Mary Ellen's Blog

Pregnancy is always regarded as a time to focus on healthy eating. After baby arrives, many women are anxious to reclaim their pre-baby bodies and lose the weight gained over the course of the last 9 months. However, healthy eating is just as important while you are breastfeeding. Now it is time to continue to eat well.

Did you know your eating habits while breastfeeding should be the same as those while you are pregnant? Canada’s Food Guide recommends having an extra 2-3 food guide servings each day along with taking a multivitamin that contains folic acid and iron. When you are breastfeeding your body is working hard to produce milk so you want to make sure that you take care of yourself and provide your body with nutritious foods.

When you are breastfeeding it really helps to have quick snacks on hand for those busy days! Cheese, nuts, seeds, yogurt and whole grain cereals are all quick and nutritious snacks to help you get in those extra calories and nutrients and they can all be eaten while breastfeeding or when on the run! Having these snacks in your diaper bag or at arm’s length is so helpful when hunger strikes. The slow cooker comes in especially handy for suppers. Many days I would quickly throw ingredients in it in the morning, turn it on and come supper time everything was ready and it required minimal effort on my part. A great idea for baby showers is to have each guest bring recipes for slow cookers or casseroles; things that are quick and nutritious. The recipes will absolutely come in handy once baby arrives!! If your family and friends really want to help you why don’t you suggest that they prepare dinners for each night of the first week at home with your new baby?

One thing that I frequently reminded myself of after I had my son was that I didn’t gain this weight overnight. It was a gradual process that happens over the course of many months, so we need to give ourselves a bit of a break and realize that getting your pre-baby body back is going to take some time. The most important thing you can do is eat a nutritious diet, incorporate activity into your life, and enjoy your baby.