The Breastfeeding Mom’s Nutrition Guide: What to Eat (and Skip) for Op

You’ve seen all of the supplements, the magic pills, and those delicious looking cookies that convince you your milk supply will increase if you indulge. Do they actually work? What foods should you actually be focused on while feeding human milk and what should you be avoiding? Amaris’ Certified Breastfeeding Specialist and mom of one, Shannon Stinson, dives into this topic today to bust through myths and back it up with resources to help support your feeding journey.

First, let’s tackle the most commonly asked question, “Can I really increase the volume or quality of my milk by taking milk thistle, fenugreek, or eating lactation cookies?” The answer is that there are no studies currently proving that galactagogues such as these have any success in increasing the volume or quality of breastmilk when consumed. As a lactation professional, I would advise parents to avoid these supplements and unnecessary consumables as they can be costly and without a lack of true medical data, cannot be proven successful.

The great news is, there are far more things you can consume than things you cannot. We want you to focus on putting good things into your body, so you transfer those good vitamins into your breastmilk and into your baby just as you did when you were pregnant, via your placenta and umbilical cord. Here are some examples:

　　　　　Whole Grains:

　　　　　　　・Whole Grain Pasta

　　　　　　　・Whole Wheat Bread

　　　　　　　・Brown, Red, or Purple Rice

　　　　　　　・Quinoa

　　　　　　　・Oats

　　　　　　　　Leafy Greens:

　　　　　　　・Kale

　　　　　　　・Collard Greens

　　　　　　　・Spinach

　　　　　　　・Cabbage

　　　　　　　　Low Mercury Seafood:

　　　　　　　・Salmon

　　　　　　　・Sardines

　　　　　　　・Cod

　　　　　　　・Shrimp

　　　　　　　・Scallops

　　　　　　　・Catfish

　　　　　　　・Flounder

　　　　　　　・Clams

　　　　　　　・Canned Light Tuna

　　　　　　　　Legumes:

　　　　　　　・Black Beans

　　　　　　　・Garbanzo Beans

　　　　　　　・Lentils

Other items include: Eggs, apricots, grass-fed beef, iodized table salt, Greek yogurt, almonds, chia seeds, & hemp seeds.

Now that we’ve talked about what to grab on your next grocery run, what aisles and items should you avoid or limit?

Caffeine: If you're a latte loving mama like me, not to worry, you can still enjoy your morning joe as long as you keep it under 300 milligrams of caffeine (about 2-3 cups). Keep in mind, caffeine can be found in chocolate, tea, energy drinks, and soda as well which counts against your daily limit. If you find your baby is more fussy, not sleeping well, and otherwise irritable, it might be time to cut back on the caffeine.

Alcohol: The occasional glass of wine or beer is actually safe to consume and in some cultures, it’s actually encouraged. Pumping and dumping is no longer encouraged if you’ve consumed one, standard sized alcoholic beverage but if you are concerned, you can always save that milk for jewelry or a milk bath. You should consider your safety and ability to care for your baby in your decision to consume alcohol. If you are unable to care for yourself or your baby or hold your baby safely, then you’ve consumed too much alcohol and that alcohol concentration will also be at too high of a level in your bloodstream which will be within your breastmilk and unsafe for baby to consume.

As always, we encourage you to discuss the above with your postpartum professional care team and visit the resources below for more information. It’s imperative that you increase your caloric intake as milk expression, be it through breastfeeding or breast pumping, burns calories that need replenishing. Take care of you mama so you can take care of baby!

CDC: Maternal Diet & Breastfeeding

Cleveland Clinic: What to Eat & Foods to Avoid While Breastfeeding

Mayo Clinic: Breastfeeding Nutrition: Tips for Moms

La Leche League: Foods

National Library of Medicine: Maternal Food Restrictions During Breastfeeding

ABM Study on Galactagogues