• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Eat Right Mama

A healthy slice of eating advice for moms & moms-to-be.

  • Home
  • Pregnant
    • Pregnant with Twins? Eat This!
    • Pregnancy weight gain
      • 5 Easy Ways to Curb Pregnancy Weight Gain
      • Pregnant? What if You’re Not Gaining Enough?
    • Vitamin & Mineral Supplements
      • Tips for Shopping for and Taking Your Prenatal
      • Do You REALLY Need a Prenatal Vitamin? Five Reasons Why You Might
      • Vitamin D and Pregnancy
      • Which Individual Nutrient Supplements Might You Need during Pregnancy?
      • Iron Deficiency Anemia during Pregnancy
    • Food Safety
      • 4 Step Food Safety Guide To Keep You Safe During Pregnancy
      • Food Safety Tips for Pregnancy
      • Should You Eat Fish While Pregnant?
    • Morning Sickness
      • Making Morning Sickness More Manageable Online Course–Grab Yours Now!
      • Morning Sickness Recipes to Beat the Queasies!
      • Must Try Morning Sickness Survival Tips for Moms-To-Be
    • Healthy Eating during Pregnancy
      • Iodine: How to Make Sure You’re Getting Enough
      • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Strawberries While Pregnant
      • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanuts When You’re Pregnant
      • How to Fight Sugar Cravings during Pregnancy
      • 5 Tips to Shop Smart when Pregnant
      • Are You Getting Enough Calcium While Pregnant?
      • “Baby Brain” is Real–Try These Tips to Help Your Brain Work Better During Pregnancy
      • Seafood Sources of DHA for Pregnancy
      • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanut Butter (Even When You’re Pregnant)
      • Glycemic Index 101
      • 8 Great Almond Recipes–Plus Why You Should Eat Them When You’re Pregnant!
      • Healthy Seafood Recipes…for Pregnancy & Beyond!
      • How to Cap the Caffeine during Pregnancy
      • Caffeine Content: a Mom Need-to-Know
      • Alcohol-Free Drinks for National Margarita Day!
      • Moms-to-Be: Another Reason to Can the Diet Soda?
    • Healthy Living during Pregnancy
      • Realistic Advice from Dietitians About Your Pregnancy
      • Eat To Sleep
      • Should You Drink Coffee While Pregnant?
      • Positive Attitude During Pregnancy Could Affect your Child’s Risk of Overweight
      • Pregnant or Trying to Be? Here’s What You Need to Know about Zika
      • Zika: Still a Worry for Pregnant Women
      • Pregnant? Here’s Help to Be Smoke-Free
      • Pregnant? Steer Clear of Environmental Chemicals
      • Realistic Advice from Dietitians About Your Pregnancy
      • The Power of Being Unplugged: Do You Need a Digital Diet?
      • Pregnancy Apps You Need Right Now!
    • Happy Mother’s Day
  • Breastfeeding
    • Breastfeeding Roundup: A Must Read for Moms
    • What is a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet?
    • Can You Lose Weight While Breastfeeding?
  • Trying to Conceive
    • Eating Your Way to Increased Fertility With Veggies
    • Smoking and Fertility: What You Need to Know
    • Zika: Still a Worry for Pregnant Women
    • Exercise… Too much or Too little When Trying to Conceive?
    • Welcome to The Fertility Project!
    • Happy National Chocolate Day: Chocolate for Fertility
    • A Healthy Lifestyle is Job One When Trying to Conceive!
    • How Weight Affects Fertility: What You Need to Know
    • Eating for Fertility
    • Insulin Resistance, PCOS, and Fertility
    • Why Healthy Gums are Important for Fertility
    • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome & Diet: What You Need to Know
    • The Road to Pregnancy with PCOS
    • Male Fertility in the News: Reliable Reads
    • Dad’s Diet Important for Fertility says Dave Grotto, RDN
    • Trying to Conceive? 14 Foods to Fuel Your Fertility!
    • Avocado–Slice One Today!
    • Is Your Body Ready for a Baby? Take Our Pre-Pregnancy Quiz!
    • Pregnant or Trying to Be? Here’s What You Need to Know about Zika
    • How to Cap the Caffeine during Pregnancy
    • Program Your Baby For Good Health…Starting before Pregnancy
    • Glycemic Index 101
  • Healthy Kids
    • A Healthy Future begins With Childhood Habits
