Breastfeeding Nutrition Guide

There is a lot of information about dietary requirements and what to avoid during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Google says all sorts of things – as does your local tik toker, aunt, friend of a friend, and sometimes even healthcare provider or lactation helper.

The good news is that for the most part, your body will use your nutrients to create perfect breastmilk for your baby. That being said, I like to tell clients, “You are what you eat,” meaning the best thing for your lactating body and breast milk production is a healthy, well-rounded diet. Focus on whole foods with natural nutrients, listen to your body’s thirst and hunger, and make sure to get good sources of protein. Here are some common areas of concern when it comes to breastfeeding nutrition. I hope this guides you toward smart food choices, while also giving you the confidence to feed yourself and your baby without feeling the need to purchase expensive supplements and products. 

Hydration

Hydration will support your milk supply, while dehydration can cause it to drop or dip. While breastfeeding, you should drink to quench your thirst and aim to get plenty of water. Super-hydration will not cause a super supply. People claiming that a certain drink or super-hydration gave them a huge breastmilk supply are not correct. While being dehydrated will lower your supply (nothing to make the milk with), over-hydrating cannot fix a low supply (more emptying and stimulating of the breast will do that).

Many trends on social media claim certain drinks can boost supply. These include Starbucks’ pink drink, BODYARMOR, or blue Gatorade. There is no evidence to back these claims, though coconut water-based drinks and drinks with electrolytes are safe to consume while breastfeeding and can be hydrating. The key is to make sure you are getting adequate water.

Caloric Intake

Breastfeeding can be a calorie burner! But what is a calorie, anyway? A calorie is a unit of energy. It is how we measure or judge the amount of energy our bodies will get out of the food we consume. While breastfeeding, just routine average milk production can burn 400 to 500 calories. This is why breastfeeding mamas are so hungry! It is important to try and adequately meet your body’s caloric needs during breastfeeding with healthy well-rounded foods. For example, if you are hungry after a nursing session, you could grab a handful of gummy bears, which would give you calories, in addition to a little sugar boost. Grabbing a handful of almonds or a medium-sized apple would be a better choice because the almonds have more protein, which provides more sustained energy, and apples can help support a milk supply. They also include more nutrients than a handful of gummy bears – not that they don’t taste good every once and a while!

If you are attempting to lose weight while breastfeeding, be careful when calorie-cutting. People love to encourage women to breastfeed for the weight loss and calorie benefits. The truth though is that to support a robust milk supply, you need calories! When attempting to lose weight, be careful not to go too low or lose weight too fast. While breastfeeding you should aim to lose ½ a pound per week. This should be done through healthy eating and activity. While attempting weight loss make sure to monitor your milk supply, if you notice a little dip increase your intake through healthy foods.

Nutrient Needs

Now we are getting to the meat of things! These are the most current recommendations and guidelines for the nutritional requirements of the lactating mother. Your vitamins and minerals are secreted into breast milk, which is why most of these requirements are higher than for an average adult. If your diet is chronically deficient, maternal stores will be depleted. This is why a balanced diet is so important for anyone breastfeeding. I have also included in this chart some common foods that are rich in these vitamins and minerals in case you find yourself lacking or deficient. 

Nutrient	Daily Requirement	Dietary Sources
Calories	2100-2800 (depends on stage of lactation and maternal body habitus)	All foods have calories! Look for high-nutrient foods instead of junk foods.
Protein	71g, 10-30% of calories	Look for lean protein sources: chicken, fish, lentils, eggs, beans, etc. **This is considered a normal amount of protein, you don’t need more.
Carbs	210g, 45-65% of calories	Try to avoid refined sugars. Fill up on whole grains and complex carbohydrates.
Fiber	31g	Looking for good natural sources, like fruits and veggies! Fiber will help your postpartum GI tract get back on track as well.
Calcium	1000-1300mg	Full-fat dairy, green leafy vegetables, and broccoli
Iron	10mg	Red meats, lentils, eggs, and green leafy vegetables
Magnesium	320mg	Greens, nuts, seeds, dry beans, whole grains, and oats
Phosphorus	700mg	Dairy, red meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, and nuts
Potassium	2800mg	Bananas, dried fruit, lentils, spinach, sweet potatoes, and orange juice
Sodium	2300mg	Table salt, meat, packaged foods…usually you don't need to seek out sodium; it will find you!
Zinc	12mg	Meat, shellfish, dairy, legumes, and pumpkin seeds
Iodine	290mcg	Seaweed, seafood, and iodized salt
Selenium	70mcg	Seafood
Vitamin A	1300mcg	Greens, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes
Vitamin D	600 units (15mcg)	Sunlight, fish, eggs, cheese, and mushrooms
Vitamin E	19mg	Vegetable oils, nuts, greens, wheat germ, kiwi, and mangoes
Vitamin K	90mcg	Greens, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and asparagus
Vitamin C	120mg	Citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, bell peppers, and tomatoes
Thiamin	1.4mg	Whole grains, meat, fish, legumes, nuts, and seeds
Riboflavin	1.6mg	Eggs, organ meats, mushrooms, spinach, almonds, and avocados
Niacin	17mg	Meat, fish, nuts, legumes, avocados, mushrooms, fortified breads and cereals
Vitamin B6	2mg	Fish, organ meats, starchy vegetables, and fortified cereals
Vitamin B12	2.8mcg	Meat, fish, eggs, and fortified foods
Choline	550mg	Eggs, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products
Folate	500mcg	Greens, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, fortified breads and cereals

