Carrying that little bundle of joy in our own two arms is probably one of the most fulfilling and rewarding stages one woman can have once she enters the life of motherhood. For some women, there is nothing more fulfilling than creating life and bringing a baby into the world. As much as possible, we want to take care of our babies and provide them with the best quality of life we can.

However, this crucial stage of motherhood can also be a stressful experience for many women. We suddenly feel so lost and we don’t know what to do, how to take care of our baby? We all know that the first thing we need to assure is our baby’s health and well-being, especially since infants are fragile and delicate. We want to breastfeed our babies to assure that they’re getting all the nutrients they need and boost their immune system that will help them grow stronger. How can we determine that we’re eating the right food to lactate? Here are the best (and healthy) foods to eat as a nursing mother.

Salmon

Incorporate grilled or baked salmon in your meal to increase the fatty acid in your milk.

We all know that there’s no perfect food in this world. However, salmon is often considered the closest to the perfect food when it comes to nursing moms. Why? It’s because salmon is a nutritional powerhouse fish. This fish is loaded with healthy fats we call DHA, which is deemed to be a crucial nutrient to develop your baby’s nervous system. We already know that breast milk contains DHA by default, but increasing the levels of DHA by incorporating salmon in your diet will help your baby grow and develop faster, making his bones and muscles stronger as the days go by. Aside from that, the DHA in salmon can also help alleviate your mood swings, which can help prevent you from developing a postpartum depression.

Dairy Products

Milk is the main source of calcium which can help your baby’s bones grow stronger and healthier.

It’s no-brainer that dairy products are a vital part of your diet and the baby’s health. Even if your baby is already drinking breast milk (which is considered as the best milk), as a mother, you still need to drink milk to boost your health. Remember that you’re not only feeding yourself but your baby too. That’s why you need to level up your nutrient intake. Milk is loaded with vitamin D, protein, and B vitamins which can help boost your baby’s immune system. Last but definitely not the least; milk is the number one source of calcium, which is crucial for your baby’s bone growth.

Lean Beef

As a nursing mom, putting up with your baby’s demands can be an exhausting process. Not only you need to breastfeed him or her, but waking up every now and then can drain your energy levels. Eating lean beef can help boost your energy levels because it’s loaded with iron, protein, and vitamin B-12.

Legumes

If you can’t eat lean beef or any meat at all due to some diet restrictions or preferences (e.g. vegetarians), then eating legumes is the best substitute for you. Legumes are also packed with iron-rich beans, protein, and vitamins. Even if it’s not an animal protein, it can help sustain your body the iron it needs to perform and function well.

Blueberries

You can also blend blueberry to a smoothie to have a healthy drink for your baby

As a nursing mom, it’s crucial to take your diet into consideration. It’s important to up your fiber intake to allow proper digestion of foods in your tummy so that the nutrients can be transported and distributed evenly on your body parts. Eating blueberries can help you with keeping your fiber and carbohydrate intake. Blueberries are filled with vitamins and minerals which can help soothe your body. The natural sugars we can get from fruits can also help in producing the endorphin hormones while lowering your cortisol levels, easing your stress away in the process. We also recommend that you don’t only limit your fruit consumption with blueberries. Eat other fruits like oranges, apples, watermelon, mangoes, tangerines, and so on, to mix up your diet.     

Brown Rice

Brown rice is a healthier option to up your carbohydrates than white rice

You might frown upon this suggestion, especially since you’ve given birth, you’ll be inspired to lose your baby weight as fast as possible. However, we suggest you don’t do that yet. Why? It’s because cutting down your carbs is detrimental to your baby’s health. Losing weight quickly can lead to less production of milk which is bad for your baby. Aside from that, it’ll leave you feeling sluggish and tired too. We recommend you to mix whole grain like brown rice to your diet to keep your energy levels up, without worrying about gaining more weight.

Eggs

Eggs are a powerful and versatile superfood with a plethora of nutrients and vitamins to get. It’s an easy way to up your protein intake. You can just cook a hard-boiled egg, sunny-side up, scrambled egg, or an omelet or salad for dinner. To make things healthier, we recommend you to buy the DHA-fortified eggs which help boost the fatty acid in your milk.