Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Health and wellbeing
  3. Living well
  4. Birth to five
  5. After the birth of your child
  6. Feeding your baby

Healthy eating for breastfeeding

Breastfeeding provides the best start for your baby and has many health benefits for you as well. You’re not only giving your baby all the nourishment they need for the first six months of life, you are also giving your baby protection from a variety of infections and illnesses.

Covid-19 guidance for pregnant women and information on what is happening in their regional unit can be found on NI Maternity

Why a healthy diet is important when breastfeeding

The benefits of breastfeeding include giving your baby protection from infections and illnesses, such as gastroenteritis, stomach, ear, chest and kidney infections, as well as allergies.

You benefit too by reducing your risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers and osteoporosis. That’s why it’s important to eat a healthy, balanced diet when you are breastfeeding,

You may feel a bit more hungry and thirsty while breastfeeding. This is common, so make sure you eat lots of healthy snacks and drink extra fluids throughout the day.

Diet does not have a big effect on the amount or quality of your milk. However, it is important to look after yourself to make sure that you stay healthy.

In order to maintain a good milk supply, it’s important that you feed your baby often and that your baby is well attached to your breast. The number of feeds each day can vary a lot but could be around eight to 12 feeds in a 24 hour period. If you’re not sure if your baby is well attached to your breast, ask your midwife or health visitor to check.

What you should eat

Healthy eating during breastfeeding is exactly the same as at any other time. You will need to eat around 500 calories extra each day, but you can easily achieve this by having one or two extra healthy snacks throughout the day.

While breastfeeding, calcium requirements increase significantly, so aim for five to six servings a day to meet the extra demands (1 serving = a glass of milk or pot of yogurt or 25g/1oz of cheese). Milk in sauces, puddings and milky drinks are great ways of getting enough calcium. Lower fat varieties such as semi-skimmed milk, half fat cheddar and low fat yogurts all contain as much calcium as the whole milk alternatives.

Snacking

Whenever you are breastfeeding, you will need an extra 500 calories a day, which you can easily get from one or two extra healthy snacks. See the healthy eating in pregnancy page for a list of healthy snack suggestions.

  • Healthy eating in pregnancy

Important vitamins and minerals

Iron

During breastfeeding, iron requirements do not increase, so eating iron rich foods will usually be enough to provide all the iron you need. If you have suffered from iron deficiency anaemia throughout pregnancy, a supplement may be advisable. Speak to your GP or midwife if you are concerned.

Vitamin C

It is recommended that extra vitamin C is taken during breastfeeding. The extra amount will be provided by an orange or a small glass of orange juice. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, blackcurrants and potatoes are important sources of vitamin C. Try to eat some of these foods every day.

Vitamin A

During breastfeeding, requirements for vitamin A increase. However, most people get all the vitamin A they need by eating a varied, balanced diet. Vitamin A deficiency is rare and supplementation is generally not needed.

Vitamin D

During breastfeeding, vitamin D is important for bone development. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to a condition known as rickets in children. Only a few foods, such as margarine, breakfast cereals and oily fish contain vitamin D, although one of the best ways to get vitamin D is by exposing the skin to sunlight.

Women are recommended to take a 10 milligram supplement of vitamin D each day during breastfeeding. If you receive Income Support or Job Seekers Allowance, you are entitled to free vitamins A, C and D supplements from maternity and child health clinics.

Foods to avoid

While it’s true that some strongly flavoured foods may change the taste of your milk, most babies seem to enjoy a variety of breast milk flavours. Don’t omit foods without speaking to your doctor or midwife, as avoiding certain foods may mean you are not getting all the nutrients you need.

Small amounts of alcohol and caffeine pass into breast milk, so try to limit the amount of tea, coffee and caffeinated soft drinks and alcohol you consume. Caffeine and alcohol may affect your baby’s sleeping, feeding and digestion.

Allergies

If you would like to eat peanuts or foods containing peanuts (such as peanut butter) when breastfeeding, you can choose to do so as part of a healthy balanced diet, unless you are allergic to them or your health professional advises you not to.

More information on breastfeeding

For more information on breastfeeding or breastfeeding issues, visit www.breastfedbabies.org.

A comprehensive booklet, 'Off to a good start: all you need to know about breastfeeding your baby', has been made for mothers in Northern Ireland. It is distributed to women at their antenatal visits.

More useful links

  • Healthy eating
  • Breastfeeding
  • Breastfeeding and going back to work
  • Common problems when breastfeeding
  • Bottle feeding your baby
  • Alcohol and smoking in pregnancy
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Feeding your baby

  • Bottle feeding your baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Breastfeeding and going back to work
  • Common problems when breastfeeding your baby
  • Feeding your baby (aged nine months to a year)
  • Healthy eating for breastfeeding
  • Problems with eating and food allergies in children
  • Taking medication while breastfeeding
  • Weaning your baby

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS