In recent years, breastfeeding has become a more popular choice for many mothers that desire to offer their child the best possible start in life. However, breastfeeding myths still seem to prevail. In part three of this series; I will explore some of the most common myths about a nursing mother’s diet.
A Breastfeeding Mom Needs to Drink a Lot of Water: I heard this one a lot. Not true. A nursing mother only needs to drink until thirst is quenched, her body will tell her if she needs more. There is no required minimum amount of water needed a day.
A lot of mothers find that breastfeeding does increase thirst, however, so don’t be surprised if you are reaching for the water a bit more than usual.
A Breastfeeding Mom Needs to Eat a Lot of Food: While some estimate that the body needs as many as 500 extra calories a day, that isn’t true. Some women make enough milk on lower calorie diets . . . some women find they do need to eat more. Follow the same rule as with water, eat when you are hungry, stop when you’re not. Don’t make life more complicated by trying to count calories.
But a word about dieting, don’t cut calories too dramatically and don’t cut them back in the initial first 6 weeks when your milk is getting established. If you do cut back on calories, be aware it could decrease your milk supply (as is the case with me) and make adjustments as needed.
A Breastfeeding Mom Needs to Drink Milk: It makes sense right, drink milk to make milk. While there are a lot of benefits to drinking milk (good source of calcium and protein) a woman’s milk production isn’t affected by her milk consumption.
A Breastfeeding Mom Has to Watch What She Eats: “Oh, and don’t eat broccoli” was the words conveyed by my well-meaning neighbor. After all, went her logic, broccoli causes gas and who would want a gassy baby?
It’s just not true, though. With rare exceptions (such as milk protein sensitivities), most women find what they’ve eaten has little affect on their baby. The most important thing is to maintain a well balanced diet and it’s a good idea to keep taking your prenatal vitamin.
I eat a ton of spicy, garlicky, and gassy foods and have a happy, content, non-colicky baby. Eat as you normally would and if you suspect a food sensitivity, then try removing foods. But there is no need to do so proactively.
