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Breastfeeding Basics
Here are some breastfeeding basics that you may find helpful. Talk to your
baby’s doctor, nurse or your lactation specialist if you have other questions.
Mother’s Diet

No special foods or diets are needed for breastfeeding. Some helpful tips:
• Choose a variety of healthy foods for your meals and snacks each day.
Eating healthy will help you and your baby feel well.
• Eat 4-5 servings of dairy products each day. A calcium supplement can
help you get enough calcium.
• Drink water or fruit juices when you are thirsty.
• Take your prenatal vitamins as directed by your doctor.
• Limit caffeine and artificial sweeteners in your diet. Caffeine is in
chocolate, coffee and tea. Artificial sweeteners are in diet soft drinks and
in some low calorie or diet foods.
• Avoid drinking alcohol. Alcohol takes about 2-3 hours per serving to
leave breast milk.
• It takes about 4-6 hours for the foods you eat to show up in your breast
milk. If you have a family history of an allergy or your baby seems fussy
after you eat a certain food, avoid that food and see if your baby feels
better. Some babies have a hard time when a mother eats dairy products
or vegetables such as broccoli, beans, onions or peppers. If the problem
persists, talk to your doctor.
• Avoid weight loss diets. To lose weight, walk more and limit high calorie
foods.
Getting Started

During pregnancy, your body makes milk called colostrum. When you have
your baby, your body begins to make breast milk. Your milk supply will
depend on how much milk and how often your baby takes from the breast.
The more milk your baby takes, the more milk your breasts will make.

The nurses will help you and your baby learn how to breastfeed. Relax and
give yourself time to learn.