During the first month after having my son, I became good friends with my breast pump. The engorged boobs and leaking nipples were just too much to bear! One of those days while mindlessly listening to the whizz and whir of my pump, I looked into the container filled with some white liquid that was being squeezed out of my breasts and wondered, “What’s even IN this stuff that my kid’s drinking?”
I’m assuming maybe some bits from that pizza I ate for lunch had to be in there. Oh, and hopefully that apple I had as a snack squeezed itself in there too. But how could I ensure that this white liquid I was staring at was nutritious and “good enough” for my baby?
Quality prenatal pills
First and foremost, every breastfeeding mother should be taking high quality prenatal pills even after birth if she plans on breastfeeding. You should continue to take prenatal pills until the day your baby is 100% weaned. These pills help ensure that both you and your child are receiving adequate nutrition to sustain yourselves and to support growth, repair and development.
Folic Acid
One of the key nutrients that are contained within prenatal pills which are definitely ESSENTIAL during pregnancy is folic acid. Adequate intake of folic acid greatly reduces your child’s risk of suffering from birth defects, the most common being spina bifida.
When shopping around for prenatal pills, be sure to find a pill that contains at least 400mg (though 800mg is recommended by several institutions). Also, try to get your folic acid from eating naturally folic acid-enriched foods, such as:
- Leafy green vegetables, such as kale and spinach
- Beans
- Peanuts
- Salmon
- Brown rice
- Oranges & orange juice
- Mushrooms
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are another heavy hitter on the nutrition and supplement scene. Be sure that while pregnant and breastfeeding that you are either consuming foods that are high in Omega-3’s, or are taking supplements. Some foods that contain high levels of Omega-3s are:
- Fish (Chinook salmon offering the most per 4 ounce serving)
- Olive Oil
- Beans
- Seeds and Nuts (Walnuts, flaxseeds)
Why is the Omega so important? Omega-3s support the complete development of a child’s brain, both while in utero and 2 years after birth. These fatty acids also aid in the development of a child’s nervous and immune system.
Vitamin D
Here’s another vitamin that we have been hearing a lot about lately: Vitamin D. Though referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”, Vitamin will not get you a nice tan – but you will enjoy the benefits of proper brain development in your child AND a reduced possibility of cancer for both you and baby. Yes, there are pills and drops and a number of other sources on the market that you can buy to get yourself some of that Vitamin D, but my best advice is to get out in the sun for 10 minutes a day. Take a stroll and soak up some rays! Even if it is the dead of winter, going for a walk between 10am and 3pm greatly increase your exposure to Vitamin D and allow you to reap the benefits.
This is just a short list of the essential nutrients that you need to be taking in on a daily basis while pregnant and while breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor or natural health practitioner for more information on what your specific requirements are.
