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Have you heard a mother say “I’m trying to eat ‘healthy calories’ to help my breastmilk be the best it can be for baby’?” Does what a mother eat affect the quality of breastmilk her body produces for her baby? Do “healthy calories” really make a difference in the quality of breastmilk? In this article, we will look at “healthy calories” and breastmilk quality. You will learn if what you put in your mouth, good or bad, really impacts the quality of breastmilk. Also, we will consider calories (both “healthy” and “bad”) in relation to breastmilk supply.
What are “Healthy Calories”?
When I first heard a mother say “healthy calories” I was really confused. A calorie is a measurement of energy. How many calories a food item contains is really a measurement of how much energy you will be getting from eating it.
After a minute, I realized what this mother was talking about was her diet. She wanted to eat more healthy food options to help boost the quality of her milk for her baby. So are there “bad” calories and “healthy” calories? In a sense, yes. “Healthy calories” are simply foods that are healthy for you like vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and fruits. In the same way, “bad” calories are simply unhealthy food options. For example, deep fried foods, surgery foods, or foods high in saturated fat would be considered “bad/unhealthy” calories.
If the phrase “healthy calories” is a little confusing to you, a better way to think of it might be a “healthy source of calories” and an “unhealthy source of calories”. Calories are calories no matter where they come from. The source of them, however, is what makes the difference.
Calories And Breastmilk
A breastfeeding mother who wants to eat healthy for her baby is doing a great thing. However, there is something regarding calories and breastmilk that every breastfeeding mother needs to be aware of!
Your body is burning calories in order to make breastmilk for your baby. Remember, a calorie is a unit of energy. Your body is burning energy in order to make your breastmilk! So what happens if you eat lots of “healthy calories”? Notably, vegetables do not contain a lot of calories. If you start filling up on vegetables during a time when your body needs MORE energy than usual, guess what? Your body will struggle to make breastmilk for your baby!
A breastfeeding mother needs to eat an extra 400 calories per day for her body to make breastmilk for her baby! That is in addition to the recommended 2,000 daily calorie intake. So a breastfeeding mother needs a grand total of 2,400 calories per day!
A breastfeeding mother needs to eat an extra 400 calories per day for her body to make breastmilk for her baby!
If you’re trying to eat more healthy options while breastfeeding, that’s great! However, it would be hard to get an extra 400 calories if you’re focused on eating more veggies and fruits alone! Just be sure you’re not depleting your caloric intake during time when you need to boost your caloric intake!
Healthy Calories And The Quality Of Breastmilk
Ok, so now we get to the real question. Does what a mother eats really impact the quality of breastmilk her body makes for her baby? If a mother eats a diet high in vegetables, lean meats, healthy fats, fruits and a bit of dark chocolate, is her milk really healthier than that of an unhealthy diet?
According To La Leche League
When I write articles, create courses, or give mothers any type of health education, I always like to back it up by credible sources. However, I could not find a lot of credible sources discussing this specific topic of the quality (not quantity) of breastmilk in relation to a mother’s diet. I did my best here for you.
So here we go. La Leche League is a well known and widely trusted organization giving support to breastfeeding mothers. I was reading their article “Breastfeeding and A Mother’s Diet: Myths and Facts”. According to their article, they say it is a myth.
In their opinion, it is a myth that if a mother eats a poor diet, her breastmilk quality will be poor for the baby. They say this is false because breastmilk always contains antibodies, good bacteria, stem cells, and immunity-boosting properties that are taken from the mother’s body.
So whether a mother eats “healthy” or “unhealthy” calories, her breastmilk will always contain these elements for the baby’s health.
According To Personal Testimonies From Breastfeeding Mothers
Since I could not find a lot of credible sources on this topic of diet and the quality of breastmilk, I decided to survey a group of breastfeeding mothers. I asked them if they noticed a difference in how creamy their breastmilk was on the day and the day after eating something high in fat, such as chocolate, cheese, or greasy foods.
Here’s what they said.
“Avocados seem to work for me otherwise I haven’t seen a difference with fatty foods.”
—Courtney
“That’s most of my diet and my milk is still mostly watery.”
—– Ashleigh
Something else those mothers noted was that if you completely empty your breast and get all the hind milk out, which is the fatty, creamy milk, it may make your milk appear more creamy. For example, if you pump for 5 minutes one session and then for 15 the next on the same side, your milk may appear to be much creamier after the second session than the first. This is simply because of getting more hind milk out.
My Personal Experience
They say that if you eat more fat (such as found in chocolate and avocados), it should not change how fatty your milk is for your baby. However, science sometimes is beat by personal experiences and testimonies.
In the survey I took above, 98% of the women said they did not notice their milk being more creamy for their baby after eating foods higher in fat. However 2% said they did! That means that for a small percentage of breastfeeding mothers, it could be possible that if you eat foods higher in fat, it affects your breastmilk. Now, there are some variables that could impact their interpretation of how fatty their milk truly is, like pumping for longer and getting more hind-milk out, like we discussed above.
Personally, I have experienced my milk being more creamy after eating chocolate. I do not like avocados that much, so I can’t speak for those foods. On the days following when I would eat chocolate, there was a noticeable difference for me in my milk.
Additionally, I was prone to engorgement. After eating chocolate, it was so easy for me to become engorged! I decided to not eat chocolate for a few days and do you know what? I wasn’t nearly as engorged on the days following! It was easier for me to pump my milk out and express my milk!
So I’m not sure how to explain what studies are saying when I’m experiencing something completely opposite! All I can say is here are the facts for you. This is what research is saying. Here are what mothers are saying. There’s a few percentage of us who experience creamier milk after eating chocolate or avocados. I guess you’ll have to decide for yourself if eating fattier foods impacts the richness of your milk or not.
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A Word On “Unhealthy” Calories
Don’t be afraid of fatty food (or food high in calories) while breastfeeding. If you struggle to eat more calories while breastfeeding, give yourself permission to enjoy some cheeses, foods with oils, and desserts! They are great sources of high calorie foods and may help your body have enough energy to continue to make breastmilk for your lovely baby.
On the same note, still take care of your body with eating healthy foods. You need the nutrition, and it won’t hurt baby or your breastmilk either. Take care of yourself, Mama. Just be sure to watch your caloric intake. Be sure you are eating enough! Also, give yourself permission to enjoy an “unhealthy calorie source” at times!
Leave a Comment Below!
How about you? Whether you eat healthy foods or fatty foods, do you think it impacts your breastmilk? If you eat chocolate, avocados or nuts, which are high in healthy fats, does it seem to make your breastmilk creamier?
What else did you learn from this article? If something stood out to you, make it known in the comments below! We would love to hear from you!
Want To Know More?
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out my other articles related to nutrition and breastfeeding below!
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Please assume that every single link on https://www.motherhoodbabyandme.com is an affiliate link, and that if you click on it and buy something, I’ll possibly make a small commission from it, at no additional cost to you.