    • Back to School Lunch: Tips to Avoid Tossing or Trading
    • Artificial Sweeteners & Your Child’s Diet
    • 4 Healthy Options for Your Picky Toddler
    • Just Say No to Juice for Babies says American Academy of Pediatrics
    • How You Feed Your Baby: The First Step in Preventing Obesity Later in Life
    • 3 Healthy Apps Your Kids Will Love!
  • Healthy Eating/ Recipes
    • Buying Time with the Slow Cooker
    • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Sunflower Seeds
    • 13 Good for the Gut Recipes You Need to Try This Summer!
    • It’s Soup Season! Try this Easy Creamy Veggie Soup
    • Ho Ho Hold the Carbs!
    • Say “Cheese” for this Late Summer Appetizer
    • Make Crepes your New Family Tradition
    • 3 Healthy Apps Your Kids Will Love!
    • Pizza on the Grill—-When It’s Too Hot to Cook!
    • Fueling Your Immune System during the COVID-19 Pandemic
    • Is Your Diet a Fixer Upper?
    • Peanuts for Everyone! 25 Ways Eat Some Today
    • 5 Sandwich Fillings that Avoid Processed Meats
    • Meal Prep for Quick Family Meals
    • Steelhead Trout with Jicama Slaw–Great Leftover!
    • Quick Avocado Breakfast Tostada
    • 13 Good for the Gut Recipes You Need to Try This Summer!
    • Surprising Nutrition Advice from a Registered Dietitian
    • Go Green with a Registered Dietitian: It’s National Nutrition Month!
    • 12 Healthy Nut Recipes You Can’t Resist!
    • 8 Great Almond Recipes–Plus Why You Should Eat Them When You’re Pregnant!
    • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Peanut Butter (Even When You’re Pregnant)
    • Let Us Eat Chocolate!
    • Five Things You Can Do TODAY to Cut Your Heart Disease Risk!
    • Avocado–Slice One Today!
    • Channel Your Cravings into Something Healthy!
    • Healthiest Restaurant Main Dish Salads
    • Vegetarian Shopping– The A to Z Guide
    • Main Dish Salads For Supper–Deconstructed!
    • Eat More Veggies–Shopping, Storing, Cooking
    • Veggies: 13 Ways to Eat More
    • Building a Better Sandwich
    • Think Outside the Sandwich for Lunch
    • Blueberries for Breakfast!
    • Caffeine Content: a Mom Need-to-Know
    • Alcohol-Free Drinks for National Margarita Day!
    • Got Allergies? Try these foods!
    • Glycemic Index 101
    • Lunch Time at Preschool: Suggestions for Success
    • 4 Skin Moisturizers You Can Eat!
    • 3 Ways to Clean Up Your Beauty Routine
    • Hurricane Harvey–Safe Cooking from the Pantry
    • March is National Nutrition Month!
    • Trying to Lose Weight? Try These Tips
    • 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Sunflower Seeds
    • March is National Nutrition Month!
    • The Mustard Seed Café
    • Make it a Cheesy Night with Fondue
  • Healthy Living
    • Limited Food Budget? Fitting in Fruits & Veggies
    • Earth Day–Enlightening Ideas for Kids
    • Earth Day 2022:  17 Ways to Eat More Sustainably
    • Pregnant During Covid-19? Tips to Stay Healthy
    • Is Your Diet a Fixer Upper?
    • Eat To Sleep
    • Why You Should Try Pasture-Raised Pork
    • 5 Heart Health Myths for Women
    • Happy Healthy Heart Month!
    • Choline for Everyone: The Important Nutrient You’ve Never Heard Of
    • New Year, New You in 5 Easy Steps!
    • Food Safety Mistakes to Avoid!
    • Just Say No to Juice for Babies says American Academy of Pediatrics
    • Establishing Healthy Habits: Six Tips
    • Pesticides: A Risk Factor for ADHD?
  • Healthy Travel
    • Healthy Snacks for When You’re Traveling
    • Healthiest Restaurant Main Dish Salads
    • Thirteen Healthy Travel Tips
  • Parenting Advice
    • 10 Must-Have Baby Products for New Mamas
    • Positive Attitude During Pregnancy Could Affect your Child’s Risk of Overweight
    • Best Parenting Books for New Parents
    • Back to School Lunch: Tips to Avoid Tossing or Trading
    • The Power of Being Unplugged: Do You Need a Digital Diet?
  • Living Clean
    • Earth Day 2022:  17 Ways to Eat More Sustainably
    • Earth Day–Enlightening Ideas for Kids
  • About Bridget
  • Bridget Swinney MS, RDN: Work with Me!
  • Contact
  • SHOP!
Home » What is a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet?

