Foods to Eat when Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Article - Nutrition

Decipher the dietary needs of new moms and moms-to-be.

You should eat a healthy, nutrient-rich diet throughout your life, but it’s especially important during pregnancy and when you’re breastfeeding.

But what does a healthy diet really mean? First, eat a wide variety of vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and high-quality protein. To keep energy high, you may need to eat every few hours. Eat carbohydrates with fat, fiber, and/or protein to keep blood sugar stable. Consume plenty of good fats during pregnancy and when lactating, as they are essential for helping your baby’s brain develop. Get a wide variety of saturated and unsaturated fats, including high-quality fish oil or cod liver oil, flax oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and nuts or seeds.

Some foods you should try to choose often:

Leafy green vegetables
Fermented dairy (yogurt/kefir)
Animal protein including organic organ meat
Legumes and blackeye peas
Eggs
Black strap molasses
Flax seeds and oil
Nuts and seeds

Avoid sugar and caffeine. Be careful about fish consumption, as mercury is very dangerous to developing babies.

Here are a few nutritional differences for pregnancy versus lactation:

A woman needs 200 to 500 more calories during breastfeeding than during pregnancy (and 300 to 500 more calories than before pregnancy).
Water is important at all times, but during lactation water consumption is even more crucial, as adequate fluid intake is essential for producing enough breast milk.
Adequate protein is important for both stages; however, levels are slightly higher during pregnancy.
Certain nutrient needs are higher during pregnancy: calcium, magnesium, folic acid and iron.
Other nutrient needs increase during lactation, including: vitamin C and A, zinc, and iodine. B vitamins are helpful postpartum to address fatigue and stress; however avoid high-dose B vitamin pills as they can decrease milk production. Eat foods rich in B vitamins such as nuts, whole grains, eggs, animal protein, dairy and leafy greens.

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Glow Mama - New Mother Drink - Healthy Alternative While You Are Expecting and Nursing

Decipher the dietary needs of new moms and moms-to-be.

Avoid sugar and caffeine. Be careful about fish consumption, as mercury is very dangerous to developing babies.