All About Breastfeeding

Are you interested in learning all about breastfeeding? We answer your most asked questions about breastfeeding your baby.

Most Asked Questions & Answers About Breastfeeding

We answer the most asked questions and answers all about breastfeeding, from what you should eat to the best breastfeeding vitamins for nursing mothers.

Does Breastfeeding Make You Tired?

Despite the fact you are mainly sitting down to feed, breastfeeding can make you feel tired. Breastfeeding your baby uses a lot of energy – you will burn around 500-700 extra calories per day – and it can also make you dehydrated, both of which can make you feel fatigued. In addition, newborn babies feed every 1-3 hours, day and night, and wake often, which means disturbed sleep for new parents. This is at a time when you are recovering from the physical and mental demands of pregnancy and childbirth on your body.

To help combat feelings of tiredness, keep your energy levels up by eating a varied healthy diet with snacks, and stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Try to catch up on sleep when you can and if you can’t sleep, take time out to rest and relax.

Our Pregnacare Breast-feeding supplements are designed to be taken while you are breastfeeding, and provide nutrients including vitamin B12 and iron which contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, plus calcium which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

What Should You Eat While Breastfeeding?

You don't need to eat a special diet while you are breastfeeding your baby. However, it's a sensible idea to eat a healthy, balanced diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially as the nutritional requirements of breast-feeding on your body are high in the postnatal period. Not only are you providing your baby with vital vitamins and minerals, but you will also be replacing those lost from your body during pregnancy.

Find out more in our post on a healthy breastfeeding diet.

What Should You Not Eat While Breastfeeding?

The good news is that most of the food that was off limits during pregnancy – such as pate, sushi and some cheese – can be eaten when you’re breastfeeding.

Make sure you limit swordfish, marlin or shark to one portion a week (because of the high levels of mercury in them) and don’t eat more than two portions of oily fish a week – this includes fresh tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, herring and sardines.

Try to cut out caffeine when you’re breastfeeding, or limit it to 300mg a day.

Should You Drink Coffee While Breastfeeding?

If you drink coffee when breastfeeding, caffeine can reach your baby through your breast milk and as it is a stimulant, it may keep your baby awake or unsettled.

NHS advice is to have no more than 200mg of caffeine a day when breastfeeding. Remember that as well as tea and coffee, caffeine occurs naturally in foods and drinks, including chocolate. It's also added to some soft drinks and energy drinks.

This looks like the following:

• One mug of instant coffee (100mg of caffeine)
• One mug of filter coffee (140mg of caffeine)
• One cup of tea, this includes green tea, which can have the same amount of caffeine as regular tea (75mg of caffeine)
• One can of cola (40mg of caffeine)
• One can of energy drink (a 250ml can is 80mg of caffeine)
• One bar of plain dark chocolate (a 50g bar is less than 25mg of caffeine)
• One bar of plain milk chocolate (a 50g bar is less than 10mg of caffeine).

Does Breastfeeding Make You Hungry?

Breastfeeding burns around an extra 500-700 calories per day, so you may feel hungrier and thirstier during this time. Try and eat a healthy, balanced diet with lots of healthy snacks, such as flapjacks, fruit or vegetable sticks and hummus. Keep a water bottle with you and drink extra fluids throughout the day.

Can I Eat Sushi While Breastfeeding?

You can eat sushi when you are breastfeeding. However, make sure you limit any swordfish, marlin or shark to one portion a week due to the high levels of mercury and don’t eat more than two portions of oily fish a week.

Can I Eat Honey While Breastfeeding?

Yes, you can eat honey when breastfeeding. Remember that NHS advice is to not give your child honey until they're over one year old.

Can You Eat Spicy Food When Breastfeeding?

Yes, you can eat spicy food when breastfeeding. There is no need to avoid spicy food when you are nursing your baby.

Can You Eat Brie While Breastfeeding?

Yes, you can eat brie while breastfeeding.

Can You Eat Pate While Breastfeeding?

Yes, you can eat pate when breastfeeding.

For How Long Should I Be Breastfeeding?

If you choose to breastfeed your baby, it's recommended that babies should consume only breast milk for around the first six months of their lives. Once they have moved on to solid food, it is recommended that they continue to be breastfed for two years, and potentially beyond. You can carry on breastfeeding for as long as you like.

Can You Get Pregnant While Breastfeeding?

Yes, you can get pregnant while breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding can potentially act as a form of natural contraception known as the lactational amenorrhoea method (LAM) which you can read about in our guest post from charity partner Shine. When the criteria are met perfectly LAM is considered 98% effective, meaning there’s still a 2% risk of pregnancy in the best-case scenario. If you have any concerns that you will not meet all the LAM criteria, or just for peace of mind, consider using an alternative form of contraception when breastfeeding.

How Can I Involve My Partner In Breastfeeding?

There are lots of ways you can involve your partner in breastfeeding that don’t involve feeding the baby. These include looking after you and cooking you meals, fetching snacks, making sure you have everything you need and burping the baby after feeds.

If you like, you can express milk for them to occasionally give the baby a bottle (it is recommended that you wait until breastfeeding is established before you start expressing milk).

Read our post on how to help a new mum with breastfeeding for more tips and advice.

What Items Do I Need for Breastfeeding?

While you don’t need much to breastfeed, there are several items that can make you more comfortable when breastfeeding, such as breastfeeding bras, breast pads and a breastfeeding pillow. Read more in our post on breastfeeding essentials.

What Vitamins Are Good For Breastfeeding?

For new mothers a healthy, varied diet is vital, as this will help produce nutritious breast milk and maintain your own health during the postnatal period. To help safeguard your diet at what can be a busy and demanding time, our Pregnacare Breast-feeding breastfeeding vitamins contains essential vitamins and minerals including calcium which contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. Plus, 10mcg vitamin D, which is recommended by the Department of Health during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It also includes an Omega-3 capsule which provides DHA. Maternal intake of DHA contributes to the normal brain and eye development in breast-fed infants*.

If you have taken Pregnacare in pregnancy, then Pregnacare Breast-feeding is an ideal follow-on once your baby has arrived.

To find out more about the Pregnacare Breast-feeding, visit the Pregnacare page on our website.

* A beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 200mg DHA in addition to the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids for adults.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional regarding any medical condition. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in the blog and to describe best generally accepted current practices we cannot accept any liability for errors or omissions or for any consequences from application of the information given