Healthy Eating for Breastfeeding

A single mom recently wrote us about her decision to bottle feed.  She has a 10-month old son.  She said she never considered breastfeeding because she, herself, is such a picky eater and not always healthy because of it.

There are so many good foods even for the pickiest eater among us.  The key to get the right amount of food in you (post partum that requires about 500 extra calories a day), and the right kind of food in you.  There are lots of delicisous foods that fit that profile.

You can have pasta, just make it whole grain pasta or brown rice pasta.  You can have breads.  Again, make them whole grain. And fruits, so delicious at this time of year especially.  Just don't over-indulge because it's tempting to do so.

Cheese, vegetables, proteins ( like chicken, beef, fish), thrown them all in a salad together along with some sunflower seeds.

if you like yogurt but want a little something extra to make it even yummier, throw some granola in there.  Again, not too much.

If you want more advice about this, click the "ask the RN" button on the bottom of the page and subit a question to Nurse Barb.  She'll get right back to you.

The key to all this is the right-sized portions.  Remember, you only need 500 extra calories a day, not 5000!  Good luck.