Eating and Nursing

WHAT?!?   

You mean you have watch what you eat while you are pregnant AND when you are nursing?!??    

Yes, my friends.  It is true.   And to be honest with you, I actually wanted to be MORE cautious with what I was eating while I was nursing.  (Maybe it was because I knew everything I ate was going directly into my milk supply....or because I could actually see my baby.)

It is basic:  Eat a healthy diet.  And make sure you are consuming enough  calories so your body can produce the quality and quantity of milk needed to meet your baby's needs.  If you are not consuming enough calories, your milk supply will deplete. Woman who are nursing require an extra 200-500 calories a day than woman who are not nursing.  So....if your body says you are hungry, EAT.  (I was STARVING the first few weeks after having baby.  I also craved way more food nursing than I did pregnant....the baby needed it-oh boy!)

It is also important to drink LOTS of water when nursing.  I mean a shit-ton.  You need to consume at least 16 cups of water a day.  I think I consumed close a gallon...I was DYING of thirst....every time baby started to nurse, I felt like I was welting away.  

I. NEED. WATER. NOW!!   

Lots of water will also boost your milk supply. 

Guzzle up!!

Since I nursed both of my kids for a year, I learned valuable lessons in what I could eat--and not eat while nursing.  I learned quickly that I could not eat any vegetables without causing some MAJOR gas pains to baby.  (No problem, I replaced carrot sticks with Twizzlers and lettuce with chips.)  Spicy foods also caused my babies' tummies to get upset.  However, some experts say that babies enjoy a variety of flavors in their breast milk.  

Source: http://www.babycenter.com/0_diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mom_3565.bc?page=4

I have some friends who had to cut out some very critical items to their diet to ensure baby did not have adverse effects to breast milk.   For example:  No caffeine.    

I don't think I could have done it.   It was hard enough to watch my caffeine intake each day.  You should consume no more than 300mg of caffeine a day when nursing.  

Source:  http://www.babycenter.com/0_diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mom_3565.bc?page=4

Now, if you know me, you know I enjoy my evening glass of wine.  I already went 9/10 months withOUT drinking...What the heck do you mean I cannot drink while I am nursing?!???  

Here is the down low:  After consuming an alcoholic beverage, it takes about two to three hours for your body to eliminate the alcohol in one serving.  You need to time your drinking and  nursing sessions correctly. (I would pour myself a drink as soon as I was done nursing at night and baby went to bed.)  

Source:  http://www.babycenter.com/0_diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mom_3565.bc?page=4

So, to wrap this all up....You are not just giving your body up for 9/10 months.  You are giving it up for as long as you decide to nurse for, as well.  In my situation, I gave my body up for 22 months.  

(Pregnant for 9.  Nursed for 13.)  WOW....


You will figure out what works for you and your baby while nursing.  Keep a food diary, pay attention to baby's behaviors, and trust your instinct.  
Mommy knows best!