With rare exceptions, nursing mothers can eat pretty much anything they want to eat – including chocolate, broccoli, pizza, and caffeine – in moderation.  You may have heard that eating “gassy” foods like beans will give your baby gas. This is simply not true. Gas is produced when bacteria in the intestine interacts with intestinal fiber, and neither gas or fiber can pass into your breast milk. 

It is possible for certain foods (especially cow’s milk) to pass into your milk and affect your baby, but it is highly uncommon.  A mother with a history of allergies is more likely to have a baby with food sensitivities.  It takes 4-6 hours for a food you eat to enter your breast milk, and can take 1-2 weeks to be completely eliminated (this is especially true of dairy products).  If your baby has rashes, wheezes, or is extremely gassy or fussy, and you suspect a food allergy, try reducing your intake of dairy products, especially whole milk, as the protein in cow’s milk passes into your milk and is difficult for some highly sensitive babies to digest.

The guide to how much fluid to drink while nursing is to “drink to thirst”.  There is no evidence to show that forcing fluids will increase your milk supply. As long as your urine is pale and you aren’t constipated, you’re probably drinking enough.

If you are anemic, don’t worry that your milk won’t have enough iron for your baby. You will need to take iron supplements to make you feel better, but your milk will have the right amount of iron in it regardless of your iron levels or your diet. 

Most women will find that they lose 2-4 pounds a month without even trying for as long as they are exclusively breastfeeding (4-6 months).  Your body will use up between 200-500 calories each day creating milk, so nursing moms tend to lose more weight than formula feeding moms who take in fewer calories.  Expect to keep an extra pound or two in breast tissue weight for as long as you are nursing.

If you want to lose weight (and most new mothers  do!) plan to do it slowly.  Losing weight too quickly (more than 1 ½ lbs per week) has been associated with the release of environmental contaminants stored in body fat into the milk. Wait until your baby is 6 weeks old before trying to lose weight. During this time, your body needs to recover from childbirth and establish a good milk supply.

When you are ready to begin losing weight, try to increase your activity level and eat less fat and sugar and more fruits and vegetables.  Try to take in at least 1,800 calories each day, and definitely no less than 1,500. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins. Avoid crash diets, liquid diets, and weight loss medications. Even moderate dieting during lactation can help you lose 4-5 pounds each month, but don’t expect to lose body fat until at least 2 weeks after your baby is born.  The weight you lose immediately after birth is usually fluid loss. 

Mothers who nurse frequently tend to lose more weight than those who nurse less often, and mothers who nurse for shorter periods of time lose less than mothers who nurse longer.  Individual factors like metabolism, activity level, and the amount of body fat stores you start out with all play a part in post-partum weight loss as well.

You can begin a moderate exercise program as soon as you feel up for it.  Exercise helps you lose weight more quickly, is a great stress reliever, and has little or no effect on milk production.  Finding time to exercise is often a challenge for new mothers, so try walking with your baby in a stroller or sling.  Plan to exercise after nursing so your breasts won’t be full and uncomfortable.  Wear a supportive sports bra.  Drink a glass of water immediately before and after exercising, especially in hot weather.  Rinse off your breasts before nursing – some babies don’t like the salty taste.