M A Y  2 0 0 4  S C H E D U L E

N U T R I T I O N  A N D  T H E  B R E A S T F E E D I N G  M O T H E R

by Lori J. Isenstadt, IBCLC

Everything is so new when you are a first time mother.  You can barely believe the changes in your growing belly…. And right before your very eyes.  And your breasts…oh my goodness!  Can they become any more tender, any more sensitive AND yes, can they get any larger? Because if they do, where will you find a bra big enough to support these growing mammary glands?  Who would have thunk! 

Okay, so now you are in your third trimester and you are becoming accustomed to your growing body.  You have reached a point of acceptance.  You decide to go with the flow.  Once the baby is born, you plan to begin a program to “find the body you lost somewhere along the last 9 months.” You change your focus and are now onto breastfeeding.  Some of your nagging questions about breastfeeding are:  Will I have milk for my baby?  Will my breastmilk be enough?  Will it be good enough? 

You are just waiting for your baby to be born to start loosing weight.  However, you can’t help but wonder, if you are breastfeeding, will you need to follow a restrictive diet?  The next several paragraphs will address the common questions soon-to-be mothers have on the subject of nutrition as a breastfeeding mother.  The following suggestions are not meant to replace your doctor’s advice for specific health conditions. 

As a breastfeeding mother you need to be made aware of the effects your diet has on your own health and breastfeeding. Unless you are under doctor’s orders to adhere to a strict diet, following the current food pyramid suggestions will enable you to eat a balanced diet on a regular basis. While a less than adequate daily diet may not have a direct affect on your breastmilk, an inadequate diet or irregular eating patterns can affect how you feel and act.  This, in turn, can affect how you feel about yourself and every day life.  If you are poorly nourished, this can negatively influence milk release, as well as the ability to cope with your new baby. 

You can make a copy of the Food Pyramid and post it on your refrigerator.  Plan your meals so that you are eating a wide variety of foods based on the Food Pyramid. The current recommendation for a pregnant or lactating mother is to eat 1800 calories every day.  Depending on your individual health, calcium and vitamin supplements may be needed.  New mothers should avoid liquid, crash or fad diets, diet additives and weight loss medication. 

Water is the most abundant and by far the most important nutrient in your body.  The current recommendation for a non-pregnant and non-lactating woman is to drink 6- 8 glass of water a day.  An easy way for a support person to help ensure proper hydration for the new mother is to supply her with a large glass of water during or after each breastfeeding.  Women who pay attention to drinking when thirsty will generally experience clear to light yellow urine, which is a sign of adequate hydration.  Taking vitamins may change the color of your urine so be sure to take this into consideration. 

There is currently no research to support the suggestion that increasing mother’s fluid intake can increase milk volume.   Restricting fluids has been shown to have a mom experience a decrease in urine output and overall health, however, not in her milk production. 

As a general rule, women do not need to avoid spicy, gassy or fried foods.  If a mother has a family with a strong history of allergies and is on a special diet, she should continue that diet while breastfeeding. 

If you suspect that a certain food is causing a problem for your baby, you can eliminate that food item 100% from your daily diet, for at least 2 weeks.  If your baby’s problem cleared up during that period, you would be wise to avoid that food while breastfeeding.  If this is a food that is a major factor in your health care plan, you will need to find a replacement food/s for optimal health. 

A common misconception is that you need to drink a lot of milk in order to make milk.  This is particularly alarming to new mothers who suspect their baby is allergic to cow’s milk.  As a Lactation Consultant, not a week goes by where I don’t hear a woman telling me that they were advised to discontinue breastfeeding because her baby is allergic to her milk.  Her baby may be having difficulty with the cows’ milk he is consuming.  If this is the case, do not discontinue breastfeeding; change what it is you are eating. 

As an example, if you find that dairy foods are causing a problem for your baby, you can switch to rice, soy or almond milk.  Increase your intake of high calcium foods such as, but not limited to, whole grains, almonds, and green leafy vegetables.  If you do not notice a change in baby’s behavior, you may reintroduce the food and look for another cause of the baby’s problem. 

Whew, how did an article that began on a humorous note, get so bogged down with information overload?  Well, when one attempts to cover all of the hot topics, it can be a bit much.  To all the soon-to-be and new mothers, please remember these words:  For the average healthy mother, with a healthy full-term baby, what you need most is a baby with a good latch.  A good latch will not hurt and feels like a gentle painless tugging on your nipple. 

A breastfeeding class will give you a wealth of information regarding breastfeeding your newborn.  Having an IBCLC for your educator will ensure that you are given the most current and accurate information on what you need to know for the first two weeks of breastfeeding. Learning the signs of a good milk supply and how to tell if baby is getting enough breastmilk are important confidence boosters for new mothers.  Mothers should seek help from an IBCLC (see http://www.ebestfed.com) for more specific breastfeeding help.  The information discussed in this article is intended to be a basic guideline and if you are struggling with nutritional issues, you may want to seek the advice of a breastfeeding friendly dietician. 

Lori J. Isenstadt is a lactation consultant at BESTFed.  She has been working with breastfeeding mothers since 1987 and is the mother of three children who were all breastfed.

For more information on the food pyramids see -

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BOOK REVIEW:
Eat Well, Lose Weight While Breastfeeding by Eileen Behan, R.D.
Reviewed by Susan Chanse

Eileen Behan, a registered dietitian, begins this book with an in depth discussion of the nutritional recommendations for a breastfeeding mother.  She details the sources of essential vitamins and minerals; provides a list of nutritional information for “the nine food groups;” and creates sample menus to follow for a well balanced diet.  Behan also touches on common questions of new mothers, such as “Can I control colic by what I eat?” and “If I can’t drink milk, what should I do?”  Best of all, she offers recipes that are very simple to prepare and delicious!

This easy to read book (perfect for new mothers!) stresses the importance of eating the right portions of foods from each group with an emphasis on creating the optimal nutrition for both baby and mother.  Behan suggests that breastfeeding mothers should lose weight slowly and safely by eating healthfully and exercising.  If you want to shed that extra “baby weight” but don’t know how, Eat Well, Lose Weight is a quick, enjoyable, and informative must read for you.