Foods to increase and foods to avoid when breastfeeding

Not having a strong supply of breast milk is a common concern and focus for many of us mums who are breastfeeding and following the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge. Many new mums worry that losing weight is whether is will decrease their milk supply.

When trying to lose baby weight, (provided you are not using any caffeine based weight loss accelerants and are using safe nutritional products), steady weight loss will not affect your milk supply.

As a mum we want to give our babies the best and sometimes it is hard to know if our baby is getting enough milk and how much they are drinking.  The experts say as long as the baby is wetting enough nappies then mums don’t need to worry – but that is often easier said than done! 

Foods which may cause problems when breastfeeding

There are no hard and fast rules about what a mum shouldn’t eat when breastfeeding – other than certain supplements mentioned above and alcohol. However there are some foods which have been shown to cause upset in the baby – whether that be sickness, eczema, colic, trouble sleeping and irritability.

However, each baby is different and you should monitor yours to see how he/she reacts to certain foods and contact your doctor if you are concerned about any reaction.

Foods more likely to cause a problem when breastfeeding

• Milk, dairy, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and spicy foods have been linked to colic
• Too much caffeine may make your baby restless
• Eggs and peanuts have been shown to be linked to allergies in babies

More than anything, it is important to eat a balanced diet when breast feeding and if you are trying to lose your baby weight, do so in a safe way and aim for approximately 500g-1kg per week.

Foods that will boost milk supply

• Salmon – which is packed full of Omega 3, iodine, vitamin D, protein and B12
• Eggs – they are the highest quality protein in our food supply and are packed with vitamins and minerals
• Chickpeas – Lean protein with iron and fibre
• Avocado – High in folate, potassium, vitamin E and magnesium
• Berries – full of vitamin C, folate and fibre (so make sure you have lots of berries in your Healthy Mummy smoothies!)
• Spinach – full of anti oxidants, vitamins and minerals and is great for yours and your baby’s immune system
• Yogurt – high in calcium and full of good bacteria.
• Water – drink at least 1.5 – 2 litres of water per day as your body needs it to make the milk so make sure you keep hydrated as you can use up to 1 litre a day just for feeding.

Some babies have allergies, colic or digestive issues and can react to an array of different foods. If your baby is particularly sensitive we advise discussing a food plan with your Doctor and sticking to a plain diet with low taste foods to avoid any reaction.