Families For Life | Nutritional Advice for Breastfeeding Mums

Want to breastfeed? Here are the top foods you need to avoid during pregnancy for your baby's health.

By week 36 of pregnancy, you may have decided that you want to breastfeed your child. It's important that you continue to eat well. Having the proper nutrition now will help you nourish your baby with the nutrients your little one needs. Here are a few pointers on nutrition during breastfeeding:

Do have:

DHA-rich foods: DHA or omega-3 fats nurture your baby's brain and eye development. Don't forget to add at least two servings of fatty fish to your weekly diet, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel.

Fenugreek: This herb is traditionally used to increase milk supply and is considered safe.

Specially formulated milk: Some mums can also supplement their nutrition with special milk formulated for breastfeeding mums. These are fortified with certain vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, B vitamins, folic acid and DHA.

However, there are also some foods you should avoid if you're planning to breastfeed.

Don't have:

Alcohol: The alcohol you drink passes through your breast milk to your baby. It's recommended that you abstain from alcoholic drinks in the first week after delivery. If you do drink, note that breastfeeding should be delayed for at least an hour for every glass of alcohol consumed. Do be aware that this also applies to several traditional health tonics that contain alcohol.

Food cooked with alcohol: While alcohol evaporates when added to food during cooking, some will still be present. Either avoid consuming food cooked with alcohol, or take note of how many hours you need to postpone breastfeeding.

Caffeine: This can pass to your baby through breast milk. Just as a good dose of caffeine can keep you awake, too many glasses of kopi can cause caffeine stimulation in your little one too. One or two cups of coffee or tea a day will not affect your baby, but be aware that caffeine can also be found in soft drinks and some medicines.

Speaking of Children II: Dr Mary Chong on Diet Tips for Postpartum & Breastfeeding

When it comes to dietary advice during the post-pregnancy period, we've got you covered! Here’s Dr Mary Chong sharing information about nutritional needs for pregnant or new mothers. She is giving us dieting tips as well as advice on staying healthy after giving birth!





Explore more

• Breastfeed for the best start
• Feeding your baby: breast or bottle
  
• Help! I'm having trouble breastfeeding
  
• How do you breastfeed at work?
  
• Nature's best food: breast milk (nutrition for baby)
  

By Associate Professor TAN Thiam Chye Head & Senior Consultant, Dr Michelle LIM Senior O&G Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Sources:
The New Art and Science of Pregnancy and Childbirth 2008, World Scientific
Healthy Start for your Pregnancy 2012, Health Promotion Board Singapore

Copyright © 2016 HealthHub.sg. All rights reserved.