Intuitive eating & lactation: how much do I need to eat or drink to make milk?
by Feed Your Zest intern Natalie Ostrowski, MPH
For any pregnant person, the transition into the postpartum period can bring up a multitude of emotions. Confusion is often one of them, as new parents navigate life with a new baby, and if they have so chosen, the initiation of breastfeeding/lactation. Just like pregnancy, this journey into lactation and breastfeeding brings up many questions about how to do things the “right” way. One of the most common questions around nutrition and lactation that comes up is:
How much do I need to eat or drink to support my milk production?
Our answer may make you feel uncomfortable if you are used to having specific rules and guidelines. This is because, the truth is, it depends. One thing is for sure—you need to be eating enough food and drinking enough fluids to meet your needs, and to be doing so consistently. However, everybody is different. This means it will look different for everyone, and this is why we suggest incorporating the principles of intuitive eating.
Intuitive eating is another name for letting your body be the guide in determining what and how much you eat. As a new, lactating parent, this means that there is no specific measured amount of food that you need to include to support milk production. Yes, there are observed average calorie increases needed for the process of lactation, but counting calories can be triggering, and may actually be more harmful than helpful. There are other ways!
Additionally, while it feels pretty safe to say that you will need more food and will be hungrier while breastfeeding, the question remains--more food and hungrier compared to what? Different bodies simply have different energy needs. In this way, “normal” intake is subjective. For example, if you are very active one day, you probably will need to eat more than you did on a day when you were not as active to feel full and satisfied. These amounts might still be completely different from someone else on their restful day vs active day. You both would likely receive the exact same goal of additional calories for breastfeeding. See how inexact that is? Diversity in bodies and needs simply aren't taken into account. This is why an intuitive approach can be the best way to ensure that you are meeting your needs.
The principles of intuitive eating support exactly this process rather than relying on a caloric goal or rigid rules. They support a relationship with food wherein you allow your body to tell you when you are hungry and full. Following this hunger (*along with effective breastfeeding practices) will enable you to obtain the needed amount of energy to nourish yourself and successfully produce milk.
Intuitive eating may sound much more esoteric than it really is, but really, it just means eating in accordance with your internal cues rather than external diet rules or beliefs. For example, the concept of responsive feeding for infants and children is essentially based on the principles of intuitive eating. The practice of responsive feeding supports feeding babies when they show hunger cues rather than based on a timed schedule. The point is that babies know when they are hungry because it's uncomfortable, and they will let you know. This whole process is naturally intuitive for them. This is exactly what you are doing as an adult intuitive eater—observing and responding to your own hunger cues.
In a society with ubiquitous fad diets, food rules, and a general pressure to change one’s body after pregnancy, this can be very hard to do. In fact, the thought of eating intuitively may be really scary, especially if you have been eating within certain food rules or diets for years. There is often a big jumble of emotions, thoughts, and discomfort that come up as you readjust to trusting your body. This is why support is so important as you make this transition back to eating intuitively. This is exactly what McKenzie works on with clients in 1:1 sessions. You won’t need help forever, but guidance in the beginning is so helpful for taking the first steps.
TLDR; There are no diets, rigid restrictions, or exceptions that need to be made during the postpartum/lactation period to successfully make milk. More important is eating enough for your body on a consistent basis--and eating intuitively can help you get there.
*Milk production during lactation relies on not only the lactating person and their nourishment, but feeding practices, latch, etc. To ensure you are achieving an effective latch and optimal milk production seek out the help of a trained lactation consultant in your area. See here or here for help in finding an LC near you.
My new program Fully Nourished Pregnancy walks through how to apply intuitive eating in your pregnancy, plus tons of evidence-based nutrition info on topics ranging from prenatal vitamins, to food safety, to what foods to add in, all with a community component as well including an exclusive Facebook group and live Zoom sessions with yours truly!
I am so pumped to have you join. Click here for more info!