Eating well while breastfeeding

Mothers are likely to have a lot of different feelings in the early days of breastfeeding – being hungrier and thirstier might be two of them!

There is no special diet for breastfeeding, but eating a variety of foods will help meet your energy and nutrient needs.

Make sure you eat a variety of foods from each of the food groups:

  • vegetables – choose a mix of colours and types
  • lean meats, chicken, fish and meat alternatives such as tofu, eggs and legumes
  • grain foods like bread, pasta, and rice
  • fruit – choose different types and colours and types
  • milk, yoghurt, cheese or dairy alternatives that have added calcium, with at least 100mg per 100g.

Spotlight on iodine and vitamin B12

Iodine is essential for your baby’s growth and brain development. It is hard to get enough iodine from food alone. You might like to take a supplement of 150 micrograms per day while breastfeeding.

Vitamin B12 is important for your baby’s brain and nervous system. It is only found in animal products, like meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese. If you are vegetarian or vegan or do not eat a lot of animal products, it’s possible that you might be low in vitamin B12. You might like to talk to your doctor and ask to get your vitamin B12 levels checked, or ask if you need to take a vitamin B12 supplement.

I’m thirsty!

Making breast milk uses more fluid so you may notice that you need to drink more than usual. There is no set amount that you need to drink. A good guide is to drink a glass of water each time you feed to replace the fluid in breast milk. Tip: Place a water bottle next to you when you sit down to breastfeed.

What about caffeine?

Caffeine is a mild stimulant, found in coffee, tea, chocolate, energy and cola drinks. Most people who breastfeed can have some caffeine with no effect on their baby. It is best to limit caffeine to 200 milligrams (mg) from all food and drink you have each day.

This is about the same as:

  • two cups of instant coffee or one espresso coffee or one coffee based cold milk drink or
  • four cups of tea or
  • two small cola drinks.

Energy drinks contain high amounts of caffeine and are not recommended while breastfeeding.

If you are unsure if a product contains caffeine, or how much caffeine it contains, read the food label or ask your health professional.

Alcohol

No amount of alcohol is safe while breastfeeding. If you choose to drink alcohol, there are risks to both you and your baby’s health and development. If you need support to avoid alcohol or other drugs while breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or see the support services listed below.

For more information and support

Breastfeeding a baby