What is a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet?

March 10, 2017 by Bridget 11 Comments

Like it? Share it! Thanks:)
Share on Facebook Share
Share on Pinterest Pin it
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Google Plus Plus
Send To Devices Send

Eating Expectantly: Best for Breastfeeding Diet

Confused about what you should eat while nursing your baby? Don’t worry- we’ve got you covered!

The Best for Breastfeeding Diet contains a range of 2,100 to 2,300 calories and meets the needs of the average breastfeeding woman. (It’s about the same as the Eating Expectantly Second Trimester Diet.) Keep in mind that you may need more or fewer calories.

Infographic for the Best for Breastfeeding Diet by Bridget Swinney. www.eatrightmama.com/healthy-breastfeeding-diet

Calorie Needs

First let first me say that there is really no need to count calories.

Your calorie needs during breastfeeding can vary a lot and there is much debate among the scientific community about how many extra calories you actually need while breastfeeding.

It depends on:

  • How much body fat you accumulated during pregnancy
  • The amount of milk you’re making
  • Your activity level

For example, you may need just 200 extra calories above your pre-pregnant needs, if you only nurse a few times a day and you’re not very active. However, if you’re exclusively breastfeeding, you have very little body fat and you are active, you might need 500 calories more than before you were pregnant.

The bottom line: follow your appetite—eating like you did in the second trimester with 6 small mini-meals a day may be ideal. Your body will definitely tell you when you need more food.

The first weeks with baby are often chaotic, and you may have a hard time getting in sync with your new schedule. In fact, many new moms (including me) have found it difficult to squeeze in a shower. And some women rely on high-fat snack foods to get them through—which can pack on pounds instead of help lose them! So be sure to keep some easy–to-eat-with-one-hand foods, (fruits, vegetables, fruit and nut bars, healthy sandwiches and wraps) and take advantage of all those friends who offered to cook for you.

Confused about what to eat while #breastfeeding? Check out our #EatingExpectantly #BestforBreastfeedingDiet bit.ly/2mRuM1F Click To Tweet

How Much Fluid Do You Need?

For fluid, drink to thirst. However, if the weather is hot or if you are exercising, drink more fluids rather than just relying on your thirst. You’ll know if you aren’t drinking enough if your urine becomes darker than usual (or if you become constipated.) Sometimes it’s easy to ignore thirst if there is nothing close by to drink of if you’re just too busy.

So, it’s a good idea to sit down with a glass of something, preferably filtered water, when you nurse. But other fluids can hydrate you too. More than likely drinking 12 cups (3 liters), including all types of fluids, will meet most women’s needs.

One thing you do need to know about fluid—drinking more will not necessarily increase milk production. Drinking less will not help with engorgement, either. 

Other Nutrient Needs

Overall, your nutrient needs on the Best for Breastfeeding Diet are similar to those in the second trimester, with a few exceptions.

Protein

You’ll need about 71 grams of protein per day, which is the same as during your pregnancy. Strive to have different types of protein each day from beans, nuts, eggs, seafood, lean beef, poultry, and pork, and low-fat dairy. They all have something good to offer, but when it comes to animal protein, choose the leanest possible and trim visible fat. Make a point to eat fish and seafood–about 12 ounces a week.

Fat

It’s one nutrient that changes in your milk according to your diet. Note that it’s the type of fat rather than the amount that’s important. Continue to keep saturated fat to a minimum and avoid trans fats. The fat you packed away during pregnancy is now used to make milk, so your previous diet also affects your milk now. Besides supplying calories, DHA (an omega-3 fat) is the building block of brain and eye tissue, which both continue to grow—a lot—during the first year. Continue to have a source of DHA in your diet, either through cold water fish or from a DHA supplement of 200-300 mg as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

Although alpha-linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid found in walnuts and flaxseed) is also important in the diet, a DHA supplement or eating adequate DHA-fortified foods is necessary if you are vegetarian.

Carbohydrates

About half your calories should come from carbohydrate-rich foods. As during pregnancy, choose smart carbs and eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Vitamins and Minerals

While you need less of some nutrients compared to pregnancy, you need more of these: Vitamin A, C, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, choline, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, zinc and potassium, which you should be able to obtain through a healthy diet.

Should You Continue Taking Your Prenatal Vitamin?

While many health care providers advise that breastfeeding moms continue taking their prenatal vitamin, it can also make you constipated due to its high iron content. If you choose to take a multivitamin other than your prenatal, look for one that contains choline.

Iron

Unless you had significant blood loss during delivery or you are anemic, your need for iron decreases significantly. In fact, you need less iron now than before you were pregnant because you aren’t having menstrual periods. However, if you had a tendency to be anemic during pregnancy, ask your health care provider about getting your iron status checked postpartum. Iron deficiency anemia is linked to postpartum depression.

Vitamin D

You should strive to get adequate vitamin D through exposure to the sun, food or a supplement. However, because vitamin D is so critical to the health of your baby, and the fact that many women are vitamin D deficient, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants who are breastfed (either exclusively or combined with formula), should receive a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D, beginning at hospital discharge.

