Health Tip: Eat a Healthy Diet When Nursing

While you're nursing, eating a healthy diet is particularly important for both you and baby.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these dietary guidelines for nursing mothers:

Drink plenty of fluids; aim for 12 to 15 cups per day.

Limit yourself to no more than 300 milligrams per day of caffeine.

Avoid alcohol. If you do drink, do so along with plenty of food and water, and allow several hours before you nurse your baby.

Avoid fish that are high in mercury (i.e. shark, swordfish, mackerel, tilefish), but do eat up to 12 ounces per week of fish that are lower in mercury.

Avoid foods that seem to make baby fussy.

(Agencies)