Did you know that breastmilk production can burn 500 or more calories a day? That’s right! Breastfeeding can help you burn just as many calories as you would in an intense workout.
Because breastfeeding rapidly burns calories, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet for the benefit of you and your child’s health.
According to the website What to Expect, eating while breastfeeding is a lot like eating during pregnancy because it’s all about getting the right balance of the foods you crave that also have high nutritional value.
To receive the best nutrients for you and your child, try to incorporate the following into your daily diet:
- Calcium: milk, plain yogurt, soy beans
- Protein: salmon, white-meat poultry, eggs
- Vitamin C: oranges, kiwi, red sweet peppers
- Green and yellow vegetables: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, butternut squash
- 8 glasses of water
There are less restrictions to eating while breastfeeding than there are for pregnancy. For instance, sushi is okay to eat; however, continue to avoid high-mercury fish. Coffee and other caffeine products are also okay to pick back up in moderate daily amounts.
Even if you don’t eat the perfect “pyramid” diet, your body makes the perfect milk for your baby. But in order to keep you healthy make sure to eat balanced meals.