5 Ways To Optimize Breast Milk Production Via Nutrition
The goal of today’s article is to help the breastfeeding moms out there learn a bit more about the key nutrition-related considerations worth monitoring in order to ensure both you and your baby are getting the nourishment you need.
Consideration #1 – Caloric Intake
First and foremost, breastfeeding women need to eat!
Did you know that when the body produces milk it actually burns more calories than it does during pregnancy?
Breastfeeding women burn approximately 500-650 additional calories compared to non-breastfeeding women and this may come from a combination of food and stored energy from pregnancy.
If you need help to better understand what this means for your daily intake pattern, working with a maternal dietitian like myself will help.
Consideration #2 – Water Intake
Adequate water is another important component to support milk production because milk, of course, has a massive fluid component (approximately 87%).
Did you know that lactating mothers need up to 3L of water daily, as compared to the 2L you might see being thrown around on the web? This includes fluids from other beverages or foods with a high fluid content (soup, watermelon, etc.)
Breastfeeding mothers who don’t consume enough fluid may be at increased risk of constipation and dehydration. Your body will help to compensate in the short term, but drinking enough fluid, and aiming for a pale yellow urine, remains important.
Consideration #3 – Dietary Fat
Fat intake should make up around 20-35% of your daily calories.
While it is a myth that nursing mothers can increase the fat output in their breastmilk through their diet, they do have influence over the types of fat in their milk.
Adding more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to your diet helps give baby these healthier fats through your milk.
Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA) are a type of polyunsaturated fat and are critical for brain and eye development in infants. Helping babies get these through breast milk is crucial.
Polyunsaturated Fat Sources
Soybean, sunflower, corn, and cottonseed oils
Walnuts, flaxseed, sunflower/pumpkin seeds, pine nuts
Fatty fish (salmon, herring, and sardines)
Monounsaturated Fat Sources
Olive, peanut, safflower, canola, sunflower oils
Avocado/avocado oil
Peanut butter and most nuts/nut butters
Part of animal fats from chicken, beef and pork
Fat composition in breastmilk is around 3.8% and accounts for approximately half of the total calorie needs of the infant.
Some may worry whether or not their baby is getting enough fat-especially those who pump and can see the fat separation in their refrigerated milk. Milk composition changes throughout the day to meet the needs of your child, so in most cases the different fat amounts are not a cause for worry.
Studies have shown that there is a higher fat content in the hindmilk-produced toward the end of a feed. Emptying the breast during a feeding will help ensure the infant gets all that they need.
It’s important to discuss any problems you may be experiencing with your doctor, lactation consultant (IBCLC), and/or dietitian.
Consideration #4 - Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important micronutrient that you may hear pop up quite a bit. Vitamin D is one of the fat-soluble vitamins that is often found in fortified drinks, eggs and fish (salmon).
It is also made when our skin is exposed to the sun.
A mother’s vitamin D status often relates to the vitamin D excreted in her milk- those living above the 37th parallel are more at risk for low vitamin D status.
It is often recommended that nursing mothers supplement their baby with Vitamin D drops (400 IU) to ensure they don’t become deficient.
Some studies suggest that baby’s vitamin D needs can be met through supplementation of the mother with ~6400 IU which in turn gives a higher dose through her breastmilk.
This exceeds the tolerable upper limit, so it’s important to discuss whether or not this is right for your situation with your physician or dietitian.
Consideration #5- Supplementation
Getting vitamins and minerals through the foods you eat is ideal, but not always feasible for some. Prenatal vitamins can be a good tool for women who have a hard time meeting their needs through their diet.
Breastfeeding women have increased micronutrient needs and are typically advised to continue taking a prenatal or switch to a postnatal/multi-vitamin to cover any gaps in their diet.
Vitamin supplements are not all created equal and there are a few things to look for when picking one out such as 3rd party testing for quality or vitamins in the active form (methylfolate vs folic acid).
The need for the B vitamins, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and E are increased during lactation and deficiencies will often reflect through the breastmilk, so it’s important that lactating mothers meet their needs to keep both them and their infants healthy. Women taking oral contraceptives can be at risk for nutrient depletion, so those who are also breastfeeding may be more susceptible and might require supplementation.
Dietary iron requirements typically decrease due to the pause of menstruation that is common with exclusive breastfeeding. Breastfeeding women experiencing constipation from too much iron in their prenatal vitamin may want to switch to a postnatal or multi-vitamin with lower levels of iron.
If you need help finding a good quality vitamin or determining whether or not you need one, reach out to maternal dietitian like myself.
Final Thoughts
While breastfeeding nutrition guidance differs from person to person, today’s article has offered some key considerations to help you on the right track.
There is so much out there on the internet and it can be confusing to know what to believe and what is right for you. This is just a glimpse at what I can help you out with, so reach out to me if you have any questions or would like some personalized help.
