good snacks for hungry bfeeding mums!

[adviceforafriend]

Writing on behalf of a friend (partly to prove MN is a great source of support!)...

Her DD is 5 mo and is exclusively breastfed. Mum is constantly hungry! She eats 3 good meals plus fruit and toast in between but is always hungry. Anyone got any good ideas for snacks which are healthy for mum and good for breastmilk too? She's an out and about kind so stuff which is easy to prep and carry is good.

Flapjacks.

Will be watching this thread with interest as ds2 is now 3 months and bf and I need to stop snacking on the crap food ASAP as planning a holiday in 7 weeks!

Are you a journalist looking for easy copy?

Dried apricots: high in iron.

No such thing as snacks/food which are 'good for breastmilk' - at least nothing where there is any real evidence for this :)

Yes to flapjacks!

I agree with Tiktok, there is no evidence that any particular foods will increase the quality of breastmilk so any healthy snacks (and cake!) are fine.

Flapjacks and apricots are a good shout. I read (maybe on MN?) that even if you eat junk your body will cyphen out the good stuff for the milk but she wants to cut out cake for weight loss.

not a journalist! genuine mnetter!!!

Raw vegetables, nuts, oatcakes and cashew nut butter, bananas?

Diet makes next to no difference to the quality of the milk but obviously it's hard work being a mum so a sensible, well-balanced diet is a good idea. Long walks with baby in a sling or buggy are a great way to lose a bit of weight.

Here is some info on diet for breastfeeding mums.

crikey, you've reminded me, wasn't there a thread a while back where everyone was talking about chocolate craving when BF and several people said snacking on nuts helped to keep the sweet tooth at bay? I may have been one of them but I haven't slept this week so I can't remember...

I've found anything with oats is great (re flapjacks above). When I don't have porridge for breakfast I pump less too.

You can make great cookies too with oats, brewers yeast and flax seed:

www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookies-by-noel-trujillo-192346

www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookies-by-noel-trujillo-192346

Crumpets are a good shout too. Peanut butter on toast too. Oatcakes.

Anything she fancies. Obviously healthier snacks or those with a slow, steady energy release (like dried fruits, complex carbs) are going to be 'better' - but like Tiktok said, there's no evidence that any food or drink is better than any other for breastfeeding.

I'm not sure about the nuts Eau- I didn't read the thread, but seem to remember that they fill you up for longer.

Tbh, I tended to snack on the unhealthy things with the occasional good day when I relied on the bfing to keep the weight at bay.

Oh and flapjacks may or may not help with milk supply, but they are stacked full of calories too.