Best Snacks For Breastfeeding
As a doula, one of the most important topics I talk to expecting parents about while helping them prepare for their postpartum period is snacks. That’s right snacks. I promise, when you bring your sweet little baby home from the hospital you will be so tired, that once your little one is sleeping your entire life will come down to three things: eat, shower, or sleep. And spoiler alert, sleep usually wins. So how do you maintain enough of a calorie intake to nourish your healing body and establish a milk supply for your baby? Snacks yo!
In this post, I want to focus particularly on snacks for while you are nursing. You spend a considerable amount of time breastfeeding (if you have chosen to breastfeed). So let’s talk about the best way to nourish you while you nourish your little one.
Eat when baby eats!
1) New moms often hear the advice “sleep when baby sleeps”. But let’s be honest, that is simply not realistic. The majority of the time that baby is awake they are breastfeeding. That makes it impossible for you to get anything done. Once your newborn falls asleep you can do whatever it is you need to do to take care of both yourself and the rest of your family… and also catch up on sleep. Your time as a new mom is valuable. So my best advice for new moms is, eat when baby eats.
2) The one thing I hear most new moms tell me at our postpartum visit is “I am not really hungry”. I get it. I really do! You are tired. Your hormones are shifting and changing. Your body is changing at a rapid rate. You suddenly have WAY more space for your stomach, and the added pressure your baby was putting on it is now removed. All of these things combined change your hunger cues and your appetite. Try and remember that even when you don’t feel hungry, you still need fuel to heal your body and maintain your milk supply.
3) Let your partner help! Most partners tell me “I feel so helpless, I know my wife is tired, but I can’t feed our baby. How can I be more helpful?” My advice is always this: Let your wife feed your baby and you feed her. Every time she sits down to nurse, make sure she has a drink nearby and something to eat. If you are fortunate enough to have your partner at home with you during your postpartum period, let them help. Not only will this foster your feelings of love, connection, and teamwork as a couple, it is the perfect way for a new dad to support their breastfeeding baby.
4) When you don’t have a partner at home after your birth, take steps to set yourself up for success. One way to “eat when baby eats” is to have easy pre-made meals in the freezer or refrigerator ready to pop in the microwave or grab-and-go, just before it is time to nurse your newborn. The best options are foods that can be held with one hand and are high in protein to give you a steady source of fuel.
5) Become the queen of snacks! My favorite trick to eating when baby eats is to have a snack caddy. Having a basket of items that you will need while nursing that is portable and can be carried to each of your favorite nursing spots throughout the house is a great way to better enjoy your breastfeeding breaks. Add a snack caddy and level up! I recommend adding a variety of at least three different types of snacks to your caddy that you can graze on while you feed your baby.
What foods are best while breastfeeding?
Foods that are best for you while you are breastfeeding must be quick, convenient, tasty, packed with good nutrients, portable, and one-hand-eating friendly. I will break this down into two sections. Pre-made refrigerator and freezer meals/snacks, and snack caddy options.
Pre-made fridge and freezer meals/snacks: My favorite perishable breastfeeding snacks are homemade breakfast or veggie burritos, egg white bites, and muffins that you can make ahead and store in the freezer. These can be made a week in advance to offer some variety throughout the week, or they can even be made before you deliver so that they are ready and available for when you get home from the hospital. Refrigerator snacks that I love for breastfeeding are sandwiches and wraps that can be made the night before, or easy grab and go containers of yogurt with granola, fresh fruit with cheese, hummus with cut veggies, guacamole with chips, or anything that is super easy to grab-and-go. Pro-tip: pre-cut fruit and veggie trays are a great gift to bring new moms when you come to visit!
“…pre-cut fruit and veggie trays are a great gift to bring new moms when you come to visit!”
Snack caddy options: If you are anything like me, then boredom is the number one problem when it comes to snack choices. If I sit down and look over my snack caddy and see the same thing over and over, I will simply not bother to eat it. So tip number one is to only fill your caddy with enough snacks to last a couple of days at the most, that way you can be sure to have some variety. I personally like to balance healthy options with a few “junk food” options, because seriously people, life should be enjoyed 😉. Some great options are energy bites (homemade or store-bought), bars (protein, granola, or candy), something crunchy or salty (veggie straws, banana chips, dried chickpeas, jerky, or trail mix), something sweet (fig bars, dried fruits, nut butter with pretzels, or fresh fruit) and something comforting (anything that sparks a memory of comfort or fun, because mental health is important too!).
“…boredom is the number one problem when it comes to snack choices.”
I hope these tips help you to be proactive about supporting not only your breastfeeding journey but to support and care for your body as well. Growing and giving birth to your baby is an enormous and amazing feat! Take the time to appreciate all the great things that your body has done and continues to do. While your heart swells with love for your new baby, make it a priority to nourish and love you too!
Check out my Pinterest board for some of my favorite snack ideas!