Breastfeeding Superfoods: How to Support Your Baby's Development with Ultra Nourishing Milk

Breastfeeding: often the most natural and yet complicated journey for a woman and her baby. Today, I want to talk about the quality of your breastmilk and how that can be elevated to further benefit your baby’s development. We’re going beyond lactation cookies here (although, sign me up for some of those too). Let’s take a deep dive into the production of highly nourishing breastmilk through the use of breastfeeding superfoods. 

Many of these suggestions are supported by The Weston A. Price Foundation, a not-for-profit nutrition organization that advocates for traditional foods and their scientifically proven use to support health. Below are a few of the recommendations given by WAPF to support pregnant and nursing women: 
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• Cod liver oil to supply omega 3s and Vitamin D and A, about 2-4 tsp a day (I use this brand). This is a powerhouse supplement, as the nutrients are extremely bioavailable. You don’t want to exceed 20, 000 IUs of vitamin A a day, so if you do include liver in your diet (as discussed below), you can skip cod liver oil on those days. 

• 2 eggs a day, preferably from pasture raised chickens
• 3-4 ounces of fresh liver a week. (I know… I didn’t do this one either. But maybe you're stronger than me)
• Fresh seafood several times a week, like wild salmon, shellfish and fish eggs
• Regular servings of fresh beef or lamb, served with the fat 

• Coconut oil, either used in cooking or added to smoothies
• Soaked or sprouted whole grains and nuts and seeds

“These recommendations are scientifically geared to nourish a nursing mother with all of the minerals, enzymes, immune factors, vitamins, antioxidants and fat soluble activators she needs for herself and her baby,” (Super Nutrition for Babies, 2018).

Nursing my first baby, Ayla, in our apartment while living in Valencia, Spain. Have you checked out my baby travel blogs?

Related: The Journey of Starting Solids

Related: Finding Health Through Pregnancy #2

​But wait… there’s more!

There should be specific attention paid to the amount and kinds of fats in your diet, particularly when breastfeeding. Breastmilk is made up of mostly saturated fats and cholesterol. Much of baby's brain tissue is also composed of fat and to support optimal brain development, adequate fat is required in mom’s diet. Focus on incorporating a variety of fats, like grass-fed butter, eggs, cheese and meat from pasture-raised animals (when/if available to you). Medium chain triglycerides in the form of coconut oil or coconut milk feed probiotics and support thyroid health. And then, of course, clasic fat sources like oily fish, nuts and seeds will also provide you with those essential fatty acids. 

Avoid consuming too many highly processed fats, like seed and vegetable oils. Outdated messaging can still be heard circulating, for some reason, leading some people to believe that these oils are not only ok to consume, but good for you. That is far from the truth. They are extremely inflammatory and can be a source of disease-causing free radicals. Look for oils that are cold-pressed and unrefined. Great examples of these are coconut, avocado and olive oil. 

Now let’s talk carbohydrates. It probably isn’t surprising to know that you should be eating a variety of green vegetables, fruits, sprouted grains and some high quality starches. They are full of nutrients and fibre and don’t cause a dramatic spike in blood sugar. When talking fibre, look for some good resistant starch sources, like cooked and cooled potatoes and green bananas. Beans and legumes are another good source, but ensure they are properly soaked and cooked to remove any lectin. Resistant starches resist being digested, but feed our good gut bacteria. 

​Of course, the diet described above is the ideal scenario, but we can’t always get those foods in, even though we know they’re important, because…. life. To offset this, you can of course use supplements to fill in any gaps. I want to preface this list by saying that you should always work with your personal healthcare team before starting any supplement regime to make sure they are right for you. That said, here is a list of supplements you may wish to explore to optimize your breast milk production and overall health as a nursing mama:

• Multivitamin: if you are still working on incorporating the foods listed, you may want to consider taking a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin. Look for a 100% food-based vitamin and mineral support or “a high quality synthetic supplement containing activated vitamins like 5-MTHF, such as Seeking Health or Vital Nutrients Prenatal,” (Super Nutrition for Babies, 2018).​

• Cod Liver Oil: you want to make sure whatever brand you choose has been tested for purity. When you combine this with K2, you can’t be stopped!
• K2: I like to take a Vitamin D supplement that includes K2 right in the formula. They work well as a pair.
• Probiotics: You will need to work with a professional to determine the dose that is right for you, since everyone’s bacterial makeup is different. Look for shelf stable. 
• Vitamin D3: You will likely benefit from a higher dose of D3 than the average person, especially if you live in a colder climate. 
• Folate: Pregnancy probably has you used to taking this daily anyway. Remember that folate is vitamin B9 when found in food, but folic acid is the synthetic form of this nutrient. Folate is important for our biochemical pathways and detoxification capabilities. 

And there you have it! The ideal foods to incorporate into your diet when breastfeeding. Being a mom is hard, and at the end of the day, we’re all just doing the best we can. So if this doesn’t seem doable to you, if you’re just not there yet, I encourage you to pick one or two items that you could see yourself incorporating into your daily life and start there! Small changes can go a long way when it comes to the long-term health of you and your baby.