If you’re a nursing mama, chances are that you know the struggle of an increased appetite and the never-ending urge to eat. And hey, we don’t blame ya! There’s a lot of nutrients being given to your little bundle of joy through your breastmilk, and your body needs to replenish it on a daily basis. So to help you on your breastfeeding journey, we’ve put together a list of 11 nourishing foods for nursing moms.
Leafy greens
Leafy greens are the most well known nourishing food that breastfeeding mamas can eat. Greens such as Arugula, Spinach, Leaf lettuce, Kale, Collard greens, Romaine lettuce, Chicory, and Swiss chard can boost your fiber, folate, vitamin C and K.
Pro tip: Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that it can only be absorbed through the body with… you guessed it, some dietary fat. So make sure you eat those greens with a drizzle of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) to make sure your body absorbs those vitamins!
Water
Have you ever felt really thirsty after nursing your little one? Some mamas don’t realize how dehydrated they are while breastfeeding, and that it could potentially cause a decrease in milk production! (Oh no!) We know how stressful it is to make sure we have the sufficient amount of milk supply for the little one, especially if you’re a new nursing mama. Make sure to keep hydrated at all times throughout the day! Keeping a large water bottle close by you when you’re nursing can help you remember to drink that water. Just remember: when the baby drinks, you drink!
Fenugreek (curry)
Where are all my curry fans at? No, not Stephen Curry! The yummy curry dish, silly. Fenugreek is one of the ingredients in curry and a bunch of other savory dishes. You’ll get a whole lot of vitamins including iron, fiber, magnesium, manganese, and copper when you add it to your meals.
Figs
Not only are Figs sweet and yummy, but they’re packed with antioxidants, fiber, calcium, and magnesium, which make them perfect foods for nursing moms. You can eat them raw for dessert, toss them in a salad, eat them on a cheese platter, or roast them with shallots and balsamic vinegar for a more savory dish.
Black beans
If you’ve heard that eating beans while breastfeeding causes your baby to be gassy, don’t believe that blarney! Beans are a great source of fiber, antioxidants, protein, iron, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, zinc and copper! Why would you want to deprive yourself and the baby of all those nutrients?
Oats
Oats are the most underrated foods for nursing moms. They are loaded with vitamins such as Iron, Zinc, Manganese and Phosphorus to name a few; and not to mention, they are so versatile! You can use them in sweet dishes such as oatmeal, scones, cookies, or in a more savory dish like a mushroom and Thyme Oat Risotto. YUM.
Chickpeas
Oh the chickpea. These bad boys are full of fiber, iron, and copper. It is the most unique food because you can change the taste of it in any dish. If you have a sweet tooth, you need to check out this recipe we have for “cookie dough” that’s made from chickpeas! If you’re more of the savory kinda gal, try having some hummus or add it to homemade chili.
Sweet potato
No need to wait until the holidays to whip up a good sweet potato dish. This thing is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. And the best part is, one medium sweet potato gives the daily recommendation of vitamin A for breast-feeding moms! How easy is that?
Almonds
Need a real easy way to nourish yourself on the road? Pack up some almonds! They’ll help give you protein, vitamin E, and fiber to name a few. If you have a sweet tooth, cover them in some dark chocolate!
Fennel
You might be thinking, what the heck is Fennel? Don’t worry, we did too. Fennel is a herb that you can add to your savory dishes or drink it in a tea! Be careful though, it has a strong licorice-like taste to it that can add a whole lot a flavor to your dish or drink! It’s full of fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are sometimes referred to as “super food” because it’s packed with omega-3, fiber, protein, iron, zinc and antioxidants. You can throw some in your oatmeal, shakes, or a yummy chia pudding!
What are some of your go-to foods?
Let us know in the comments below what kind of foods you like to eat while breastfeeding! We would love to hear from you.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out this article: Does Your Nursing Baby Have a Food Allergy?
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Photo credit: Marisa Mcdonald photography, matthias heil via unsplash, adrienne leonard via unsplash, jennifer schmidt via unsplash
