7 Best Breastfeeding Snacks of 2021

Benefits of breastfeeding snacks

Every mom will truly agree that breastfeeding can be quite starving. Some moms may experience a surge of appetite or may feel hungry most of the time. Having to snack on nutritious foods while breastfeeding is a great help for you and your baby.

Breastfeeding snacks not only help you stay full but also help in improving your milk production and milk quality. Breast milk provides the nutrients to your baby from you to supply your baby’s needs. Consequently, your needs for most nutrients must be increased to meet this demand. That is why you need to eat healthy foods and snacks during your breastfeeding journey.  Eating healthy will also give you the energy and good health for you to take care of your baby.

Being able to munch on healthy breastfeeding snacks will help you keep going throughout the day. At the same time, providing essential nutrition for your precious little ones.

What makes a good breastfeeding snack?

An effective and good breastfeeding snack should be quick and easy to prepare. We know how mothers rush all the time. So, these recipes should never take too much of your time and energy. To maintain and sustain mommy’s energy, the snacks should be a combination of carbohydrates and protein. These two are ideally combined to avoid unwanted blood sugar spikes.

It will also be awesome if your breastfeeding snacks will contain galactagogues. With these galactagogues, you will be able to increase and boost your milk supply even more! Ideally, breastfeeding moms should be eating organic and unprocessed foods so that babies will also stay healthy and free from artificial ingredients. A good breastfeeding snack should also be low-calorie, especially for moms who are fond of snacking late at night.

Being nutrient-dense is a very important thing when it comes to breastfeeding snacks. Mothers should choose nutritious ingredients such as fruits and vegetables and incorporate it to different recipes. An awesome breastfeeding snack should also be exciting and comes in different varieties. Just because you need to healthy, doesn’t mean that you only get to eat boring foods. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your favorite healthy ingredients and come up with a fantastic breastfeeding snack.

Great foods to include

Oats

Oats and oatmeal are a good source of iron. They can help moms who have developed maternal anemia to boost their iron levels. Since it is known that anemia can decrease milk supply, oats can help you get away with that. Oatmeal is also a comfort food for many women. Any food that increases relaxation for mothers can encourage let-down as well, and hence improve milk supply.

Starchy carbohydrates

When you’re breastfeeding you tend to produce more energy than the usual. Also, it can be very tiring and draining. So make sure you include starchy carbs in your recipes to keep energy levels at peak. When choosing rice, pasta, or bread, go for wholemeal versions as they are a lot healthier for you. Potatoes are good too!

Fresh Fruits

Nothing can beat fresh fruits when it comes to providing nutrition. Bananas are the best on-the-go fruits snacks as they just need peeling and you can eat them straight away. Some of the best fruits to snack on while breastfeeding includes: unripe papaya, avocados, strawberries and other berries, cantaloupe, and apricots.

Vegetables

Of course, vegetables should also be present! You can munch on chopped carrots or sliced tomatoes to keep you going. Sliced cucumber and lettuce are great since they have high water content for additional hydration while breastfeeding. You can also treat yourself with malunggay soup to fill you up.

Protein-rich Food

These are really important since lactating women need twice as much protein as non-pregnant or non-lactating women. Protein is an important component of breast milk that’s why healthy consumption of protein is helpful in maximizing milk supply. Eating a variety of high-protein foods can help lactating women meet their protein needs. Lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy and dairy products, nuts and seeds are rich sources of dietary protein. Although some mothers should be extra careful when consuming nuts, eggs, and dairy products since these are also allergens. Hard-boiled eggs are ideal go-to snacks because they are healthy, high in protein and so easy to prepare.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruits are rich in iron and essential nutrients. That is why they are great snacks to have when breastfeeding. Raisins, prunes, dried papayas are great but you also need to stay away from those dried foods that are made with artificial preservatives.

Fluids

Drinking plenty of fluids and staying hydrated is extremely important when you are breastfeeding. As you are, of course, giving up plenty of fluids each time you feed your little ones. It is ideal that you constantly have a drink prepared for you when you are breastfeeding. Water is the best choice of course. You can also drink milk, unsweetened juices, or lactation teas and drink mixes for added options.

Food and drinks to avoid

If you are eating healthy and generally love healthy foods, then you can enjoy your favorite dishes during breastfeeding. However, there are certain food and drinks that you usually take during normal days but ideally should avoid when breastfeeding.

Alcohol

Alcohol does not increase milk production and has been shown to inhibit let-down and decrease milk production.  So, we see no reason for alcohol intake during breastfeeding. But for those mothers who really need to take alcohol in their system – the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Breastfeeding notes: “ingestion of alcoholic beverages should be minimized and limited to an occasional intake but no more than 0.5 g alcohol per kg body weight. Which for a 60 kg mother is approximately 2 oz. liquor or 8 oz. wine. Nursing should take place 2 hours or longer after the alcohol intake to minimize its concentration in the ingested milk.”

Coffee

Although there is no evidence that caffeine can reduce milk supply, it can still have an effect on babies. Caffeine can get into breast milk and accumulate in your baby’s system, which may interfere with his sleep and cause irritability. Most breastfeeding mothers can drink caffeine in moderation, 1 -2 cups a day. Some babies, particularly those under 6 months, may be more sensitive to mom’s caffeine intake. Better yet, moms may find beverages that are caffeine free or decaf.

Some Fishes

Some fishes are ideally avoided by lactating moms due to the risk of too high mercury levels. These fishes include shark, swordfish, mackerel, and albacore tuna. These are longer-lived, larger fish that feed on other fish and are thus more likely to accumulate higher levels of mercury. It is also recommended that consumption of fishes should not be more than 12 ounces a week.

Common allergens

These allergens include dairy, peanuts, eggs and other seafood. Consult your doctor if there is a need to exclude these foods from your diet.