Eating well when breastfeeding helps you to:
- Feel your best
- Recover from labour and birth
- Get all the nutrients and energy you need
What Should I Eat When I Am Breastfeeding
- Eat a variety of healthy foods each day.
- Fill ½ of your plate with vegetables and fruits.
- Fill ¼ of your plate with whole grain foods (such as brown rice, whole grain pastas and whole grain breads).
- Fill ¼ of your plate with protein foods (such as dried beans/lentils, tofu, eggs, fish/seafood, chicken, and lean red meat).
- Choose water as your main drink. Other healthy fluids/beverages include milk, unsweetened fortified soy beverage and soup/broth.
What can I do to eat well when I’m busy with my baby?
- Try to eat regularly even small meals or snacks. Skipping meals can make you feel more tired.
- Eat or snack when your baby is sleeping.
- Keep easy, healthy snacks available such as cut-up vegetables and fruits, yogurt, cheese, nuts/seeds, boiled eggs, hummus and whole grain crackers.
- Carry a reusable water bottle when you are out and refill with water as needed.
- Drink fluids every time your baby breastfeeds.
- Accept help from family and friends.
- Prepare meals in large batches, freeze and reheat for a quick meal. Freezer friendly dishes/foods (homemade or store-bought) include lasagna/baked pastas, pizzas, chili, soups, stews, curries, meatballs or burger patties, falafel or chickpea patties, perogies, wontons, and frozen mixed vegetables.
Common Questions
- Will broccoli and cabbage give my baby gas?
- No, eating foods that can cause gas may make you gassy, but they will not make your baby gassy. Gas and fibre do not pass into breast milk
- Do the foods I eat affect my breast milk taste?
- Yes, the foods, spices and drinks you enjoy can change the smell and taste of your breast milk. This gives your baby a chance to experience difference flavours, which may help prepare them for eating solid foods at about 6 months of age.
- Do I need to avoid any common allergy-causing foods while breastfeeding?
- No, there is no need to avoid common allergy-causing foods such as peanuts, fish, and eggs while breastfeeding. In fact, eating a variety of foods can be part of a healthy diet.
However, there are some foods and drinks that you should limit or avoid while breastfeeding. For example, limit fish that are high in mercury (such as shark, swordfish, sea bass and tuna steaks). You should also be mindful of alcohol, caffeine and some herbal teas. Talk to a dietitian or your healthcare provider if you have questions about safe food and drink choices while breastfeeding.
- Is there anything I can eat to help increase my milk supply?
- No, there are no specific foods or drinks that have been proven to increase breast milk supply. Eating balanced meals helps provide the energy and nutrients your body needs to make breast milk. Breastfeeding often and having your baby latch and breastfeed well are the most effective ways to build and maintain a healthy milk supply.
Breastfeeding is a proven, natural, short-term (up to six months) method of birth control.
Breastfeeding is 98-99% effective in preventing pregnancy, but only if all of the following are true:
- Your baby is less than six months old.
- Your menstrual periods have not returned.
- Your baby is fully or nearly fully breastfed.
- Fully breastfed means your baby gets all of their nutrition from breastfeeding.
- Nearly fully breastfed means your baby is breastfed and only occasionally receives vitamins, minerals, juice, water or other foods (no more than one or two mouthfuls a day)
- To be considered fully or nearly fully breastfed, your baby should breastfeed at least every four hours and should not have more than one 6 hour stretch between feedings in a 24-hour period.
Other methods of birth control that do not affect breastfeeding include:
- condoms (male and female)
- Depo-Provera
- diaphragm – must be refitted after pregnancy
- IUD (Intrauterine Device)
- IUS (Intrauterine System)
- Mini Pill
- tubal ligation
- vasectomy
Speak to your health care provider, contact a breastfeeding clinic or call the Sexual Health Infoline Ontario at 416-392-2437 for more information about birth control.
If you are sick, it is important to talk to your health care provider. In most cases it is safe to continue breastfeeding while taking medications. Small amounts of medication can pass into breast milk, but this is usually not harmful to your baby. Medications that are safe for babies are generally safe to use while breastfeeding.
If you need to take medication:
- Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about the medication and breastfeeding.
- Ask your health care provider about the best time to take the medication.
- Breastfeed first, then take your medication right after.
- Watch your baby for changes, such as a rash. If you notice any unusual changes, contact your health care provider.
What If I Have to Stop Breastfeeding
If a medication is not safe to take while breastfeeding, ask your health care provider if there is a safe alternative. If there is no safe alternative, you may need to stop breastfeeding for a short time.
Before starting a medication that is not safe while breastfeeding, you can express and store your breast milk.
If you need to stop breastfeeding temporarily, continue to express or pump breast milk to help protect your milk supply. Express or pump at least eight times in 24 hours. During this time, throw away your breast milk if your health care provider advises you to do so. Continue expressing or pumping until you are able to breastfeed again.
To be safe, check with your health care provider before taking prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. For after hours support, call Health811.
