It actually takes more calories to feed another little human than to grow one in utero. Breastfeeding uses up around 500 calories a day (so yes, if you’re feeding two, that equals 1,000 calories a day!) So if you’re er. . .uh. . .mathematically inclined like me, nursing one infant a day equals a big scoop of Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream, or a slice of pizza and a soda! It is true, you can eat pretty much whatever you’d like while you’re breastfeeding. Interestingly, what you eat has very little effect on the composition of breast milk–it still has all the vitamins, minerals, antibodies, and enzymes, etc. that your baby needs–even if your diet is less than ideal.
But if you’re like most women, you likely want to lose weight while you’re breastfeeding. I am sad to say that a diet in pizza and ice cream won’t do that for you. While you can sneak a “bad” food in here or there, it is of course better for your health to eat a variety of foods while you’re nursing and the weight will likely come off naturally (especially if you breastfeed for a long time.)
Foods to Avoid
Some people feel that one advantage to breastfeeding is that the breast milk takes on the flavor of whatever you may have eaten. Does this mean you should stay away from spicy food? Only if it seems to agitate your baby. The flavor is not strong enough to bother most babies and they certainly wouldn’t taste “spicy” if you indulge in those enchiladas!
Contrary to what most people think–there are not a list of foods to avoid while breastfeeding. Food sensitivities are highly uncommon among infants. Only 3%-5% of babies experience a real food sensitivity to something in their mother’s milk. Your baby may have a sensitivity to something you’ve eaten if they display any of the following signs:
Inconsolable fussiness
Green mucous stools
Suddenly waking in obvious distress
Skin rashes
Wheezing
If your baby does display a few of these signs, and you want to try eliminating something from your diet, the thing to try first is cow’s milk. Cow’s milk has a protein in it which is difficult for little babies to digest. You have to eliminate it from your diet for at least 2-3 weeks in order to see marked improvement. (If you see what you think is “improvement” well before the 2 week mark, it is likely that your baby was just fussy and has no such food sensitivity.) Also remember, that just because your baby was sensitive to something at 6 weeks, doesn’t mean he still will be at 12 weeks. You can reintroduce things you’ve eliminated and see if the baby’s sensitivity still exists.
If you are limiting your dairy intake you may be able to eat yogurt, cheese and other dairy products. Make sure that if you are limiting your dairy intake, you are supplementing with other food rich in calcium. Broccoli, canned salmon, nuts and spinach are all good substitutes. You may also want to take a calcium supplement. However, research shows that while women do lose some bone density while nursing, it is completely restored a year after weaning, and in fact, research has shown that women who have breastfed exponentially decrease their risk for osteoporosis.
Fluid Intake
The best guide to how much water to drink is to drink to thirst. There is no evidence that supports that fluid intake increases your supply. In fact, if you drink too much, (more than 12 glasses per day), you will likely decrease your supply. The problem for most moms however, is that they are so immersed in taking care of baby, that they forget to take care of themselves. Try having a bottle of water whenever you sit down to nurse your baby.
Like in anything, eating a good variety of healthy foods is the best route when breastfeeding. You can even likely sneak in a bowl or two of ice cream if you’re so inclined. Don’t try to lose weight, but on the other hand if you eat sensibly–you are likely to lose weight while breastfeeding.
Related Articles:
Practices That Promote Breastfeeding
Helpful Gear for the Breastfeeding Mother
Breastfeeding Full Term Multiples