Getting all the nutrients required in a day means eating a wide variety of good quality foods such as cereals, fruits, vegetables, legumes, lean meats, poultry, fish and dairy. Eating all of these foods (and still have room for the occasional treat) can mean it’s easy to over consume calories at a time when most of us are wishing to have our post-baby body back. So eating smart is the best way to ensure your nutrition is taken care of without over (or under) eating. Just as most of us do not wish to gain weight, it is important to not lose weight too rapidly, for this reason a "weight-los" diet is not encouraged during breastfeeding.

The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) set by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is increased for almost every nutrient during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Our bodies make sure baby comes first when the nutrients are being dished out, often leading to Mum being depleted of important nutrients if your diet is not up to scratch.

The NHMRC also advises us to consume approximately 2000 kilojoules more than your normal energy intake (based on full breastfeeding for first 6 months and partial after that). This is a broad recommendation however, because we all have different levels of energy expenditure and therefore different requirements.

General guidelines to follow;

• Eating 5-6 small meals a day (or 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks) helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, energy levels up and helps with increasing the variety of foods/nutrients eaten
• Don’t wait until you are starving hungry to eat as you will often eat larger portions of the same food, thus limiting your variety of foods
• Learn to read food labels to look for hidden sugars and saturated fats

Balance the three macro nutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates & Fats);

Carbohydrates are found in cereals and grains, fruit and vegetables. Make sure your cereals and grains are as close to nature as possible, the more processed they are the less nutritional value they have.

• Sugars are also a form of carbohydrates but are generally refined (depleted of nutrients) and are hidden in many foods. Get your sugars from natural sources such as fruit. Limit fruit juice (dilute it 50:50) as it is concentrated sugar.
• Carbohydrates should make up 50 – 60 % of your diet

Protein is found mostly in animal products such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs & dairy as well as plant forms such soy and soy products), spirulina and quinoa (a grain).

• Vegetarians can combine their plant foods to maximize their protein intake – for more information check out our PCF article
• Protein should make up about 30 - 40% of your calories

Fats are found in many foods but there are bad fats (saturated fats found in animal products) and fats that are very good for you, in fact essential for our health.

• Your body cannot produce these essential fats so you must get them from your diet, hence the name Essential Fatty Acids or EFAs. EFAs are found in foods such as deep water fish, avocado, nuts and seeds and are highly beneficial for you and your baby – read about Omega 3 EFA’s below for more details
• Your diet should be approximately 20% good fats with as little as 5-10% of that being saturated fat

According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating you should Include

• 5-7 servings of cereals, whole grain breads, rice, pasta (1 serve = 2 slices breas, 1 cup cooked rice or pasta)
• 7 servings of vegetables & legumes (1 serve = 1/2 cup vegetables) 
• 2 servings of fruit
• 2 servings of dairy (1 serve = 250ml of milk,  200g of yoghurt or 40g cheese)
• 2 servings of protein (1 serve = 65-100g cooked chicken or meat, 2 small chops, 1/2 cup cooked dried beans, 80-120g fish, 1/3 cup nuts or 2 eggs)

Important nutrients for a breastfeeding women and her baby

B vitamins

Important for brain function and nervous system, a deficiency can result in conditions such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and lethargy.

Food sources are whole grains, fruit & vegetables,

Vitamin B12

Also important for red blood cell formation along with iron and folate. B12 deficiency is known as Pernicious anaemia and shares similar symptoms to Iron deficiency anaemia such as shortness of breath, pale complexion and lethargy

Food sources are mainly animal products such as red meat and seafood

Vegetarians can get vitamin B12 from fermented soy products such as tempeh and soy sauce but they will often need to take a supplement. It is important not to rely on Spirulina if this is your choice of supplement as it contains a form of B12 which is not recognised by the body

Vitamin C

Essential for immune function, is anti-inflammatory, and is a natural antihistamine, improves wound healing, assists collagen production, just to name a few functions!

Food sources include fruit and vegetables but in particular cherries, berries, kiwi fruit & broccoli. Make sure your food sources are fresh as the vitamin C content diminishes if fruit is pre-cut or juiced in advance.    

Iodine

A very important mineral for the development of your child and levels in breast milk will be affected if your diet is low.

Dietary sources include kelp (seaweeds in general), seafood, particularly shellfish and iodised table salt. It is often added into bread.

Iron

Stores are depleted during pregnancy, once your baby is born Iron levels will gradually return to normal while you are not menstruating but if you are suffering from fatigue or shortness of breath it may be worth taking an organic supplement as a top-up. Your baby’s iron stores last around 6 months, after which they will need to get it from your through breast milk. Red meat is an easy way to consume Iron as the body recognises this form readily and absorbs it efficiently. Vegetarians can absorb the iron in plant foods by eating them with Vitamin C. Vitamin C turns the non-haem” iron into the absorbable “haem” form.

Calcium

A major ingredient in breast milk and an extremely important mineral for you and your baby’s bone density & teeth, calcium is also important for proper muscle contraction, particularly the heart muscle. A deficiency can obviously lead to conditions affecting the bones but can also cause muscle cramps & spasms and insomnia.

Food sources of calcium are the well-known dairy products but it is important not to make these your only source as they are not particularly well absorbed. Others include nuts and seeds, particularly almonds and sunflower seeds, fish with edible bones such as sardines and tinned salmon, calcium fortified soy products & green leafy vegetables including broccoli. 

Omega 3 EFA 

DHA is a component of Omega 3 EFAs and is found in the brain in large amounts. DHA is very important for brain function and visual acuity in infants and the developing toddler.

A deficiency in EFAs can result in problems with the menstrual cycle and fertility, post-natal depression and in children can be a factor in behavioral problems such as ADHD and learning difficulties.

Food sources include deep sea fatty fish, nuts & seeds, avocado, wheatgerm oil.

It is important not to remove or limit any one food group when you are trying to consume a balanced diet. If you or your baby has a known food allergy or intolerance or if you suspect this may be the case it is important to consult a health professional such as your paediatrician, nutritionist or naturopath to help you with your nutritional needs.

Further reading

About Breastfeeding

Expressing & Storing Breast Milk

Your Breastfeeding Stories