A newborn baby’s diet is directly correlated to their mother’s —which is why determining the best foods to eat while breastfeeding is a fundamental part of honing in on your new-mom routine. “Breastfeeding is the ideal way to nourish your baby’s growth and development, and to support your baby’s future health,” notes London-based nutritionist Lola Ross, who specializes in women’s hormonal health.
The process actually begins during pregnancy, as the demand for extra calories and nutrients increases in order to produce breast milk. “When you consider that human milk uses water, amino acids, fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from maternal blood to produce up to 25 ounces (750 ml) of milk daily, it’s easy to see that a mother’s food choices have a huge influence on the quality of her milk,” Ross notes. “Plenty of evidence suggests that breast milk helps to develop a baby’s immunity and reduce the risk of allergies, asthma, and the frequency of gastrointestinal issues is lower in breastfed infants.”
That said, breastfeeding is not a one-size-fits-all routine—or, even always easy—for new mothers. As any mom will tell you, everyone’s experience is different. “Getting breastfeeding started is not always a straightforward journey, and many new mothers find the process frustrating or even distressing,” agrees Ross. “The good news is that your GP can connect you with experts who are able to provide practical and emotional guidance around breastfeeding, which can be enormously helpful.”
Also helpful? Mastering a menu that supports your own healthy eating habits while optimizing your milk supply—one that takes your access to food, personal situation, cultural food preferences, activity level, and overall health into account. “The nutrient composition of human milk is uniquely suited to a newborn’s needs, and at this time your baby is relying totally on you for all its nutrition, so it’s good to know the key nutrients to prioritize in your meals,” explains Ross.
Below, some information to help you—and your precious little one—get the most out of your breastfeeding journey. And, remember, it is a journey, so be patient with yourself.
What are the best foods to eat while breastfeeding?
Getting as many nutrients as you can from a well-balanced diet of whole foods is always important—and breastfeeding is no exception. “Eating a healthy diet, based around diverse, vibrant plant foods, whole grains, healthy fats, and animal/plant proteins is essential while breastfeeding,” agrees Ross.
While all of your dietary choices matter when it comes to your breastfeeding diet—and there are a variety of foods that are best eschewed entirely (we’ll get into that shortly)—focusing on the following seven categories will help set you and your baby up for success.
“Breast milk is made up of around 4 percent fats, which provides the baby with things like energy, body fat, and healthy brain development—and the type of fat the mother eats affects the fat composition of her milk,” Ross says. “To optimize breast milk fats, choosing healthy polyunsaturated fats found in nuts, avocados, avocado/olive oil, sea vegetables, and cold water oily fish, over harmful saturated fats found in fried foods and meats is a positive strategy.”
As mentioned above, fats matter—as do fatty acids. “Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are fats needed for newborn brain development, and immunity, as well as healthy skin and hair, so mothers should be including plenty in their diets,” says Ross. “Useful EFAs food sources include nuts and seeds (walnuts, flax, and sunflower seeds have high levels), cold water oily fish (think salmon), and sea vegetables like kelp or nori.”
Those who are breastfeeding require up to 750 more calories, as well as 20 extra grams of protein, per day to support their bodily needs along with those of their baby. “Newborns need protein to build things like muscle, bone and hormones, so mothers should be including protein-rich foods into their daily diet,” says Ross.
It’s important to note that eating enough protein helps support mom’s strength, too. “During lactation, a woman must eat an adequate amount of protein in order to maintain her own muscle mass, while also providing adequate nutrition to the infant through breast milk,” one recent study that looked at the protein requirements for breastfeeding mothers notes.
To that end, consider items like lentils, beans and legumes, dairy, fish, lean meats, and eggs, which are all good sources of protein. And, because protein requirements can vary widely based on an individual’s height, weight, and body mass, it can be helpful to use an online calculator to determine your specific macronutrient needs.
While vitamin D is essential for skeletal development and immunity, only small amounts can be found in breast milk. “Maternal stores of vitamin D are largely sunlight dependent, so depending on the mothers underlying vitamin D status, breast milk may not have adequate levels,” says Ross. “This becomes even more important for mothers with darker skin tones who are more commonly deficient.”
While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting supplements (340 to 400 units) right after birth, Ross recommends getting guidance from a registered nutritionist or your doctor to figure out the right supplementation amount for yourself and your newborn.
“B vitamins such as folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 are essential for many aspects of your baby’s growth, so include daily serving of foods like eggs, nutritional yeast, leafy green veggies, and whole grains to provide your body and baby what they need.” The recommended amount of B6 to get while breastfeeding is 2 mcg; the recommend amount of B12 is 2.6–2.8 mcg.
“Calcium is involved in your baby’s bone development, and calcium requirements are very high during breastfeeding, in order to support this time of rapid skeletal growth,” says Ross, who notes that women should aim to consume 1,000 mg of calcium per day while breastfeeding.
Calcium, it should also be noted, is not just important for baby’s health: Breastfeeding can deplete mom’s own stores of the all-important mineral, too. So, be sure to reach for calcium-rich options like dairy products, tinned sardines (with the soft bones), cabbage, broccoli, tahini, and other dark green vegetables like arugula. Calcium-enriched cereals, juices, yogurt, and tofu can help, too.
“The mineral iron can become depleted in mothers during pregnancy, so by the time baby is born iron deficiency may be present, and it can become easy for babies to become iron deficient, too,” explains Ross. “To manage your iron levels, I advise getting your iron status checked through your healthcare provider (who may prescribe supplementation), and focus on consuming iron-rich foods like lentils, white beans, rye, dried fruit like figs, apricots, and dates and meat.”
“As 84 percent of breastmilk is made of water, it makes sense to stay adequately hydrated for both you and your baby,” says Ross, who recommends 90 to 100 ounces (or 11 to 12 glasses of water) per day.
Which foods should I avoid while breastfeeding?
“There are many foods that should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid harm to your baby’s development, beginning with caffeine and alcohol, stimulant foods that pass through breast milk and can affect your milk supply,” says Ross. “The effects of these substances can also interfere with your baby’s sleep and digestive health, so while you are breastfeeding, it’s best to avoid them.”
Is it safe to eat fish while breastfeeding?
Ross suggests avoiding foods high in mercury like large oily fish (swordfish, tuna, king mackerel), as heavy metals are neurotoxins and harmful to both you and your baby.
With that in mind, it’s also not advisable for breastfeeding moms to skip eating fish all together. Instead, the FDA recommends eating two to three 4 oz servings of lower mercury fish like sardines, mackerel, salmon, and cod. If you want to eat tuna, reach for canned light tuna versus albacore, bigeye, or yellowfin: “Some types of tuna that are bigger or live longer tend to have higher mercury levels, and that is why they are in different categories. So, canned light tuna is in the ‘Best Choices’ category, albacore (or white) tuna and yellowfin tuna are in the ‘Good Choices’ category, and bigeye tuna is in the ‘Choices to Avoid’ category,” the agency explains.
Should I take breastfeeding or prenatal supplements?
Prenatal vitamins are essentially multivitamins with an increased dose of folic acid—the better to support cell growth and processes. While continuing to use them while breastfeeding is common, doses may exceed your necessary iron and folic acid levels.
However, the option can be beneficial for some breastfeeding mothers. “Vitamin and mineral requirements can be up to 100 percent higher than your pre-pregnancy needs, and you may want to consider a breastfeeding supplement to help fill in any nutritional gaps or to help address deficiencies,” says Ross.
As always, check with your healthcare provider and a nutritionist to determine the best plan based on your, and your baby’s, needs.