Supplementation

I am not a supplement person and will almost always recommend whole foods. That being said, there are certain instances when supplementation is appropriate. For example, those seeking pregnancy and those who are pregnant should take a prenatal vitamin. This provides the folic acid needed for proper closure of the fetal spinal column, preventing birth defects. Throughout breastfeeding, many women will continue their prenatal vitamins. While this is not necessary, it is also not harmful. Technically, if you are meeting your breastfeeding nutrient requirements through diet, no supplementation is indicated. That being said, if you find that your diet isn’t where it needs to be based on the recommendations listed in the previous section, it would be advised to add new foods to your diet or supplement. Similarly, if you are on a specialty diet like gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or allergy-specific, make sure to educate yourself on potential holes in your diet and how you can make adjustments for them.

Specialty Diets

Allergies and dietary restrictions or preferences are becoming more and more common. Some people need to adjust their diets for health purposes – low sugar for diabetes or gluten-free for celiac disease. Some people have religious preferences, such as avoiding pork products or only eating foods prepared in a certain manner (kosher, halal, etc.), while others have personal preferences like vegetarians or vegans. All these diets can be healthy breastfeeding diets. It is just important to read through the nutrient needs section to ensure you are getting the right amount of needed vitamins and minerals to support a healthy breastfeeding journey. 

During breastfeeding, mothers are sometimes suggested to make dietary adjustments or restrictions due to suspected allergies in the baby. One of the more prevalent is avoiding dairy due to concerns about milk protein allergy. While this allergy is rare and babies often outgrow it over time, it is not an uncommon suggestion from healthcare providers. If it has been suggested to you to go dairy-free for your baby, make sure you are getting other sources of calcium and work with your team – pediatrician, IBCLC, and/or nutritionist. This will ensure that dairy-free is the optimal choice for you and the baby. They will also be able to guide you on how to introduce dairy products as the baby starts solids and begins to wean. 

Foods to Boost Milk Supply

There is unfortunately no magic food that will automatically boost your milk supply. Eating a well-rounded diet with the appropriate amount of calories, proteins, fats, and nutrients will help to support your milk supply. Focus on nourishing yourself and let the milk follow. As far as supplements or add-ins to your diet, use caution. Many supplements or galactagogues on the market are safe for breastfeeding; however, they are not as well regulated by the FDA as medications are. They are also not required to provide as stringent efficacy data as medications, meaning we don’t have research to tell us how well to expect them to work. Will you boost your supply by 2 ounces or 20 ounces? More information and a review of the galactagogues available can be found on the blog soon! 

Foods to Avoid While Breastfeeding

The only food of caution in breastfeeding is high-mercury fish. High levels of mercury are found in larger fish like swordfish, sharks, mackerel, and tilefish because the big fish eat the little fish and fill their bodies with mercury. Frequent consumption of tuna should also be regarded. Your mercury consumption is reflected in your breastmilk. I say use caution, meaning if you have a little on a date night or at a party, there is no need to pump and dump. These fish should not be consumed regularly (multiple times a week) while breastfeeding. 

Other foods you may want to monitor or limit are foods historically known or used to decrease breast milk production. Eating some of these foods is fine if you have a well-established, robust breastmilk supply. Typically their use in a standard, diverse diet will not impact milk production, but if you are struggling with your supply you may want to prohibit them more strictly. These foods include: sage, parsley, thyme, oregano, peppermint/spearmint, cabbage, caffeine (sodas, coffee, chocolate, etc).

If you have questions about how alcohol or other substances impact breastfeeding, check out this blog post for more evidence-based guidance. 

I often tell expecting couples in my Intro to Breastfeeding class “You are what you eat”, meaning the breastmilk you are producing for your baby comes from your diet. Make sure to make the best choices you can while still enjoying all the flavors, textures, and joy that food can bring. Go get a snack, Modern Mamas. You’ve earned it!