A Breastfeeding Mother's Dietary Recommendations

Birth - 12 Months Postpartum

Many new mothers wonder if they should be on a special diet while breastfeeding, but the answer is no. You can take in the same number of calories that you did before becoming pregnant, which helps with weight loss after birth. There are no foods you have to avoid. In fact, you can continue to enjoy the foods that are important to your family and those special meals you know and love.

As for how your diet affects your baby, there are no special foods that will help you make more milk. You may find that some foods cause stomach upset in your baby. You can try avoiding those foods to see if your baby feels better and ask your baby’s doctor for help.

Grains 8 ounces/day

• When buying bread and cereals, choose those made from whole grains. Look for cereals that are fortified with iron and folic acid.
• Aim for at least 4 ounces of whole grain a day.

Vegetables 3 cups/day

• Aim for this much weekly
  • Dark green veggies - 3 cups
  • Orange veggies - 2 cups
  • Dry beans & peas - 3 cups
  • Starchy veggies - 5 cups
  • Other veggies - 7 cups
• Choose fresh, frozen, canned or dried vegetables. When choosing canned look for "low-sodium" or "no-salt-added" on the label.

Fruits 2 cups/day

• Eat a variety of fruit. Go easy on fruit juices.
• Choose fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits. When choosing canned look for those in 100% fruit juice or water instead of syrup. 

Dairy 3 cups/day

• Go low-fat or fat-free when you choose milk, yogurt or cheese.
• Make sure that your yogurt and milk choices are fortified with vitamins A and D.

Protein 6.5 ounces/day

• Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Vary your protein routine - choose more fish*, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.
  • *Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. They contain high levels of mercury. Limit white (albacore) tuna to no more than 6 ounces per week.
• Beans and peas provide iron, potassium and fiber. Meats provide heme-iron, which is the most readily absorbed type of iron. Nuts and seeds contain vitamin E and seafood provides omega-3 fatty acids. 

Note, these estimates are based on a 2,400 calorie pattern. These are only estimates of your needs while you breastfeed. Check with your health care provider to make sure you are losing the weight gained during pregnancy.

The sample plan above is for a breastfeeding mother who is 5 feet, 4 inches and 150 pounds. Visit ChooseMyPlate.gov to make your own tailored plan. The calories and amounts of food you need change over time while you are breastfeeding. Your plan may show different amounts of food for different months to meet your changing nutritional needs.