Booster Foods

Do you recommend spirulina while breastfeeding? I’m finding mixed reviews online but am curious of your opinion.

Hi Melissa,
Great question. Spirulina is a super nutrient-dense booster food and is also great for helping the body detoxify. That said, the jury is still out on whether “detox” foods like spirulina and practices like infrared saunas are safe while breastfeeding. To be cautious, I’d say avoid it or use it in small amounts while breastfeeding since there is some evidence showing toxins are released in breastmilk. You can always resume once you’re done breastfeeding, especially since spirulina isn’t essential for obtaining vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!

Thank you for that! To that effects, are there any other effects on my breast milk I should watch out for as I “detox” during the program? Sugar and dairy will be the biggest change as I went heavy on the cheese during pregnancy and ice cream got me through those last few weeks haha. (Transparency, I’m not starting until next Monday – it just didn’t work for our family to start until next week and we wanted to do it properly)

Hi Melissa,
You shouldn’t be concerned about heavy detoxification while on the program but I would suggest keeping a food log since not all foods that agree with you will agree with your baby. Some babies may get gas or just not like the taste of breastmilk as you introduce new foods. Keeping a food journal can help pinpoint which foods to include or avoid while you’re breastfeeding. If you need any tips for substitutions once you start the program, let us know!

Hi Melissa! Chiming in as I am also a breastfeeding Mama and love this subject. You may notice some subtle detox effects from eliminating sugar (headaches and cravings for a couple days) but there is no need to be concerned for your sweet baby. In fact, reducing or eliminating sugar is beneficial for your breastmilk. Also, dairy has a tendency to cause issues for some breastfed babies but not all. You may notice that your baby has less gas when you eliminate dairy. My first child had a small rash on her abdomen that disappeared when I took dairy out of my daily diet. If you LOVE cheese though and it doesn’t seem to cause any nursing issues…feel free to add it back in after the program. Another option: Goat and sheep cheese have a different protein structure than cow’s milk products. They are also naturally lower in lactose. Lactose is the main carbohydrate in milk produced by mammals that can be difficult for many to digest. Just an idea if you are looking for alternatives. Hope this is helpful! Let us know if you have any further questions! Cheers to nursing! 🙂

Thank you for that. I don’t tolerate dairy well so typically don’t consume to much. However, when i-do, buy a lactose free cheese. What are your thoughts on those? Is that typically enough to help dairy sensitive people? Also, I find that some days while. Nursing lam crazy hungry what do you suggest for these days? I’m really trying to learn some more of your intuitive eating techniques, but am obviously mindful of milk supply.

Hi Melissa!
Our best suggestion is to avoid it if you’re lactose intolerant but lactose-free cheese is an option and you can also take a lactase enzyme in a pinch. Have you ever tried making your own vegan cashew cheese? You’d be surprised how good it tastes! And vegan parm is very easy to make – just cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt!

While you’re nursing, your body needs the extra calories so definitely honor your body’s hunger signals and eat an extra snack or more at meal times to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need. If you find you’re hungry right after meals, try adding a bit more food at meal times and make sure you’re getting a healthy balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. If you’re hungry 3-4 hours after meals, incorporate healthy snacks into your day to hold you over until the next meal. You can find healthy snack ideas here. We also have a recipe for lactation cookies – click here for the recipe. Christina may chime in with some more tips and advice but hopefully this is helpful!

Hi Melissa!
Lia nailed it…but I am happy to chime in with some additional snack ideas. I am currently consuming larger portions than my husband at each meal…AND still feeling the need to snack between meals. The lactation cookie recipe is delicious and I am just in the final stages of fine tuning a NEW lactation muffin recipe that I plan to share in the next week so stay tuned (so yummy the entire family eats them). Snack ideas: I keep a bowl of nuts on a little table next to the rocking chair to munch on while nursing. Fruit with nuts or nut butter, hard boiled eggs and hummus with veggies are also easy peasy and satiating. And of course…LOTS (I mean, LOTS) of water. Aim to drink 8-10oz after each feeling in addition to sipping throughout the day. It’s incredible to think that our bodies can feed a little tiny human! Keep up the good work!