Nutrition for Breastfeeding

While breastfeeding it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You will be producing about 600ml of milk per day during the first few months and this will increase to around 1 litre per day by the time your baby is 4-6 months. If you are undernourished then you run the risk of depleting your nutritional reserves and this may effect the nutrient levels in your milk. You need to maintain good nutrition for both yourself and your baby.
Additional kilojoules are needed to help you keep up with the needs of your growing baby. The energy requirements of a non-pregnant woman are around 8,000kj/day. When breastfeeding you will need an extra 2,000kj/day to sustain your growing baby.
So now is the time to start eating into the body fat reserves that were laid down during pregnancy! Breast milk production utilizes these fat stores and breastfeeding mums can lose about 1kg each month just by making breast milk. It may take up to a year to return to your pre-pregnancy weight but many women find the weight drops off quickly.
Limiting your energy intake, especially during the first few weeks of lactation, can affect your milk supply. Rapid weight loss can also release higher than normal levels of toxins from fat stores which can end up in the breast milk and may be harmful to your baby. It is not recommended that breastfeeding mothers follow a weight loss diet, just wait until you have finished breastfeeding and re-assess your weight then.
You should follow the same healthy lifestyle that you established during pregnancy. You need a lot of nutrients from your food so be sure that your diet contains foods with minimal processing such as whole grains and cereals, fruit and vegetables.
Your baby needs protein for both mental and physical growth, and so do you. Good sources of protein include lean meat, chicken or fish, soy products, nuts, legumes, eggs and dairy products.
You also need to eat good quality carbohydrates like wholegrain cereals and breads, brown rice, fruit and vegetables. Your intake does not affect the levels of carbohydrates in the breast milk, but carbohydrates prevent fatigue and contain fibre to maintain a healthy digestive system. If you are buying pre-packaged foods, look for “Low GI” or foods with a low proportion of refined sugars.
Your babies’ brain, eyes and nervous system require fatty acids. A source of good fats is essential in the first 3 years of your child’s development. Good fats are unsaturated and omega-3, especially DHA, for brain and eye function, intelligence and behavioral growth. Fish is the preferred source of DHA, particularly salmon, tuna, trout and sardines, but good fats (non-DHA) are also found in avocado and nuts.
Calcium is vital for strong teeth and bones as well as for nerve and muscle function. If there is not enough calcium in your diet then it will be leached right out of your bones! So eat low fat dairy, nuts and green leafy vegetables.
Iron helps many body systems develop including the immune system. It produces red blood cells carries oxygen from the lungs. You will lose iron not only to breast milk but also during your period so it is essential that you maintain high iron intake to avoid feeling tired. Iron found in meat is the most easily absorbed but iron is also found in wholegrain cereals, legumes, green leafy vegetables and soy products.
Zinc is required in every cell and is essential for the production of white blood cells and a healthy immune system. For you it can prevent stretch marks, cracked nipples and assists post-birth healing. Zinc is found in lean meat, chicken and fish as well as legumes, whole grains and egg yolks.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, in particular, drink plenty of water to help with the production of breast milk and to keep your body hydrated.
Some babies will react to different substances in breast milk. Often women report that hot or spicy foods upset their babies so just use trial and error; and of course common sense. Caffeine and alcohol pass from your blood into your milk so you should consider if you wish to indulge while you are breastfeeding. Nicotine and other drugs also pass from blood to breast milk so avoid smoking and taking medication. If you need some advice, speak to your doctor.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle also helps you to sleep, enables you to better cope mentally, and can prevent fatigue and post-natal depression.