Breastfeeding & Nutrition
A Proper Diet for Nursing Moms
I remember my first La Leche League meeting which supports moms who breastfeed, I was the only pregnant mom there. It was such good energy in the room to hear moms of various backgrounds, cultures, etc. telling their breastfeeding stories! I left feeling even more determined that I would breastfeed! A few weeks later my husband and I attended our first Lamaze class. We were so excited!
During the class the instructor asked how many of us plan to breastfeed. Well, of course my arm shot up so fast you’d think I would receive a prize for being the first! As I looked around, I noticed that out of the 10 couples that were there, only 2 moms had their hand up (I being one of them). I was shocked! Why wouldn’t any mom want to breastfeed their baby? After the class I approached my instructor and inquired to see if this was common. To my surprise she said even though breastfeeding is making a comeback, many refrain, not because of having to do so but because of choice and convenience!
That really got me to thinking. When you’re pregnant you try to dot your I’s and cross your T’s to make sure you are eating right for you and your baby. Most of us try to “insure” our bodies to nourish our little one in the belly by taking prenatal vitamins. Once our bundle of joy has entered their new world, they are tiny helpless little individuals and in the beginning require complete dependence on mommy. When you look at them, it’s not hard to fall in love. Giving food is one of our primary means of expressing such love. There is nothing in the world that can duplicate the reassurance of love that is conveyed when a baby’s food is accompanied by the face, hand or breast of a loving parent. There is no better food you can give your newborn child than breast milk.
Although I am pro-breastfeeding, I am also realistic. There are many women out there who cannot breastfeed. In fact, studies have shown that there are between 2-5% of women who cannot. Sometimes mommies struggle with feelings of being a bad mother if they bottlefeed their babies. Please don't let anyone make you feel guilty if you choose to bottlefeed or have no other choice. I know lots of moms that wanted to breastfeed and felt horribly guilty when it wasn't working out. But the reality is that being a mommy is a tough job. We all try and make the best judgment calls we can in any given situation pertaining to the health of our child.
Why Breastfeed?
My mother breastfed all of her children and I must say, there were very (did I mention very?) few times we were sick. Of course, the occasional cold but we had no ear infections, immunological disorders to say the least. There is no better food you can provide for your bundle of joy than breast milk. After all, your milk has been designed specifically for your baby! Imagine that! It’s free, easily accessible and is 100% natural! Every year a new study appears finding some nutrient or immunological factor found in breast milk that cannot be duplicated in a laboratory. But let’s get down to the nitty gritty of breastfeeding!
Breastfeeding is linked to a lower risk of these health problems:
For Baby:
- Ear infections
- Stomach viruses
- Diarrhea
- Respiratory infections
- Atopic dermatitis
- Asthma
- Obesity
- Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- Childhood leukemia
- Sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS
- Necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract in preterm infants
- Type 2 diabetes
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Postpartum depression (PPD)
Nourishing Mommy
Sometimes women who have been so conscious of eating right during pregnancy, forget during nursing that their bodies still need proper nutrition for both themselves and their baby. I remember when I had my son I was sleep deprived and exhausted. As overwhelming as the care entrusted to my husband and I of this tiny little life, I knew I had to make sure I took care of myself so that I could give my all to him. That included my being conscious of what I ate.
I devoured every book I could get my hands on about breastfeeding. I remember something I read stood out in my mind: What nursing moms eat has a strong effect on the milk we produce. For instance, foods eaten by mom sometimes disagree with the breastfed child; especially caffeine, very spicy foods, supplements high in iron and even dairy. Well that’s overwhelming!
So just how does one know what to eat? I came to realize that high-quality breast milk doesn’t require you to eat perfectly balanced. There is plenty of leeway for us to be sensible.
No one diet works for everyone. This is so important because it is up to you to know your body. We all know that eating a balanced diet filled with lots of whole foods, fruits and veggies is important. But you have to know what works for you, not what everyone else is doing. Remember: We eat the way we live. No one diet works for anyone. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, carnivorous or still trying to figure it out, below you will find some great foods to keep in mind while breastfeeding. These go up and beyond in providing you with the calcium, protein, iron, folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin C.
Keep these foods in mind when shopping for your health:
FOODS | MAY INCLUDE |
| Whole Grains | Barley, brown rice, millet, oats (whole) quinoa |
| Vegetables | Any dark green or orange leafy vegetable like Kale, swiss chard, collard greens, bok choy |
| Sea Vegetables | Arame, dulse, hijaki |
| Legumes | Black beans, chickpeas, fermented soy foods, lentils, lima beans, split peas, etc. |
| Fruits | Berries, grapes, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, peaches,etc. (Take note if citrus fruits bothers baby) |
| Nuts and Seeds | Almonds, flaxseed, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and walnuts |
| Dairy | Organic kefir, sour cream, yogurt and aged cheeses |
| Fish | Wild-caught fish, especially salmon |
| Poultry | Organic, free-range poultry and eggs |
| Meat | Organic, grass-fed meats are full of more nutrients than meats from large factory farms |