Do you need to follow a special breastfeeding diet while you are nursing? This is one of the most common breastfeeding questions. Eating well while you're nursing is important; your body will do everything to ensure that your baby is well fed, but if you aren't eating well, your own health may suffer. The good news is that getting proper nutrition while nursing is easier than you might think. You should eat a wide variety of foods, and you'll need to eat consume more calories than when you're not nursing. It's also important to drink enough, to stay hydrated. Here are some tips for eating well while feeding your baby.
Keep It Balanced
Try to eat a wide variety of foods each day. A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and quality protein such as legumes, dairy products and lean meats will provide you and your baby with the nutrition you both need to thrive.
Eat Often
You are likely to be quite hungry while nursing; many nursing moms say that they feel like they need to eat more while nursing than they did while pregnant. This is not surprising, since your growing baby needs up to 1,000 calories per day. In order to keep your energy up and keep hunger at bay, eat about six small meals per day. In addition to a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner, keep some nutritious snacks on hand to munch on between meals. Granola bars, nuts, whole grain crackers and fruit are good choices for easy, healthy snacking.
Stay Hydrated
Your body also requires more fluids while breastfeeding, to make up for the fluids lost to milk production. The best choice is water. You should strive to drink around three quarts of water per day. Keep in mind that caffeinated beverages can actually dehydrate you. If you do choose to drink caffeine, either coffee or soda, be sure to follow it up with more water.
Things to Avoid
Remember that everything you consume makes its way into your breast milk. When creating your breastfeeding diet, it's important to avoid things that may be harmful for your baby, such a nicotine, alcohol and excess caffeine. It's also a good idea to avoid processed foods containing lots of artificial colors, additives and preservatives.
If there is a history of lactose intolerance in your family, ask your doctor about alternatives to cow's milk that will help you get the calcium you need. If your doctor needs to prescribe medication for you, be sure that he knows you are nursing, as some medications pass through breastmilk as well, and may harm your baby.
What About Supplements?
There are lots of breastfeeding products and supplements on the market to include in your breastfeeding diet. Most nursing mothers will not require additional vitamin supplements if they are eating a well-balanced diet.
If you don't eat any animal products, you should consider taking a B-12 supplement to make sure your baby gets enough of this vitamin. Any other supplements you take are for your benefit. Calcium and zinc are the most common supplements that nursing mothers use. Calcium can be beneficial, because your body will take calcium from your bones if there isn't enough of it in your diet.
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