Nutrition While Breastfeeding

How can you have a healthy diet while breastfeeding?

Making good choices about what you eat and drink when you are breastfeeding can help you get the nutrition you need. Here are some things you can do.

• Eat a variety of healthy foods. This includes vegetables, fruits, milk products, whole grains, and protein.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Make water your first choice. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase your fluids.
• Avoid fish with high mercury. This includes shark, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, and bigeye tuna, as well as tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico. Instead, eat fish that is low in mercury. Choose canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, catfish, or shrimp.
• Limit caffeine. Things like coffee, energy drinks, tea, chocolate, and some sodas can contain caffeine. Caffeine can pass through breast milk to your baby. It may cause fussiness and sleep problems. Talk to your doctor about how much caffeine is safe for you.
• Limit alcohol. Alcohol can pass through breast milk to your baby. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about drinking alcohol while breastfeeding.
• Be safe with supplements. Talk with your doctor before taking any vitamins, minerals, and herbal or other dietary supplements.