Most women choose to breastfeed because they want to provide the highest quality milk for their baby. However, since the demands of parenting can be overwhelming, eating properly is often a challenge for new mothers. Most new mothers are physically exhausted from lack of sleep, and may still be recovering from the ordeal experienced during labor. They barely have enough time to go to the bathroom let alone prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal. So what can a health conscious mom do?
There is good news for new mothers that are feeling stressed out! Even with a less than perfect diet, their baby still receives ample nutrition through breast milk. Researchers have recently found that some ingredients in human milk are present in constant proportions for all breastfeeding mothers, and at every feed. Other ingredients in breast milk, however, may vary depending on the maternal diet. This is where good eating habits make a difference.
For the most part, a woman’s nutrition during breastfeeding should be similar to her nutrition during pregnancy: nutritious, balanced, adequate, and organic if possible. A lactating mother should focus on eating whole grains and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, good quality proteins and fats, and foods that provide plenty of essential vitamins and nutrients. A woman may notice her appetite increases during breastfeeding and, if so, she should eat regularly and ensure that she is ingesting adequate calories, about 350-500 calories above her pre-pregnancy amounts. A woman should not consider dieting during the first months of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding burns approximately 500-700 calories a day which helps a woman regain her pre-pregnancy weight in good time.
Good Fats
The fat content in breast milk is one of the biggest factors affected by diet. Within 4-6 hours of eating, the type of fat you consume becomes the predominant fat in your milk. Consider adding good sources of Omega 3’s and 6’s to your diet, such as arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are found in great concentrations in the human brain and nervous system. Purified fish oil, hemp seeds and flax seed oil are examples of healthy essential fatty acids.
Bad Fats
Avoid consuming trans-fatty acids. These are also known as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, and are contained in many processed and packaged foods in addition to baked goods. Not only are these fats linked to cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, they can also interfere with metabolism and usage of healthful essential fatty acids.
Fluids
Because breast milk is largely comprised of water, a lactating mother needs to replace this water by drinking regularly. Mothers should consume 8-12 glasses of water daily and ideally, this water should be purified. Fruit teas and some herbal teas can also satisfy the water requirement.
Caffeine
Transfer of caffeine through breast milk varies from woman to woman and depends on her ability to absorb and eliminate it. Caffeine levels generally peak in breastmilk about 60 minutes after consumption. Usually about 1% of the mother’s caffeine consumption transfers to the baby. In theory, one or two cups of coffee for a sleep deprived mother should be fine. However, every mother should monitor the effects of consuming caffeine because some babies may be more sensitive.
Approximately three or more cups of coffee a day is associated with a reduction, by almost 1/3, of iron levels in breast milk as compared to women who don’t consume caffeine. Over time, this may result in iron deficiency anemia in the infant. Other observations have shown to this quantity may cause irritability, jitteriness and sleep issues in babies.
Alcohol
Recommendations suggest lactating mothers should limit their intake of alcohol to one drink or less daily. The effect of alcohol on a breastfeeding baby relates directly to the amount of alcohol a mother consumes. Moderate to heavy drinking can interfere with the let-down and milk-ejection reflexes. It may also harm the baby's motor development and could cause a slow weight gain. Some mothers choose to express milk and dispose of it (“pump and dump”) if they consume more than 2 drinks on special occasions. Use either stored breast milk or formula as a replacement during this period.
According to La Leche League’s The Breastfeeding Answer Book “Alcohol passes freely into mother's milk and has been found to peak about 30 to 60 minutes after consumption, or 60 to 90 minutes when taken with food. Alcohol also freely passes out of a mother's milk and her system. It takes a 120 pound woman about two to three hours to eliminate from her body the alcohol in one serving of beer or wine. The more alcohol that is consumed, the longer it takes for it to be eliminated.”
Spices and Garlic
Although some mothers report fussiness from their babies after the ingestion of certain spices, or from garlic, there is nothing inherently problematic with these foods. Many cultures around the world use these ingredients in their cooking daily and their babies do not experience more colic. If your use of these ingredients is sporadic or rare, you may notice a reaction from your baby.
Calcium
As during pregnancy, a lactating woman’s calcium needs are elevated. Calcium is very important during pregnancy and breast feeding because studies show that insufficient calcium intake can result in calcium removal from a woman’s bones during these periods. The recommended daily allowance of calcium during lactation is 1,300 mg, which equals about 4 servings of dairy products. Not everyone can eat dairy due to sensitivities. Good alternative sources of calcium include: broccoli, dark leafy greens such as collards and chard, oranges, almonds, sesame seeds, and organic tofu.
Vitamin D
A breast feeding mother should maintain a good store of vitamin D so she is able to supply it to her baby. The body manufactures vitamin D through skin contact with the sun, provided the skin is not covered with sunscreen. In addition, most milk products contain vitamin D as well. If a mother does not have enough access to direct sunlight, or doesn’t consume enough dairy products, a vitamin D supplement may be required.
Multivitamin/mineral
Take a multivitamin/mineral while breast feeding to ensure you are ingesting the minimal amounts of all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Many women continue to take their prenatal brand during this time because it is familiar and nutrient needs are similar.
Food Allergies
If a close family member or your partner has a severe allergy to a certain food, you may want to hold off consuming this food while breast feeding until your child is closer to two years old.
When trying to determine what to eat during breast feeding, a woman should rely on the same guidelines she followed during pregnancy. Try to eat a balanced and nutritious diet with regular meals and healthy snacks, spaced evenly throughout the day. Good judgment suggests moderating alcohol and coffee intake in addition to avoiding problematic foods such as those containing trans fats and other harmful ingredients. A good quality multivitamin/mineral may also help balance the deficiencies of an imperfect diet.
