Just as you needed to consume more calories during pregnancy to support your developing baby, you will need to eat more calories when breastfeeding to support your baby's nutrition. Eating properly will also help you maintain stamina and strength as you care for your baby. You should talk to your doctor to get a more individualized diet plan, but consider a few pointers in advance to get started.
Typical Calorie Needs
If you breastfeed, you'll need to increase your calorie intake to about 200 to 500 calories more than mothers who don't breastfeed, according to BabyCenter. This equates to around 2,000 to 2,700 calories every day, but will vary based on factors such as how much you weigh, how much you're exercising and how much you're breastfeeding. You won't need to calculate your intake calorie-for-calorie if you pay close attention to your hunger cues and focus on eating a varied and well-balanced diet.
Risks of Dipping Too Low
You shouldn't attempt to actively lose weight through dieting until about two months into your baby's life or else you may see a dip in your milk supply, risk releasing toxins into your milk, have trouble healing from childbirth and experience low energy, notes BabyCenter. Still, you will gradually lose some weight just by breastfeeding because your body contributes an extra 500 calories or so from stored pregnancy fat for milk production. Once your doctor gives you permission to lose weight at a faster pace she is likely to recommend that you safely lose it at an average rate of 1-½ lbs. a week through exercise and diet.
Healthy Calorie Choices
An extra allowance of 200 to 500 calories doesn't give you the freedom to binge on chips and milkshakes, as a single fast food milkshake may be worth about 500 calories. Focus instead on using those extra calories to improve your nutrition. La Leche League International recommends including a variety of grains, protein foods from animal and plant sources, fresh fruits and vegetables and small quantities of healthy fats in your diet. The more variety in your meals, the better balanced your diet will be. For example, alternate between steaming and baking your zucchini, switch between chicken and vegetarian tacos and eat only seasonal produce.
Servings
You will know you're making each calorie count if you focus on eating the proper amount of each important nutrient per day. According to the What to Expect website, most lactating women should consume about five servings of calcium, three servings of protein, two servings of fruits, three to four servings of yellow and leafy green vegetables, three to four servings of yellow fruit, at least one serving of other fruits and vegetables, three servings of whole grains or another concentrated complex carbohydrate, a prenatal vitamin, eight cups of non-caffeinated or non-alcoholic beverages and just a small amount of high-fat foods. Also include a few servings of foods rich in Vitamin C, iron and the fatty acid DHA.
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