Eating well when breastfeeding
Your body needs more energy when you are breastfeeding so it is normal for your appetite to increase during this time. Find out how to eat well and what nutrition your body needs when breastfeeding.
Eat a variety of foods every day
The easiest way to get all the nutrition you need when breastfeeding is to have regular meals and snacks. Eat at regular mealtimes and have 2 to 3 small healthy snacks between meals. This will help keep your energy levels up.
Have food from the 4 food groups every day.
Grain foods
- Choose mostly wholegrain foods that are naturally high in fibre.
- Have at least 9 servings every day — more if you are breastfeeding more than one pēpi.
Serving size examples:
- one medium slice of wholegrain bread
- half a cup of porridge
- quarter of a cup of muesli
- half a cup of cooked brown rice, pasta or noodles.
Vegetables and fruit
- Choose at least 7 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day — more if you are breastfeeding more than one pēpi.
A serving is about a handful. Try to have many different colours of vegetables and fruit, as they all have different antioxidants and vitamins.
Many fresh vegetables and fruit are good sources of vitamin C. Including foods rich in vitamin C with your meals helps your body absorb iron.This is especially important for vegetarian and vegan women, who may find it hard to get enough iron.
Milk and milk products
- Choose at least 2 servings every day — more if you are breastfeeding more than one pēpi.
Serving size examples:
- 1 large glass (250 ml) of cow's milk or a calcium-enriched plant milk
- three quarters of a cup (200 ml) or a pottle of yoghurt
- 2 slices (40 g) of cheese.
Milk and milk products are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals — especially calcium and iodine.
Legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, seafood, eggs, chicken and lean meat
- Choose at least 2 servings every day of protein-rich foods — more if you are breastfeeding more than one pēpi.
A serving might be:
- 1 cup of cooked dried beans, split peas or lentils
- three quarters of a cup of tofu
- 2 large eggs
- a small handful (30 g) of nuts or seeds
- small can of fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon or mackerel
- a piece of meat, chicken or fish the size and thickness of the palm of your hand.
These foods provide you with protein, as well as iron, zinc and other nutrients.
You may need more or less from each food group depending on your pre-pregnancy weight. Talk about this with your dietitian or midwife.
If you are breastfeeding twins or triplets, you will need to eat and drink even more.
Breastfeeding and food allergies
When you are breastfeeding, you do not need to avoid foods that are associated with allergies such as peanuts, eggs or fish — unless you are allergic yourself. Avoiding foods while pregnant or breastfeeding does not help prevent allergies in your pēpi.
If you think that a certain food that you are eating is affecting your pēpi, discuss this with your midwife or Well Child nurse.
If your pēpi has colic
Inconsolable crying in an otherwise healthy pēpi can be a sign of colic. It is not known exactly what causes colic but it may be one of several things.
Colic may be related to a feeding problem. It is worth having your breastfeeding assessed by your midwife, Well Child nurse or a lactation consultant.
There is no good evidence that changing your diet will reduce colic in your pēpi. It is best you continue to eat as usual so you are not cutting out nutrients that you and your pēpi need. If you wish to remove cow’s milk or any other food from your diet, seek advice from a dietitian first.
A crying pēpi may also have an illness, so it is important to have this checked by your healthcare provider or Well Child nurse.
Drink plenty of fluids
Water and milk are the best choices when you are breastfeeding. Aim for 9 to 10 cups of fluid each day. You will need more if:
- the weather is hot
- you have been doing physical activity
- you are constipated
- you have been throwing up or have runny poos (diarrhoea).
Cups of tea or coffee count towards your 9 to 10 cups. Have no more than 4 cups of tea or instant coffee (or 3 cups of plunger coffee) each day. Avoid having a lot of caffeine as is can make your pēpi irritable and change their sleep patterns.
Avoid energy drinks, as these are high in sugar as well as caffeine.
It is best to avoid alcohol when you are breastfeeding. But having an occasional drink is usually safe if it is timed in a way that reduces your baby's exposure to the alcohol.
Nutrients and supplements when breastfeeding
Eating a wide variety of foods when you are breastfeeding will provide almost all of the nutrition you need.
Iodine
Your pēpi needs iodine to help their brain develop. It is recommended you take one iodine-only tablet every day when you are breastfeeding. You can buy them at a pharmacy, but it is cheaper to get them on prescription from your healthcare provider or midwife.
As well as taking an iodine-only tablet, choose foods that are good sources of iodine. These include well-cooked seafoods, milk, eggs, some cereals, and commercially made bread. Organic and unleavened bread are not good sources because they are not required to be made with iodised salt.
Supplements containing seaweed or kelp and multi-vitamin and mineral supplements that contain iodine are not recommended. The iodine content and quality of these supplements are variable.
If you use salt, choose iodised salt.
Vitamin D
Your pēpi should have vitamin D supplements until they are 12 months old if:
- they are exclusively breast fed
- they are getting less than 500 ml of formula a day.
Vitamin D and your baby — KidsHealthexternal linkexternal link
If you are eating well, you and your pēpi should not have to take any other supplements.
