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?
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.
- 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.
- Water
- Milk
- Unsweetened fruit juices
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?
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
The
booklets Feeding your baby and Feeding your toddler are available from
Food Standards Agency Publications.