Nutrition While Breast-Feeding
Topic Overview
If you are
breast-feeding, you should eat 500 calories more each
day than are otherwise recommended for a person of your height and weight. You
may need even more calories if you:
- Are very active.
- Begin to lose weight
rapidly.
- Are breast-feeding more than one infant.
Good nutrition for you and your baby
Eating a
balanced diet will help you maintain your health while producing enough milk
for your baby. Use
MyPyramid as a starting point to plan your diet. Make
sure to include daily nutritional requirements for breast-feeding women.
- Folic acid: You should have at least 400
micrograms (mcg) a day. Liver, green vegetables, orange juice, and whole and
enriched grains are good sources of
folic acid.
- Calcium: If you are 18 or younger, you should have
1,300 milligrams (mg) of
calcium every day. If you are 19 or older, the daily
requirement is 1,000 mg. Dairy products are the best source of calcium. Small
amounts are found in leafy greens, canned fish with bones, fortified orange
juice, and almonds.
- Iron: 9 to 10 mg are needed every day. If your iron
levels are low (iron deficiency anemia) or if your iron levels were
low during pregnancy, you may need to get extra iron by eating iron-rich foods
or taking a supplement. Talk with your doctor about your iron needs. Meats are
the best source of iron. Smaller amounts are found in cooked dry beans, leafy
greens, and whole and enriched grains.
Some health professionals recommend a prenatal vitamin supplement to breast-feeding women, especially for those who:
- Do not eat dairy products and need extra
calcium.
- Do not eat animal products. These women may need calcium,
vitamins B12 and D, zinc, and iron.
- Are at risk of a poor diet,
such as teenagers, low-income women, and women who are consuming fewer than
1,800 calories a day. These women may benefit from nutritional counseling and
taking a vitamin and mineral supplement.
Talk to a nutritional counselor or registered dietitian or
to your doctor about a safe, healthy weight-loss diet. For more information,
see the topic Healthy Eating.
How foods you eat affect breast milk and your baby
Most foods you eat probably will not affect your milk or cause colicky
symptoms in your baby. But some infants develop a sensitivity to the protein in
cow's milk. If this occurs, you may need to stop eating milk and dairy
products.
If you drink a lot of caffeine, it can pass to your baby
through breast milk. Caffeine can cause irritability and sleep problems in
babies. Limiting your caffeine intake, such as having no more than 2 to 3
caffeinated beverages a day, will help. Caffeine is found not only in coffee,
but also in tea, cola, and chocolate.
Credits
|
By
| Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Anne Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
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| Last Revised | February 24, 2010 |
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Last Revised:
February 24, 2010
