Breastmilk & your diet
I don’t eat a great diet, so what about the quality of my milk?
Breast milk is a dynamic and living substance that adapts to your baby's unique needs during each breastfeed. It is rich in essential nutrients, immune-enhancing cells, stem cells, and nourishment for beneficial gut bacteria, alongside various health-promoting components that cannot be replicated. None of these change based on your diet, and these elements remain stable regardless; women in famine situations continue to produce milk that offers optimal nutrition for their infants.
What about the fat content of my milk?
The type of fat in your diet is closely linked to the fat composition of your breast milk, although the overall caloric content of human milk tends to be relatively consistent. This means that the fats you eat don’t make a difference to the fat in your milk but can affect the types of fats in your milk to some extent, as in “good” fats vs. “bad” fats.
Your milk is designed to protect your baby even in the event of hardship or famine. A poor diet is more likely to affect you than your baby.
Frequent and flexible breastfeeding ensures your infant receives everything necessary for healthy growth and development.
If I eat certain foods, will my milk supply increase?
No, milk supply will not increase when eating certain foods.
Milk supply is determined by the amount of milk removed from your breast.
Unless you have a physical or physiological reason for a low milk supply, breastfeeding as your baby demands ensures that your milk supply will meet your baby's needs regardless of your diet.
I enjoy my coffee. Is that out?
Not at all. If you enjoy a cup of coffee and the boost of energy it gives you; then this isn’t something you have to give up.
Research tells us that only 1% of the caffeine you drink ends up in your breast milk and at its highest concentration about an hour after consuming your coffee.
Food standards Australia and New Zealand recommend that you consume up to 200mg of caffeine daily, which is approximately two cups of coffee.
Just be aware that younger babies can be more sensitive to caffeine in your breastmilk. If you do notice that your baby is having difficulty settling or sleeping after breastfeeding, you may wish to scale back your caffeine intake.
Feeding your baby from your breasts is an energy-intensive process. To maintain your health and energy levels, it is beneficial to consume a wide variety of nourishing and energy-rich foods as often as possible. You should listen to your body and eat to your appetite.
But also, though not recommended, a mother consuming a diet of junk food can still adequately provide breastmilk that meets her baby’s needs, though she would not thrive on this diet.
Mothers worldwide produce ample breast milk while eating diets almost entirely of rice.
Let’s break this down
You do not need a perfect diet to provide quality breastmilk for your baby
Breastmilk is made in your breasts directly from your blood and not the food you eat
You can enjoy that coffee (in moderation)
Eat to hunger and drink to thirst
There are NO foods that you need to avoid when breastfeeding; eat whatever you like whenever you like in the amounts you like unless your baby experiences an obvious reaction to a particular food
Yes a healthy diet is recommended but this is for you not your baby
Frequent and flexible breastfeeding is what increases and maintains your milk supply