Nutrition While Breastfeeding

Your body should need about an extra 500 nutritious calories above what you normally eat

A simple rule to follow regarding nutrition during breastfeeding is to eat foods that are good for you and to eat a bit more than usual. Don’t avoid any foods or drinks that you would normally eat or drink (e.g., spicy foods, gassy foods,milk, caffeine), unless they bother you or the baby. If you have lots of gas or if your baby is unusually fussy, review what you ate or drank and decide if you want to cut down or cut it out of your diet for a while. Your body should need about an extra 500 nutritious calories above what you normally eat. This depends, in part, on whether you are high-energy and burn up calories fast and whether your baby is high energy like you or much lower energy. You may actually need more or less than the 500 extra calories. You should also increase the amount of water you drink. If you drink an 8 oz. glass of water every time you breastfeed, plus a couple more each day, you should be drinking enough.

More about Breastfeeding for Beginners

• Overview of Breastfeeding
• When to Feed Your Baby
• How to Feed Your Baby
• Breast Care While Breastfeeding
• Breast and Nipple Problems While Breastfeeding
• Expressing and Storing Breast Milk
• Keeping up the Milk Supply
• Nutrition While Breastfeeding
• Breastfeeding in Special Situations
• Returning to Work While Breastfeeding
• Resources for Support While Breastfeeding