Do you have any tips for a breastfeeding mom with low energy?

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Breastfeeding demands more calories and higher intakes of essential nutrients. Add the stress and demands of motherhood, and you can easily drain your energy level if you don’t properly nourish your body. Here are my four essentials to ensure optimal nutrition and energy for both you and your baby: Consume a nutrient rich diet, stay well hydrated, take a daily prenatal multivitamin and regularly consume omega-3 fats. Read on to learn more about these healthy habits for breastfeeding moms.

Eat more nutrient-dense foods

An extra 500 calories per day is important for ensuring both mother and baby receive the nutrition they need daily. Lactating mothers should focus on consuming nutrient dense foods at all meals and snacks to prevent nutrient deficiencies and fatigue. Some of the most important foods for lactating mothers include: eggs, whole grain breads and cereals, low fat dairy products, fortified soy milk, cheese, fresh and dried fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, fish (at least once a week), and leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, red leaf lettuce, etc).

Drink plenty of water

Water is essential for breast milk production, so a lactating woman can become easily dehydrated if she doesn’t consume enough water each day. Even a small percentage of dehydration can lead to fatigue, so be sure keep a water bottle handy at all times. Also, avoid caffeinated drinks, which increase water loss from the body through excessive urination. Experts recommend lactating women consume about one gallon (16 cups) of total water per day. Total water includes both beverages and high-moisture foods such as fruits, vegetables, soups and meats. With the moisture in foods typically accounting for about 20% of your daily water intake, you should aim to drink about 12 cups of non-caffeinated beverages, including water, daily.1

Take a prenatal multivitamin
Lactating women are highly encouraged to continue their prenatal multivitamin because it contains important nutrients for mother and baby. A multivitamin is important for filling the nutrient gaps that may occur when eating for two.†

Iron deficiency is common among childbearing women, particularly during pregnancy and lactation. The most common symptom of iron deficiency is fatigue. Although prenatal vitamins usually contain iron, some women may need an extra iron supplement if their physician determines they are iron deficient.

Eat DHA-rich foods or supplement

The omega-3 fat, DHA, is critical for brain and eye development of the fetus. Interestingly, recent studies have linked supplementation with DHA by breastfeeding mothers to improvements in cognitive and psychomotor skills during childhood.2,3 Although more research is needed to conclusively determine the benefits that DHA supplementation may offer to breastfed children, many women don’t consume enough DHA rich foods, such as fish; therefore, a DHA supplement is an easy way to increase their daily intake. Experts on lipid nutrition recommend lactating women consume 300 mg of DHA per day,4 which is over four times the typical intake for women living in the United States.5 †

 

References

  1. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes: Electrolytes and Water. Available at: http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/20/004/0.pdf .
  2. Jensen CL, Voigt RG, Prager TC, et al. Effects of maternal docosahexaenoic acid intake on visual function and neurodevelopment in breastfed term infants. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82:125-132. PMID: 16002810
  3. Helland IB, Smith L, Saarem K, et al. Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments children's IQ at 4 years of age. Pediatrics. 2003;111:e39-44. PMID: 12509593
  4. Simopoulos AP, Leaf A, Salem N Jr. Workshop on the essentiality of and recommended dietary intakes for omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Available at: http://www.issfal.org.uk/adequateintakes.htm .
  5. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). Available at: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309085373/html/478.html .

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.