Thousand Days To Make a Difference

The goldmine of omega-3s, salmon, should be eaten on a regular basis to get some EPA and DHA into your milk.

Although EPA and DHA levels in your breast milk will be affected by your diet while pregnant (especially early on), your dietary intake of these and other omega-3s during lactation will continue to affect the levels in your milk. Your baby’s brain will continue developing rapidly from birth until 2 years of age (and later on as well, but the most rapid growth will occur by age 2), and omega-3s are essential to support healthy brain development.

When picking up your salmon from the grocery store, consider splurging on wild salmon over farmed. Farmed salmon actually contains more omega-3s per ounce than wild salmon, but wild salmon has less calories and saturated fat. In addition, levels of pollutants and contaminants are higher in farmed salmon, according to some recent studies.

(https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fish-faceoff-wild-salmon-vs-farmed-salmon/)

Drinking water all day long every day to stay hydrated can get boring. Hydration doesn’t just start and end with water. Watery fruits, teas, juices, soups and other liquids can help to keep you hydrated. You can also safely drink up to 2 or 3 cups of coffee a day while breastfeeding, but keep in mind that foods other than coffee can contain caffeine (soda, tea, chocolate, chewing gum, etc.), so be sure to read food labels to avoid excessive intake.

If you want to get the hydration without the extra calories, you can try making your own infused waters for an all-natural, low-calorie, hydrating (and refreshing) drink. Some great combinations include mint and cucumber, pineapple and lime, or blueberry and orange. The best way to make a flavorful infusion is to grab a pitcher, fill it up with water, and let whatever fruit or combination of fruits soak in the water at least for a couple of hours before drinking. With citrus fruits, you can squeeze some of the juice into the water or just throw in some slices. For fruits like blueberries, strawberries or cherries, it helps to slice them in half first so that the juices can more easily soak into the water.