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You've gone through the nine months of waiting, read a ton of books on breastfeeding basics, and went through hours of labor to become a Mom and now you are. Congrats! Now you are expected to know what to eat so your baby can reap all the benefits of breastfeeding.

It's not easy to have a newborn or even a newborn with other children and actually have the time to eat let alone prepare a nutritious meal. It's sometimes even hard just to get in a sip of coffee. But there are enough hours in the day to manage some kind of meal to make food for two, and since the minutes between feedings are so precious, let's look at what is good to eat and what you should totally avoid for both you and baby.

Some "no-nos" are easy, like avoid smoking, drugs, and alcohol. If you have to take a medication, make sure that it will not affect your baby before you take it. Smoking can be a hard habit to break and you should try and quit, but if this is difficult, avoid smoking right before a feeding. Instead, try and smoke right after one. Alcohol is another "no-no" some say. Other experts have stated that Moms can drink one dark wine or dark beer a day to enhance their breast milk. Dark beer's hops has been shown to increase milk supply, while red wine is known to contain resveratrol, a phytochemical that helps to expel toxins from the body. Red wine also has proanthocyanidins and polyphenols which help to reduce free radical damage. However, these same beneficial ingredients can be found in grape juice and milk supply can be increased by allowing your baby to feed when needed, so why risk consuming the wine or beer.

Other foods that may cause a problem are broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chocolate, citrus fruits, cow's milk (and other dairy products made from cow's milk), cucumbers, eggs, garlic, onion, peanuts, strong spices, and wheat. These may cause skin irritations like eczema, gas, vomiting, or diarrhea if your baby is sensitive to them. The best thing to do is to keep a food diary and list possible reactions your baby might have to a particular food you are eating. Eliminate the food for a week and if baby is nursing better, then baby is probably sensitive to that food.

The best things to eat are fruits, vegetables, complex whole grains, and meats. If you are a vegetarian, try to incorporate soy products like tofu into your diet in place of meat. Beans are also a good substitute. Avoid as much processed foods, refined flours, and refined sugars as you possibly can so you will not pass any chemicals and preservatives through to your baby. Frozen dinners, boxed, canned foods, and restaurant foods are included in this avoidance category because they contain many chemicals and preservatives.

Organic foods or natural foods, and fats like omega 3 and 6 found in olive oil and fish, are the best for you and your baby. These foods are not all created equal, though. Some are not totally organic and you will have to read the label to make sure the food is pure. A general rule of thumb is, the longer the list, the less likely it is a real food. If you follow these steps they will help to produce pure and healthy milk for your little one.

Learn more about this author, Kimberley Linstruth-Beckom.
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