Nutrition for Lactating Parents

You may wonder if the foods you eat will affect your milk. Should you avoid certain foods to prevent digestive problems or allergies in your baby? Should you eat special foods to make the right amount and quality of milk for your baby?

The good news is that your milk will be just right for your baby regardless of your diet. Your body knows exactly what nutrition your baby needs at every stage of development. Your milk is constantly changing to meet your baby’s needs. When your baby drinks your milk, they are exposed to the many flavors of the foods you eat. When they start eating these same foods, they are already familiar with the taste. Eating a wide variety of foods that you enjoy will help keep you and your baby healthy.

Use the following tips to plan what you eat.

What to eat

• Include protein foods 2-3 times per day such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, nuts and seeds

• Eat three servings of vegetables, including dark green and yellow vegetables per day.

• Eat two servings of fruit per day.

• Include whole grains such as whole wheat breads, pasta, cereal and oatmeal

• Drink water to satisfy your thirst. You may feel thirsty while breastfeeding; however, forcing yourself to drink fluids does not increase milk production

• Dietary restrictions from pregnancy no longer apply

• You can eat a vegetarian diet. If you avoid meat, make sure you eat other sources of protein, iron and zinc such as dried beans, dried fruit, nuts, seeds and dairy. If you avoid all animal products (vegan diet) you will need to take a B12 supplement to make sure your baby does not develop a B12 deficiency.

How much to eat

• Making milk requires extra calories. If you still have baby weight from your pregnancy, those fat stores will naturally be used for your milk. If you have lost all your baby weight, you may need to eat an extra 500-600 calories per day. After your baby starts eating other foods at 6 months they will be drinking less milk, and you can cut back on your calorie intake.

Alcohol and caffeine

• If you wish to drink alcohol, wait 2-3 hours after each serving (12 oz. beer, 6 oz. wine, 1.5 oz. liquor) before you feed your baby or pump. Alcohol does not stay in your milk. It is removed from your milk as your blood alcohol level goes down. When you are sober, the alcohol is gone from your milk. If you are feeling the effects of alcohol and your breasts are full, you may need to “pump and dump."

• Alcohol can change the taste of your milk and reduce milk production.

• Caffeine is passed into your milk, but most babies are not bothered by it. Try to limit caffeinated drinks to two servings per day. If your baby isn’t sleeping well or is irritable, you may want to limit or avoid caffeine. Newborns may be more sensitive to caffeine than older babies.

Sharing with baby through milk

• Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is an important omega 3 fatty acid needed by babies for brain development. You can boost the DHA in your milk by eating fish 2-3 times per week. The best sources of DHA are salmon, bluefish, bass, trout, flounder and tuna. Do not eat tile fish, swordfish, shark and king mackerel. They contain high levels of mercury.

• The colors of the foods you eat, including naturally occurring pigments in vegetables and herbal supplements or food dyes added to foods, may change the color of your milk.

• Spicy and gas-producing foods are normally tolerated by most babies. If you find your baby is often gassy or colicky after you eat a particular food, try avoiding that food for several weeks and see if the symptoms go away. Then try the food again to see if you still need to avoid it.

• The varied flavors in your diet will appear in your milk. Your baby will even enjoy milk flavored with garlic!

Reviewed July 2024 by Meghan Devine BSN, RN, IBCLC