While the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting supplements (340 to 400 units) right after birth, Ross recommends getting guidance from a registered nutritionist or your doctor to figure out the right supplementation amount for yourself and your newborn.
B vitamins
“B vitamins such as folate, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 are essential for many aspects of your baby’s growth, so include daily serving of foods like eggs, nutritional yeast, leafy green veggies, and whole grains to provide your body and baby what they need.” The recommended amount of B6 to get while breastfeeding is 2 mcg; the recommend amount of B12 is 2.6–2.8 mcg.
Calcium
“Calcium is involved in your baby’s bone development, and calcium requirements are very high during breastfeeding, in order to support this time of rapid skeletal growth,” says Ross, who notes that women should aim to consume 1,000 mg of calcium per day while breastfeeding.
Calcium, it should also be noted, is not just important for baby’s health: Breastfeeding can deplete mom’s own stores of the all-important mineral, too. So, be sure to reach for calcium-rich options like dairy products, tinned sardines (with the soft bones), cabbage, broccoli, tahini, and other dark green vegetables like arugula. Calcium-enriched cereals, juices, yogurt, and tofu can help, too.
Iron
“The mineral iron can become depleted in mothers during pregnancy, so by the time baby is born iron deficiency may be present, and it can become easy for babies to become iron deficient, too,” explains Ross. “To manage your iron levels, I advise getting your iron status checked through your healthcare provider (who may prescribe supplementation), and focus on consuming iron-rich foods like lentils, white beans, rye, dried fruit like figs, apricots, and dates and meat.”
Water
“As 84 percent of breastmilk is made of water, it makes sense to stay adequately hydrated for both you and your baby,” says Ross, who recommends 90 to 100 ounces (or 11 to 12 glasses of water) per day.
Which foods should I avoid while breastfeeding?
“There are many foods that should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid harm to your baby’s development, beginning with caffeine and alcohol, stimulant foods that pass through breast milk and can affect your milk supply,” says Ross. “The effects of these substances can also interfere with your baby’s sleep and digestive health, so while you are breastfeeding, it’s best to avoid them.”
Is it safe to eat fish while breastfeeding?
Ross suggests avoiding foods high in mercury like large oily fish (swordfish, tuna, king mackerel), as heavy metals are neurotoxins and harmful to both you and your baby.
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