What to eat
Fatigue can take away your appetite. Or you may be hungrier than ever before. To feed the nursing mother is to feed the baby. Small amounts of everything you eat end up in your milk. As you munch your way through the lasagna your neighbour made, and the strawberry cheesecake your mom baked, your milk picks up the odours and flavours of the foods. This ever-changing taste spectrum of breastmilk will help your baby accept new foods when he's older.
There are no foods that you must eat while you're nursing, nor is it necessary to eat more while you're nursing. But it's important to eat well and nutritiously. To be sure you meet your nutritional requirements follow Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Every day, have 5 to 12 servings of grain products; 5 to 10 servings of vegetables and fruit; 3 to 4 servings of milk products; and 2 to 3 servings of meat or alternatives such as legumes. It is not necessary to avoid specific foods or spices while breastfeeding, unless your baby shows evidence of food sensitivities or allergies.
What to drink
You may also be thirstier than ever before. A nursing mother produces up to 1L (35 oz.) of breastmilk a day. To combat thirst, some nursing women follow the rule: Whenever you pass a tap, take a drink. Other mothers sip a tall glass of water every time they nurse. If your urine is dark or cloudy, it probably means you are not drinking enough. It means it's time for a glass of water, milk, juice, a hot bowl of soup, or a pot of a weak herbal tea (avoid teas with high-alkaloid herbs). Limit coffee, tea, and colas. Not only can they dehydrate you, the caffeine in them may make your baby irritable.
Alcohol can pass into breastmilk. Although the occasional drink is considered compatible with breastfeeding, heavy consumption of alcohol interferes with your milk supply and is harmful to your baby. To minimize the amount of alcohol your baby receives, avoid alcohol for two hours before breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding and your waistline
Breastfeeding naturally mobilizes fat stores, making it easier to shed the pounds you gained during pregnancy. But don't diet when you're nursing. Since we all store PCBs in our fat and crash diets mobilize the PCBs, a nursing mother may pass PCB toxins to her baby through her breastmilk. However, tiny amounts of pesticides and pollutants are found in all foods, including formula; so breastmilk is still considered the safest food for babies. Be aware that a diet with fewer than 1,500 calories a day will reduce your milk supply and contribute to your fatigue.