Calcium

Many women slack off on calcium-rich foods after delivery. However, calcium is as important—or even more important—while breastfeeding. If you don’t have calcium from your diet (or supplements), it will come from what’s stored in your bones, which can contribute to osteoporosis later. Unfortunately, heavy metals like lead are also stored there, and can be released into the bloodstream too. Research shows that women who breastfeed have a significantly lower risk of hip fracture post-menopause—and the longer a woman breastfed, the lower her risk.

Choline

Another “brain” nutrient, it’s found in large amounts in breast milk and also in your baby’s hippocampus—the memory center of the brain. Most women don’t have enough choline in their diet. Eggs and lean beef are rich sources.

Lutein

New research keeps pouring in on this super-antioxidant! It protects your baby’s eye from damaging blue light and also protects cell membranes (and DHA) found in the retina. Lutein has also been found in the areas of a baby’s brain important for language, hearing and memory. The amount in your breast milk is determined by the lutein in your diet. Best sources are leafy greens like kale and spinach.

Iodine

It’s a mineral you might not think too much about, but it’s critical for your baby’s brain. Use iodized salt and try to find a multivitamin with iodine. Seafood and milk are also good sources of iodine.

Zinc

It’s something women often don’t get enough of, and you need more of it now than while you were pregnant to help with growth and development and the immune system. Sources include seafood, lean red meat, poultry, eggs, nuts and beans, yogurt and whole grains.

Fiber

Between the effects of anesthesia and the hormones of pregnancy, your digestive system may feel a bit sluggish the first week or two after delivery. Don’t forget to eat fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, a daily probiotic and plenty of water to keep things moving.

Like it? Share it! Thanks:)
Share on Facebook Share
Share on Pinterest Pin it
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Google Plus Plus
Send To Devices Send

Filed Under: Breastfeeding Tagged With: Best for Breastfeeding Diet, Bridget Swinney, diet for breastfeeding, Eating Expectantly, nutrition for breastfeeding

Previous Post: « 12 Healthy Nut Recipes You Can’t Resist!
Next Post: Go Green with a Registered Dietitian: It’s National Nutrition Month! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. abbey says

    April 7, 2017 at 11:02 am

    THanks for sharing this!

    Reply
  2. Alysa Bajenaru, RD says

    April 7, 2017 at 11:28 am

    What a great resource!

    Reply
  3. Kristina @ Love & Zest says

    April 7, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    This is a great article! I know some girls who struggled with production while breastfeeding years ago, I wish I had this at the time to help them out! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Shannon @ KISS in the Kitchen says

    April 9, 2017 at 6:16 pm

    This is GREAT info, Bridget. Definitely have some new mommas and mommas to be that can benefit from this- will share!

    Reply
    • Bridget says

      April 10, 2017 at 6:18 am

      I appreciate that Shannon!

      Reply
  5. Danielle says

    April 9, 2017 at 8:00 pm

    I love your PIN. You make it so easy to understand.

    Reply
    • Bridget says

      April 10, 2017 at 6:17 am

      Thanks! Glad it helps!

      Reply
  6. Katie Cavuto says

    April 10, 2017 at 7:50 am

    So much great info — thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Bridget says

      April 10, 2017 at 8:30 am

      Thanks Katie!

      Reply
  7. abbey says

    April 12, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Such good information to know

    Reply
  8. Kara @ Byte Sized Nutrition says

    April 13, 2017 at 2:26 pm

    What a wonderful, comprehensive and much needed resource for new mothers! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey there–I’m really glad you stopped by!

I'm Bridget...and I'm a mom on a mission to help you and your family eat healthier. I'm also a registered dietitian and author of three books on family nutrition.

Check Out My YouTube Intro!

Read More about Bridget…

Check out my latest book!

Follow Me Here for more nutrition wisdom!!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • One More Veggie: Join the Challenge!
  • Eat Red-Go Red! It’s Heart Month!
  • 5 Heart Health Myths for Women
  • On the Fifth Day of Christmas…
  • Food Safety Tips for Pregnancy

Categories

healthy eating

9 better than store-bought recipes alcohol-free holiday drinks avocado breastfeeding Bridget Swinney Bridget Swinney RD calcium-rich CDC cheap home workouts cheese chocolate Chrissy Carroll RD cocoa crustless quiche recipes eating for fertility eggs Elizabeth Ward RD Emily Kyle RD exercise family time fertility fruits healthy chocolate recipes healthy eating holiday eating tips Jessica Levinson RD Jessi Haggerty RD morning sickness nutrition Nutritioulicious overweight peanut butter pregnancy pregnancy nutrition prenatal nutrition prenatal vitamin salmon screen-free activities seafood Trying to Conceive Twelve days of Christmas vegetables veggies ways to stay on track over the weekend whole grains

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress