When breastfeeding baby, women can be concerned about their breastfeeding diet. Can they drink coffee or alcohol, for example? Should they avoid certain foods in case they upset baby's digestion, or give them colic? Because there is lots of conflicting advice, it is important to know the facts.
There is no single breastfeeding diet required when breastfeeding baby. You should, however, eat an overall healthy balanced and varied diet. Importantly, there are a few vital nutrients which a baby needs, and which can be affected if the mother's dietary intake of them is too low. These include iodine, vitamin B12, iron and calcium.
The best dietary sources of iodine include kelp, dairy products, eggs, onions, all seafood, and iodized table salt. Bear in mind that eating large amounts of raw cabbage can lead to iodine deficiency. Iodine is critical, as a deficiency can lead to mental retardation and stunted growth in children.
Vitamin B12 primarily is supplied by animal products, so if you are a vegetarian who does not eat eggs or dairy products, when breastfeeding baby you may need to take a vitamin B12 supplement. Similarly, if you drink alcohol regularly and breastfeed, you will have an increased need in your breastfeeding diet for B12. As B12 is extremely important for the formation of red blood cells, among other things, see your doctor to have your blood levels of B12 checked. The best natural sources of B12 include liver, beef, eggs, milk and fish.
Iron stores are depleted in pregnancy, so you will need to rebuild your iron stores with iron-rich foods. To protect bone strength, you will need about four serves of calcium rich foods per day.
Since breastfeeding baby can make you hungry, be guided by your appetite. The exact amount of calories you need will depend on your weight and level of activity. On the other hand, if you do not have an appetite regularly, and are not eating much at all, it may be advisable to speak to your doctor or health professional about how you are feeling. A continued lack of appetite is just one symptom of postnatal depression.
Part of a breastfeeding diet is to keep well hydrated. When breastfeeding baby, your body releases oxytocin, a hormone which causes milk to be 'let down' and available for baby. It can make you thirsty, so keep a drink of water nearby when you breastfeed. There is no requirement to drink more than normal, and as usual, you can keep an eye on the colour of your urine to gauge your hydration levels. Aside from first thing in the morning, if your urine is dark yellow or smells strongly, you may be dehydrated and should drink more. Light coloured or pale urine suggests that you are getting plenty to drink.
When it comes to alcohol in your breastfeeding diet, the safest option is to avoid alcohol altogether, as alcohol does pass to your baby through breast milk. But if you do want to drink alcohol while breastfeeding baby, follow health guidelines for lactating women, which are the same as for pregnancy. These include not having more than one or two standard drinks once or twice a week. Since it takes approximately two hours for the human body to clear alcohol from the system per standard drink, try and time your drinking accordingly, allowing time for your body to clear the alcohol before breastfeeding baby. You can always express some breast milk prior to imbibing to be sure.
In a breastfeeding diet, you really can eat anything in moderation. Like alcohol, caffeine passes into breast milk. So drinking more than three cups of tea or coffee a day, or large amounts of cola should be avoided. It is possible that a particular food may affect baby, such that it makes baby unsettled. There is little evidence to support this, however. Some foods thought to sometimes cause problems include onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, chocolate and cow's milk. But there can be many causes for an unsettled baby, so if you breastfeed and think a particular food is the cause, you could try cutting it out of your breastfeeding diet for a few days and see if it makes any difference. Whenever in doubt, it is a good idea to seek advice from a health professional.
A strict diet to lose weight while breastfeeding baby is not recommended. So eat well and enjoy the closeness of breastfeeding your baby.
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