After you have your baby, it is important to take care of yourself and eat nutritious foods. If you are breastfeeding, the food you eat helps your baby grow strong and healthy, too. The food you eat will also affect the way you feel and help you to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight.
Eat a variety of foods. Visit our Healthy Food List for ideas on some healthy foods you can eat. Try to eat the recommended amount of servings from each group every day.
Drink plenty of liquids. Your body needs lot of fluid (about 6-10 glasses a day) especially if you are breastfeeding your baby. Drink water, milk, and fruit juice.
Eat foods that have protein such as milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish and beans. Protein rich foods are important to help you recover from childbirth and keep your body strong. If you are under 18, or were underweight prior to pregnancy, you need to eat more protein.
Eat your fruits and vegetables. Try to eat 4 to 4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables have vitamins and minerals that keep you healthy. They also have fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Make sure to wash fruits and vegetables under running cold water before eating them.
Lose weight safely. Talk to your doctor about safely losing weight after your baby is born. Losing weight too quickly can affect your breastmilk supply. Do not take diet pills. They contain harmful drugs that can be passed to your baby through breastmilk.
Take prenatal vitamins. If you are breastfeeding, it is a good idea to continue to take your prenatal vitamins. Your doctor can prescribe these pills so that your health insurance will cover a portion of the cost. Limit junk foods: Soda pop, cookies, donuts, potato chips and french fries are okay sometimes, but don’t let them take the place of healthy foods!
Take prenatal vitamins. If you are breastfeeding, it is a good idea to continue to take your prenatal vitamins. Your doctor can prescribe these pills so that your health insurance will cover a portion of the cost.
Limit junk foods: Soda pop, cookies, donuts, potato chips and french fries are okay sometimes, but don’t let them take the place of healthy foods!
There are some foods and other substances that can be harmful to both you and your baby if you are breastfeeding.
Alcohol: Wine, wine coolers, beer, drinks like hard lemonade and other malt liquor beverages, shots and mixed drinks contain alcohol that passes to your baby through your breastmilk and can harm your baby’s brain and body development.
Caffeine: Caffeine is a stimulant that passes through breastmilk to the baby and may affect growth. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks and over-the-counter medicines.
Swordfish, Shark, King Mackerel and Tilefish: These fish have high levels of a toxin called mercury. Mercury is harmful to your growing baby’s brain. If you eat tuna, it is okay to eat up to 6 ounces of canned tuna a week but make sure to choose light tuna.
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