“You are what you eat!” You’ve probably heard this phrase a lot. Then let’s put this theory to breastfeeding - My breast milk should be what I eat😮! Is it really true? Here is a guide for how to get the right nutrition to produce a healthy meal for your little one! (But don’t worry, it will be much easier than a pregnancy diet😉)
What can I eat?
Actually, the foods and drinks you intake don’t directly affect the basic fat-protein-carb combo of breast milk. In fact, your body will take nutrients that are already stored to produce milk🍼. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care about your diet! Your goal during nursing is to avoid depleting the body's store of nutrients.
A nutritious diet for breast milk is not much different from the healthy diets we used to try before pregnancy. Protein, whole grains, vegetables and fruits, and high-fat foods are recommended to consume on a daily basis, along with calcium, iron, vitamin C and Omega-3s💊.
Also, your breast milk changes the taste and smell depending on what you eat, and your little one will get introduced to a variety of different flavors!
What should I be aware of?
You should still be aware of too much caffeine, high-mercury fish, and some herbal teas or supplements that are not proven safe😿.
Alcohol is a slightly different story. I understand how you’ve been waiting to have a sip of cold wine and beer after birth, and yes, you can drink alcohol while breastfeeding (yay😺!), but, there are a few things you should keep in mind before starting to drink. If possible, try to drink after nursing, or wait at least 2 hours before nursing to avoid alcohol affecting your milk. Also, heavy drinking may affect your baby, so moderate drinking is advised.
How much water should I take?
Drinking more water is always good. Especially in the weeks after birth and during the nursing period, water helps your body to recover and stimulate better. Technically you need to drink about 128 ounces of fluids a day🌊, but you get most of it covered by your meals during the day. (so you don’t need to drink 16 glasses of water every day! phew) To make sure you are getting enough water, drinking a cup of water at every nursing session is the easiest way to track.
Not drinking enough water won’t affect your milk supply. However, your urine will get darker and scanter, and can set you up for health issues such as constipation and fatigue! So let’s keep in mind to drink a fresh cup of water more often😉!