Do I need to drink extra fluid when breastfeeding?
There’s no doubt breast milk is best for baby. What’s also clear is that while you are breastfeeding, your fluid requirements need to increase to keep up a milk supply that will keep your baby’s tummy full!
To get enough fluid in your system for breastfeeding, you’ll need to have an extra three glasses per day over and above your body’s basic needs of about 8 glasses a day. This is really important as the extra fluid is required to replace the fluid you give your baby in breast milk. Other factors that will impact on your fluid requirements are any high levels of activity, high environmental temperatures and high humidity.
Keeping up your fluid is not only important for breastfeeding, but also for your own health and comfort. For example, when inadequate fluid is consumed, it may lead to infrequent, hard stools. The colour of your urine can be used to give you an idea of whether you are getting enough fluids. Ideally, your urine should be clear to light yellow in colour.
Food can make a valuable contribution to your fluid intake, particularly fruit and vegetables. In fact, it’s estimated that water from food can provide you with about a fifth of your total water intake, so it’s important to ensure you’re eating the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables each day.
All beverages contribute equally to the fluid intake, though water and low-fat milk are the best choices to quench your thirst. Try to avoid or limit caffeinated drinks and those high in sugar. Even though carbonated drinks are not harmful to your baby when breastfeeding, it’s the other ingredients in these drinks that may be unsuitable for breastfeeding women. Energy drinks especially, which can be tempting when you are feeling tired contain caffeine and sometimes guarana (a Brazilian berry extract with high amounts of caffeine).
Care should also be taken when ingesting some herbal teas. The majority of herbal teas bought from the grocery store in tea bag form, such as chamomile, peppermint and raspberry are generally safe to consume while breastfeeding because the levels of the herbs are not at therapeutic doses.
There are also some herbal preparations that may not be appropriate when breastfeeding. And remember to always read the packaging carefully, and be sure to check with your health care professional before using it.