Baby's Nutrition & Breastfeeding

"Greetings! My name is Asma Hanif. I am a certified nurse midwife with a private practice in Baltimore, Maryland and on behalf of Expert Village, this segment is on nutrition and breast-feeding. A normal healthy diet is all you need while you are nursing. Experts use to recommend that nursing moms need an extra 400 to 500 calories a day, but new research shows that you do not need that great calorie boost. You will want to maintain a well balanced diet for your own health, but you do not need to follow complicated dietary rules to successfully nourish your baby. If you are eating a balanced diet, you should not have to deny yourself the foods you like. However, if you notice that your baby reacts badly after you have eaten something, it may be best to leave that food out of your diet for a few days, then try again to see if you get the same reaction; so ladies candy has to go. Some women find that they can eat whatever they like while breast feeding. While it is true that some strongly flavored foods may change the taste of your milk, most babies seem to enjoy a variety of breast milk flavors, but occasionally your baby may be fussy at the breast after you eat a particular food. If you notice the pattern simply avoid that food. The most common offenders include chocolate, spices, cinnamon, garlic, chilly, peppers and citrus fruits, and there are juices like orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit. On behalf of Expert Village, thank you for listening."