Breastfeeding Diet: Enjoy These Meal Suggestions

Let me start out by saying that I love to eat. I’m a big fan of eating several small meals over the course of a day (instead of a few large, hearty meals) and nibbling on healthy snacks in between. (And – I’m not gonna lie – a few sweet snacks as well, as long as it’s preceded by something healthy. I have a huge sweet tooth!) I’ve found that this method definitely helps keep my energy up and feeling satisfied all day.

I’m not a dietician, and this diet for breastfeeding mothers isn’t the be-all and end-all of what you should eat (or what you shouldn’t eat; part of that’s discussed here) – I just could never find any suggested meal plans for when I was nursing, so I thought it might help to give you an idea of what I typically eat that makes me feel nice and full, without eating a lot of junk.

Make sure you discuss any specific diet needs with your doctor, especially if you’re underweight or overweight.

Here’s my idea of a filling, healthy breastfeeding diet for all mothers – I hope it will also help you produce healthy milk for your baby and still help you feel full!

What Kate typically eats:

Breakfast

- OR -

1-2 slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter

Small glass of orange juice (with the cereal)

- OR -

Small glass of low-fat cow’s milk/soy milk (with toast)

*I always drink 2% milk, not fat-free – not only do I detest its watery consistency, but you need some fat in your diet to make breast milk.

Prenatal vitamin and DHA supplement

Mid-morning snack

Lunch

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Pasta salad with chopped veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, olives and green and/or red peppers, if they’re not on your list of foods to avoid while nursing), tossed lightly in light salad dressing

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Spinach salad with cooked chopped chicken, feta or blue cheese and sliced tomatoes, drizzled lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

½ cup of mixed berries (like sliced strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)

Afternoon snack

Handful (which I think amounts to about ¼ or 1/3 cup) of almonds or walnuts

1 apple

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4-5 carrot sticks, with small amount of dip (usually hummus or ranch dressing, but I’ve been wanting to try this with honey mustard lately too)

Dinner

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Baked pasta with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese

½ cup mashed potatoes

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½ rice

*Only if I’m eating meat that night – otherwise, it’s too starchy to eat these with pasta!

1/3 cup cooked vegetables (usually frozen – which have been proven to be almost better than fresh – but sometimes fresh, which I’ll steam or sauté with very light olive oil or butter)

1-2 small cookies

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1-2 small pieces of dark chocolate (just make sure you don’t eat it too close to your baby’s nursing and/or bedtime!)

Late-night/pre-bedtime snack

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½ bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk (can you tell I like cereal?)

Again, this is just my idea of a good diet for breastfeeding mothers based on what I typically make for myself – talk with our doctor to see if he or she has any additional suggestions or diet restrictions that you may need to consider.

Enjoy your breastfeeding diet!

Happy eating!

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