Your Diet & Breastmilk: Is There a Link?
Does the food I eat affect the quality of my breast milk?
Is there anything I cannot eat while breastfeeding?
Is there anything that I should eat every day while breastfeeding?
Do I need to take any supplements while breastfeeding?
These are just a few of the questions you may find rolling around in your head when you think about breastfeeding. It’s easy to become overwhelmed! Let’s explore all of this and more to set your mind at ease and help you feel confident in your food choices while nourishing your little one.
How does the food I eat impact the breast milk I produce?
Do I need a perfect diet to ensure I offer my baby the best possible breast milk? The simple answer is no. First of all there is no such thing as a “perfect diet”, but we do know that some foods have more nutrition than others. And while it is great to ensure you are meeting your nutrition needs postpartum, your food choices have little impact on the quality of the breast milk you produce. They have a greater impact on the quantity of breastmilk you produce, which means that we focus more on diet choices for supply concerns, as opposed to nutrition concerns.
The amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat in a mother’s diet doesn’t have an effect on the composition of breastmilk. This means that the percent of calories coming from carbohydrates, protein, and fat will remain the same regardless of your diet. However, the type of fat that a mom consumes does affect the breast milk she produces.
When you increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids, especially from fatty fish and seaweed, your breastmilk will have more of these healthy fats too. This is important because DHA, one type of omega 3 fatty acids, is essential for brain and eye growth and development. You can find more information on the effect of omega 3 fatty acids and brain growth here link to this:
And this salmon recipe is amazing for supporting this nutrient need!
Generally, a lack of sufficient calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals in a mother’s diet decreases the quantity of breastmilk produced, but not the quality of the breast milk. Even if your diet lacks certain vitamins and minerals in the mother’s diet are in low supply, your breastmilk will usually meet your baby’s needs. Any exceptions to this would be due to long term deficiency….most commonly in vitamins B6, B12, vitamin A and D.
Six Strategies to Increase Your Breastmilk Supply
(and a few delish recipes too!)
If supply is a concern, there are 6 main things to consider. Hydration, energy intake, rest, stress, food choice, and feed frequency.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. Try to drink water before and after each breastfeed and keep water by your bed. If you find plain water boring, try adding sliced melons, limes, cucumber, and pineapple to it.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝. While breastfeeding often helps new moms lose some of their pregnancy weight, it is not a time to purposely reduce calories. Restriction in calories does not change the composition of breastmilk, but it may lead to frustration for both you and baby if it causes a dip in your supply. You need an additional 300-500 calories, on top of your own caloric needs, while breastfeeding to keep up your supply. Try to eat a snack or mini-meal every 2-3 hours so that you take in the calories and nutrients that you need to make enough milk for your little one.
Add 𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, 𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥, 𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤, and spinach to your daily intake.
Try overnight oats and oatmeal for breakfast
Make almond butter date boats and energy bites part of your snack routine
Enjoy a cup of fenugreek tea mid-afternoon
Add fennel to your soup, roasted veggies, and salads This Fennel Radicchio Grapefruit Salad is amazing.
These foods have all been shown to help increase supply. Here is a recipe we made on repeat while breastfeeding!
Carrot Cake Energy Bites
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup pumpkin seeds
2/3 cup natural peanut butter (or any nut / seed butter you have on hand)
1/4 cup pitted dates (or raisins)
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
Directions
Put all ingredients into your food processor. Blend on low speed for 1 minute, and then on high until all ingredients are mixed together.
Form into balls and serve! (It is best to store leftovers in the fridge.)
4. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭. While it is not realistic to sleep every time your baby sleeps, it is important to prioritize rest/sleep over other demands at times. And sometimes this means accepting help with household activities such as laundry, dishes, and meal prep if you are able to.
5. 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬. “Supply and demand” is how breastmilk supply develops. Feed your baby more often, and your body knows to make more milk.
6. 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. Stress can reduce breast milk supply so taking time for yoga, walks, reading, meditating, and deep breathing can be very helpful. This may sound unrealistic but even 2 minutes of deep breathing or a 10 minutes walk can make such a difference in your level of stress.
The Bottom Line?
It is really important to prioritize nutrition, hydration, and self care to ensure that you can provide your baby and yourself with adequate nutrition. But there is no need to add stress and strive for perfection….with breastfeeding or any aspect of being a great mom!
