AquaBirth - Eating for Breastfeeding

EATING FOR BREASTFEEDING

Breast milk provides all the nutrients a baby needs for healthy development in the first months of life. This booklet contains some practical advice on eating a varied and balanced diet to help keep you, and your baby, healthy when you’re breastfeeding.

What should I be eating?

It’s important to try to eat a variety of feeds including:

Plenty of fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or a glass of juice) – aim for at least five portions a day

Starchy food, such as bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, to give you energy

Plenty of fibre, found in wholegrain bread, pasta, rice, pulses, and fruit and vegetables. After childbirth, some women experience bowel problems and find constipation particularly painful, but fibre helps with both of these

Sources of protein, such as lean meat and chicken, fish (aim for a least two servings of fish a week , including one of oily fish), eggs and pulses (such as beans and lentils)

Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, which contain calcium. These are also good sources of protein.

Is there any food I should avoid?

You should avoid eating shark, swordfish and marlin and limit the amount of tuna you eat. Don’t eat more than one tuna steak a week (weighing about 140g cooked or 170g raw) or two medium-size cans of tuna a week (with a drained weight of about 140g per can). For canned tuna, this means about six rounds of tuna sandwiches or three tuna salads.

This is because of the levels of mercury in these fish. Some of the mercury in the fish you eat will pass into your breast milk and high levels of mercury can harm a very young baby’s developing nervous system.

All other food can be eaten in moderation while you’re breastfeeding, unless you have a family history of allergy or intolerance when you may be advised otherwise. (See Should I avoid peanuts? )

And as a general rule, if a food affects you it will probably affect your baby. But remember, it’s normal for breastfed babies to have loose stools.

Do I need any vitamin supplements?

While you’re breastfeeding you should take supplements containing 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D each day. If you receive Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance, you’re entitled to free vitamin A, C and D supplements from maternity and child health clinics.

Do I need to eat more?

Most women’s bodies are very efficient at making breast milk, so you don’t need t eat for two. But, just like any other time, it’s important for you and your baby that you eat a healthy balance diet.

Remember to eat!

It can be difficult to find the time to eat properly when you’re looking after a young baby, so remember to:

Keep meals simple, so they don’t take too long to prepare

Make eating a high priority

Try eating smaller meals more frequently

Do I need to drink more?

It’s important to make sure you have a drink whenever you feel thirsty. If your urine is dark and has a strong smell, this means you’re not drinking enough. If you feel thirsty, this means you’re already dehydrated, so you need to drink more.

It’s a good idea to have a drink by your side before you settle down to breastfeed. These are all good choices:

Water

Milk

Unsweetened fruit juices

Small amounts of whatever you’re easting and drinking may pass to your baby through your breast milk. You should think carefully about your intake of alcohol and caffeine. These will affect the baby in the same way they affect you.

If you do have alcohol or caffeine, try to have them only occasionally, because consuming these regularly, or in large amounts, will affect your baby.

Should I avoid peanuts?

A Serious allergies to nuts, nut products and some seeds affect less than 1% of the population. But your baby may be at a higher risk if you, the baby’s father, brothers or sisters suffer from certain allergic conditions such as hayfever, asthma or eczema.

If your baby is in this high-risk group, it would be sensible to avoid eating peanuts and peanut products while you’re breastfeeding and while you’re introducing solid foods. Avoid giving your child peanuts and peanut products until he or she is at least three years old. If you think your child might be allergic to peanuts, contact your GP.

How can I lose weight?

A It’s not a good idea to try to lose weight while you’re breastfeeding because you need to keep up your energy levels. If you eat a healthy balanced diet, restrict the amount of fat and sugar you eat, and are physically active, this will help you to lose any extra weight you put on during pregnancy.

Where can I get more information?

A You might find Birth to five useful. Published by health departments in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it’s available free to first-time parents. The Health Education Board for Scotland produces Ready steady baby! Free to first-time parents in Scotland. Speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor, or contact your local health promotion unit.

The booklets Feeding your baby and Feeding your toddler are available from Food Standards Agency Publications.

You can find out more about food at