WHAT SHOULD A BREASTFEEDING MOTHER’S DIET BE?

One of the most common concerns of new mothers who are breastfeeding their babies is- what can/should they eat? The answer to this requires some misconceptions about the relationship between the diet of a mother to her ability to breastfeed effectively, to be cleared.

Fact: Even a moderately malnourished woman can produce enough milk to feed two babies

While the information mentioned above is a fact, the import of it needs to be understood clearly. 

As a general rule of the thumb, a lactating mother may need to consume an extra 500-600 calories a day. Having said that, while these extra calories would help support her breastfeeding and be good for her general well being, so far as she’s feeding the baby frequently, eating less(which could be for any reason, as basic as availability) would not have an effect on the quantity of milk her breasts are making. 

The quantity of milk a normal mother produces is almost solely dependent on how frequently she’s bringing the baby to the breast. So far a calm and confident mother nurses her baby frequently and/or on demand, her breasts will produce as much milk as her baby needs.

Hence, the added diet, if at all, helps the mother to maintain her health while she breastfeeds, rather than having a direct impact on the quantity of milk she is producing.

Quality of the milk

The next doubt that worries a lactating mother then is usually; am I eating something wrong?

As a lactation professional who has worked with hundreds of mothers, here are some of the most common questions about the quality of the milk that keep these new mothers awake:

My baby is too gassy, what am I eating wrong?

My baby doesn’t nurse properly, what should I avoid eating?

My baby isn’t putting enough weight on, can I eat something to make it better?

My baby seems to sleep too less, is it something I am eating?

So on and so forth…

While all that a mother eats contributes to the milk that is being made- largely giving it flavor and sometimes even, it is mostly unlikely to cause an issue in the baby’s health. Barring drugs that aren’t safe for lactating mothers(usually taken care of by physicians while prescribing) and some obvious harmful substances like alcohol or smoking, a lactating mother is usually free to consume everything in moderate amounts. Things like too much sugar would impact a normal woman as much if not more, so it would be advisable to keep that in check.

However, as mentioned earlier, what the mother consumes impacts the properties of the milk like color, flavor etc. Hence, what we see sometimes is a baby that may be fussy when a mother consumes something particularly. Mostly, it could be something that she avoided during the course of her pregnancy but started consuming after, the flavor of which the baby may not be familiar to. In those cases, the mother could stop taking it for a few days and check the behavior, then restart and see again. Depending on how the baby responds, mothers can avoid some food items, which would again be specific to some babies and cannot be generalized.

ALLERGIES in the baby is another concern that a breastfeeding mother has. While breastfed babies may develop allergies to some things that the mother is eating, the occurrence is rare. Avoiding pre lacteal feeds like honey, jaggery or any other food item that may be a ritual in some cultures after the birth of the baby, also helps in protecting the baby from developing allergies. If however, the baby does have symptoms like mucus or blood specks in stools, maintaining a food diary along with the occurrence of symptoms in the baby can help the mother to identify and eliminate.

A well nourished mother will be able to nourish the baby well too and so mothers must maintain a healthy and balanced diet of seasonal green leafy vegetables, animal sources of proteins like chicken, fish or eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy and fruits. Having a good mix of colors in the choice of seasonal vegetables and fruits will go a long way. Hydration should not be left behind as breastfeeding mothers often tend to feel more thirsty so having a bottle of water handy at all times definitely helps.

Beyond the normal, in case of any metabolic or other disorders requiring a specific diet in the mother, she must consult a nutritionist and a lactation expert to be able to navigate breastfeeding alongside in case she is facing any specific problems with it.