You were careful about what you ate and drank during your pregnancy. Do you have to follow the same rules when you are breastfeeding?
“The good news is you don’t have to worry as much about your food,” Joanna Koch, lactation consultant at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, says. “It’s time to return to and enjoy your normal diet.” You can have that glass of wine or plate of sushi you’ve been craving.
Koch answers some common questions from new moms about eating when you’re breastfeeding.
“Women have supported their babies with their milk for hundreds of thousands of years without special diets and supplements,” Koch says. “And around the world today women are making plenty of nutritious milk on extremely varied diets.”
Your milk is perfect for your baby independent of your diet, she says. However, you’ll have more energy, be healthier and feel better if you eat a well-balanced diet. Get healthy eating tips and guidance from our nutrition experts in our nutrition section.
You may also want to ask your doctor if your diet is giving you adequate calcium and whether you may need a vitamin D supplement.
Every culture has traditions about foods and supplements that may help with milk production, and many products are available for purchase. However, your supply has much more to do with how well your baby is breastfeeding than what you are eating. Certain foods and supplements may give you a little boost, but optimizing breastfeeding will do much more to increase your supply.
“While it’s true that making 24 to 30 ounces of milk a day uses approximately 500 calories, this doesn’t mean you have to make a special effort to eat more,” Koch says. “Just follow your appetite and have plenty of nutritious snacks.”
“What you eat for lunch is in your milk in an hour or so,” Koch says. “Your baby may switch from delightful to grumpy if that broccoli or spicy Thai food dish doesn’t sit well with him or her.”
Follow your baby’s cues to learn if some foods are making his or her tummy uncomfortable, Koch recommends. Most babies tolerate mom’s diet well, but some will let you know there’s a problem.
“It’s fine to start your day with a cup or two of coffee or tea,” Koch says. “Only a minimal amount of caffeine reaches your baby and it’s not enough to cause concern.”
You can enjoy one serving of wine (about 5 ounces) with dinner, too. The alcohol level in your milk is always exactly the same as in your bloodstream – it is not stored or concentrated in your milk.
If you drink a glass of wine quickly it can cause a brief spike of alcohol in your blood. In that case, delay breastfeeding for two hours, which is the time it takes for one glass of wine to be metabolized. If you prefer, you can breastfeed right before enjoying your wine.
“Always tell your doctor and your pediatrician what medications and supplements you are taking,” Koch says. “They will be able to advise you on whether they are safe while breastfeeding.”
You can also check the LactMed database for information on drugs and their effect on breastfeeding, or contact the Infant Risk Center.
“Joining a breastfeeding support group can be really helpful, as can contacting a lactation consultant to chat with about your concerns,” Koch says. Sutter care centers offer a variety of support services for breastfeeding moms, including classes, lactation consultants and more.