Striking a Balance

Healthy Eating Habits for the Nursing Mother

By Shel Franco

Most days, your mind is probably jammed packed with things to do. It's easy to see how eating right can get lost in the shuffle. Now that you're breastfeeding your baby, good nutrition needs to become a daily priority, but not necessarily for the reason you might think.

"Your food won't affect the quality of the milk you produce, but it will affect how YOU feel," says Jana McCarthy, a certified lactation consultant in Lake Forest, Calif.

That might strike some women as odd. There are so many old wives tales about eating and breastfeeding that it's hard to sort through and find the facts.

McCarthy asserts that diet is important. "What you eat fuels your body," she says. "Since your body has worked hard to produce this baby and then feed him or her, you need to eat nutritious food to take care of yourself."

McCarthy explains that your basic diet should consist of proteins, carbohydrates, and no more than 30 percent fat. In those early weeks of your baby's life, convenience is as important as good nutrition. McCarthy adds that there are plenty of good quality frozen foods available at your local grocery store. Reading labels will help you determine the protein, carbohydrate, fat and vitamin content of these meals.

When Lisa Kaufman of Toney, Ala. was breastfeeding, she altered her eating habits to include more nutritious items. One of the bigger changes was introducing more water into her diet.

"Water is probably the best thirst quencher," McCarthy says. She adds that you should drink whenever you are thirsty.

Judith Turner of Salt Lake City, Utah agrees. "I would always get myself a big glass of water and a snack while I was pumping," she says.

Want to see more?

• Breastfeed ing and Allergies -- Nothing to Sneeze At
• Drinking on the Job
• Lactose Intolerance: Solutions to the New Catchall Phrase