10 Snacks Ideas for Nursing Moms

Breastfeeding Awareness

For a new mom, a lot of time can be spent feeding baby!  While there are many options depending on your preference, circumstance and lifestyle, breastfeeding has many benefits to consider.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months because it has the perfect mix of nutrients, vitamins and calories for little ones.  Breastmilk provides children ideal nutrition and helps support their growth, development & immunity while also aiding healthy weight for baby! It can also be done anytime, anywhere, without the cleanup that comes with bottle feeding!  Mom’s also get the added bonus of bonding with baby as well as lower risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes and elevated blood pressure.

No matter how long you choose to breastfeed your child, there can be a few hurdles to overcome before it’s smooth sailing! 

First- remember, it’s new for you AND your baby!  No one is an expert the first time they do something, so give yourselves time to get into a routine. 

Second, hydration matters!  Did you struggle to consume half your body weight in ounces before pregnancy?  Post partum you will need to drink even more water to meet your hydration needs and pull from to produce milk.  The best rule of thumb is to drink a glass of water every time you breastfeed and keep an eye on urine color.  You want to be drinking enough water so that it appears light yellow. 

Third, you will need more calories, between 300-500kcal a day to keep up your milk supply!  Hello snack time!  These calories should not come from processed foods like fast food or sweets.  Instead, they should come from lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and healthy fats – whole, real foods! 

Here are a few suggestions: 

• Pitted Dates, stuffed with almond butter
• Sliced bananas with peanut butter on toast
• Tuna with apple slices
• Cottage cheese with pineapple and cashews
• Carrots with hummus and stuffed grape leaves
• Hard boiled egg, everything bagel seasoning on an English muffin
• Avocado mashed on toast
• Oatmeal with blueberries
• Granola and strawberries with Greek yogurt
• Smoothies are a great quick option!  Consider having a double serving of our PB&J smoothie remix.  Freeze the rest and pull out the following morning, once thawed it’ll be a perfect snack!

Published August 1, 2021