Infant and toddler health

Breast milk gives your baby nutrients that promote growth and health. If you're breastfeeding, it's common to have questions about what foods and drinks are best for you. It's also common to wonder how your diet might affect your breast milk and your baby.

Understand the basics of breastfeeding nutrition.

Do I need extra calories while breastfeeding?

Yes. You might need to eat a little more to give you the energy and nutrition to produce milk. It's typical to take in about 340 to 400 extra calories a day.

To get these extra calories, opt for nutrient-rich foods. Examples are a slice of whole-grain bread with a tablespoon (about 16 grams) of peanut butter, a medium banana or apple, and 8 ounces (about 227 grams) of yogurt.

What foods should I eat while breastfeeding?

Focus on making healthy choices to help fuel your milk production. Opt for protein-rich foods, such as lean meat, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, and seafood low in mercury. Choose a variety of whole grains as well as fruits and vegetables.

Eating a variety of foods while breastfeeding will change the flavor of your breast milk. Tasting varied flavors may help babies more easily accept solid foods later when they can eat solid foods.

Your healthcare professional might suggest you take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement until you wean your baby. This can help make sure you and your baby get all of the vitamins you need.

How much fluid do I need while breastfeeding?

Drink when you're thirsty. Drink more if your urine looks dark yellow. You might drink a glass of water or another beverage every time you breastfeed.

Choose water most of the time. Avoid choosing juices and drinks with added sugar. Also limit how much caffeine is in your drinks. Caffeine in your breast milk might make your baby fussy or affect your baby's sleep.

What about a vegetarian or vegan diet and breastfeeding?

If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, it's especially important to choose foods that'll give you the nutrients you need.

• Choose foods rich in iron, protein, and calcium. Good sources of iron include lentils, beans, enriched cereals, leafy green vegetables, and peas. Vegetarians may choose dairy products too. To help your body absorb iron, eat iron-rich foods with foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits.

  For protein, try plant sources, such as soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Eggs and dairy products are other options.

  Good sources of calcium are dark green vegetables and foods enriched and fortified with calcium. Examples are cow's milk, yogurt, juices, soy milk, soy yogurt, and tofu.

• Think about adding supplements to your diet. Your healthcare professional may suggest you take a daily vitamin B-12 supplement. Vitamin B-12 is found mostly in animal products. It's hard to get enough of this vitamin in vegan diets unless you take a supplement.

  If you don't eat fish, talk with your healthcare professional about taking an omega-3 supplement.

  If you don't eat enough foods fortified with vitamin D and you have limited sun exposure, you might need to take vitamin D supplements. Good sources of vitamin D-fortified foods are cow's milk and some cereals. Too little vitamin D can cause rickets, a softening and weakening of bones. Tell your healthcare professional if you're giving your baby a vitamin D supplement. Be sure to tell your baby's healthcare professional too.

What foods and drinks should I limit or avoid while breastfeeding?

Be careful about how much you have of some foods and drinks while you're breastfeeding. For example:

• Alcohol. There's no level of alcohol in breast milk that's considered safe for a baby. If you drink, avoid breastfeeding until the alcohol has completely cleared your breast milk. This takes at least two hours for one drink. One drink is 12 fluid ounces (355 milliliters) of regular beer, 5 fluid ounces (148 milliliters) of wine, or 1.5 fluid ounces (44 milliliters) of hard liquor or distilled spirits. Before you drink alcohol, you may want to pump milk for later use.
• Caffeine. Avoid drinking more than 2 to 3 cups (0.4 to 0.7 liters) of caffeinated drinks a day. Caffeine in breast milk can make babies fussy or affect their sleep.
• Fish. Seafood can be a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But most seafood has mercury or other contaminants in it. Too much of these things in breast milk poses risks to babies as their nervous system grows. To limit this risk, avoid seafood that's high in mercury. Examples include shark, swordfish, and king mackerel. To find out what seafood has contaminants in your area, look up local fish recommendations.

Could my diet cause my baby to be fussy or have a reaction?

Some foods or drinks in your diet could cause your baby to become fussy, have a reaction, or have intolerance. Symptoms of an intolerance include a rash, diarrhea, and wheezing. Talk with your baby's healthcare professional if your baby becomes fussy or has symptoms of an intolerance soon after breastfeeding.

If you think that something in your diet might be affecting your baby, avoid that food or drink for up to a week. Do this to see if you notice any changes in your baby's behavior or symptoms.

Remember, you don't need to go on a special diet while breastfeeding your baby. Simply focus on making healthy choices. You and your baby will reap the rewards.