet. While the raw food diet may affect the quality of the milk, the caloric content of milk stays about the same, regardless of the mother's diet.

Breastfeeding Mothers

Nursing mothers should consume 210 g of carbohydrates, 29 g of fiber, 71 g of protein and 1,000 mg of calcium each day. The La Leche League recommends limiting the consumption of food additives, something the raw food diet also requires.

Risks

MD Health Network advises against raw food diets for nursing mothers, due to the possibility of certain nutritional deficiencies. The raw food diet may not provide adequate amounts of vitamin B12, protein, iron, calcium or iron. A raw food diet may also lower good cholesterol. While most nutritional deficiencies affect only the mother, a deficiency of vitamin B12 or vitamin D in the mother can also cause deficiencies in her breastfed infant.

Diet Considerations

The La Leche League recommends breastfeeding mothers eat fresh fruits and vegetables, a variety of whole grains, animal and plant sources of protein, as well as small amounts of fat. Whole foods, such as those consumed in raw food diets, provide nutrients without extensive processing. Adding foods that are not part of the raw food diet, such as pasteurized milk, yogurt, cooked eggs, poultry, lean meat and fish, may help provide a balanced diet during breastfeeding.