The Right Diet and Nutrition for Breastfeeding
Article by: Consultant Dietitian from Beacon Premier Wellness
Breastmilk is an important source of energy, protein and other nutrients including immune cells (antibodies) to infants especially during the first 6 months of life. Mothers who are breastfeeding or also known as lactating, often wonder the types of foods or diet they need to follow to provide sufficient nutrition for their infants. The good thing is that there is no ‘special diet’ required to produce breastmilk sufficiently. All you need is a healthy balanced diet while bearing in mind certain nutrients to support the additional requirements your body needs during breastfeeding. [1,2] This is to ensure that the nutrients in the body is sufficient to maintain the mother’s health and at the same time for the production of breastmilk. [1] Let’s look at the right diet and nutrition for breastfeeding!
What do you need during breastfeeding?
A general healthy mother requires an additional 500 kcal from their daily requirement, however this depends on one’s pre-pregnancy weight and physical activity level. [1,2] As the body uses energy to provides nutrients for infants through breastmilk, it is important to maintain the body’s stores to be able to provide sufficiently during lactation.
Some foods groups that should be a part of your diet are:
- Carbohydrates (rice/oats/ pasta/noodles/bread)
- Protein (lean chicken/ fish/ seafood/eggs/ legumes (beans) / tofu/ dairy products)
- Fat (oil used for cooking, oil in natural foods such as nuts and seeds)
- Fiber (Vegetables, fruits)
Consume these food groups in moderation and balance them in your meals. Follow the Malaysian Healthy Plate for a good example of food distribution. Nutritious carbohydrate foods meet your energy needs all day long. Opt for whole grains like brown rice, oats, multigrain bread, whole wheat pasta, or noodles. They offer fiber, promoting slower digestion and prolonged satiety.[1] Choose protein foods from various sources, focusing on lean options like fish, skinless chicken, or tofu. Increase your protein intake by adding two extra servings per day to meet the heightened requirement.[1,3]
Incorporate fat into your meals, but keep it minimal. Fat plays crucial roles in cell formation, insulation, and vitamin absorption. Opt for healthy fat sources like plant-based oils for cooking, nuts, seeds, and avocado.[3] Finally, complete your balanced meal by eating vegetables and fruits. A variety of these foods, packed with phytonutrients, vitamins, and fiber, optimize your immunity to protect against infections and maintain a healthy gut.
Protein
Protein needs are increased by an additional of 19 g in the first 6 months and 13 g during the second 6 months of breastfeeding. [1] Protein plays a crucial role in supporting breastmilk production and fostering the healthy growth of infants. It’s vital for building tissues, bones, muscles, and cells, while also contributing to a robust immune system. As a general recommendation, aim to include 1-2 additional servings of healthy protein sources in your meals to fulfill your needs.[1-3]
- 1 serving of protein is equivalent to:
- Lean Chicken – 40g, raw
- Fish – 40g
- Egg- 1 pc
- Tofu – ¾ pc
- Prawn – 6 pcs (medium sized)
- Beans/lentils – ½ cup
- Milk – 1 cup
- Yogurt – ¾ cup
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral which supports growth of strong bones and teeth, nerve functions, heart health and healthy muscles. Mothers who breastfeed should meet their calcium requirement of 1000 mg per day to ensure their calcium stores in the body are sufficient. This is equivalent to consuming 3 glasses of milk per day. Calcium can be used from the mother’s calcium stores in the bone to supply for production of breastmilk when needed. Therefore, it is important to replenish calcium stores to ensure bone health is optimal. Obtain calcium from calcium-rich sources such as milk, youghurt, cheese, legumes, tofu and leafy green vegetables. [1,2]
Drinks (Caffeine/ Alcohol/ Water)
Caffeine
Caffeine is commonly known as a stimulant substance that can be transferred in small amounts into breastmilk. However, there is little effect of caffeine exposure on the infant unless there is an excess consumption of caffeine. [4,5] This is because caffeine accumulated in the infant’s system takes a longer time to be eliminated from the body and may cause restlessness and irritability. Therefore, if you have the desire to drink coffee, it is best to limit coffee consumption to only 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day, aligning with the recommendation of <300 mg of caffeine per day. [1,4,5] Other drinks containing caffeine that can be found in our diet are tea, energy drinks, chocolate, coffee-flavoured ice-cream and cola drink.
Alcohol
It is safer to abstain from alcohol as alcohol can pass through breastmilk. However, if you were to drink during social occasions, it is not likely to harm your infant if you drink alcohol at least 2 to 3 hours before breastfeeding. This is to allow time for alcohol to be processed in the body and hence, avoiding the exposure of alcohol in breastmilk. [7-9]
Water
To provide hydration, the best drink is plain water. It is encouraged to drink water whenever you feel thirsty to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the process of breastfeeding. As breastmilk is composed of 87% water, it is important to maintain the water reserves in the mother’s body to be sufficient to produce breastmilk. [6]
Should I avoid raw foods and cold foods?
All in all, maintaining a nourished body is essential for both the mother and breastfed infant. Breastfeeding is an intimate and unique process between a mother and her child ,which makes it even more special when both sides reaps its benefits.
References:
- Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners [Internet]. J Acad Nutr Diet; 2012 [cited 12 April 2022]. Available from: https://www.andeal.org/vault/2440/web/JADA_NNS.pdf
- Nutrition During Lactation. National Academic Press (US); 1991.
- Diet Considerations for Breastfeeding Mothers [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2021 [cited 23 February 2022]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/maternal-diet.html#:~:text=An%20additional%20330%20to%20400,active%2C%20non%2Dpregnant%20women%20who
- Jeong G, Park S, Lee Y. Maternal Food Restrictions During Breastfeeding. Korean J Paediatr [Internet]. 2017 [cited 23 February 2022];60(3):70-76. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5383635/#B13
- McCreedy A, Bird S, Brown L, Shaw-Stewart J, Chen Y. Effects of Maternal Caffeine Consumption on The Breastfed Child: A Systematic Review. Swiss Medical Weekly [Internet]. 2018 [cited 23 February 2022];. Available from: https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2018.14665
- Martin C, Ling P, Blackburn G. Review of Infant Feeding: Key Features of Breast Milk and Infant Formula. Nutrients [Internet]. 2016 [cited 23 February 2022];8(5):279. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882692#:~:text=Composition%20of%20Human%20Breast%20Milk,of%20the%20milk%20%5B11%5D.
- Anderson P. Alcohol Use During Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Medicine. 2018;13(5):315-317.
- Klemm S. Nursing Your Baby? What You Eat and Drink Matters [Internet]. Eatright.org. 2020 [cited 23 February 2022]. Available from: https://www.eatright.org/health/pregnancy/breast-feeding/nursing-your-baby-what-you-eat-and-drink-matters#:~:text=Keep%20Hydrated,time%20you%20breastfeed%20your%20baby.
- Breastfeeding and Drinking Alcohol [Internet]. nhs.uk. 2019 [cited 23 February 2022]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/breastfeeding-and-lifestyle/alcohol/#:~:text=Anything%20you%20eat%20or%20drink,you%20have%20drunk%20any%20alcohol.
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