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• Breastfeed soon after birth

• Learn how to breastfeed

• Breastfeed to your baby's demands

• Be patient while you both learn

• Ask for help if you have a question or need some support

It is recommended that your baby is fed only on breast milk for the first four to six months of his or her life.

While breastfeeding, continue to follow these guidelines.

Some women will have special nutritional needs.  Ask your doctor or midwife to arrange for you to see a dietician.

It is best to seek advice if you:

• Find that certain foods you eat are affecting your baby

• Have a medical condition affecting your eating, such as diabetes

• Are a vegetarian or vegan

• Are an adolescent mother (18 years or younger).

Choose a variety of healthy food from the four food groups each day.

Vegetables and Fruit

• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.

• Vegetables and fruit provide carbohydrates (sugar and starch), fibre, vitamins and minerals, and are low in fat.

• Enjoy well washed, fresh, frozen or canned vegetables, and fruits which are raw or lightly cooked.

• Limit juice and dried fruit intake because these foods have a high sugar content.

Eat at least five servings per day, at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit.  Only one serving of fruit or vegetable juice or one serving of dried fruit counts towards your total number of servings for the day.

SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:

Breads and Cereals

• Eat plenty of breads and cereals - including rice, pasta, breakfast cereals and other grain products.

• These provide carbohydrates, fibre and other nutrients.

• Choose wholemeal and wholegrain varieties which provide extra fibre (to help prevent constipation), B vitamins and minerals.

Choose at least seven servings of breads and cereals each day; preferably wholegrain.

SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:

Milk and Milk Products

Breastfeeding women need protein and calcium.

• Choose reduced or low fat milk, or calcium fortified milk, yoghurt and cheese.

• If you are drinking soy milk, choose one which is calcium fortified (check the label)

• Other foods such as wholemeal bread, peanuts, broccoli, canned salmon, sardines, spinach, baked beans and tofu contain calcium, but in lower amounts.

Choose at least three servings of milk and milk products, preferably reduced or low fat, each day.

Milk and milk products  provide New Zealanders with most of their calcium.  If you do not eat these foods or eat very little of them, it is best to see your doctor, midwife or Plunket Nurse about taking a calcium supplement.

SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:

Lean Meats, Chicken, Seafood, Eggs, Cooked Dried Beans, Peas and Lentils

These give you protein, iron, zinc and other nutrients.

• Choose lean meats, chicken and seafood.

• Iron in lean meats, chicken and seafood is well absorbed.  Cooked dried beans, peas and lentils also contain iron but this is not so well used.

• Include foods rich in Vitamin C with your meals to help absorb iron.  Fresh vegetables and fruit, tomatoes and broccoli are rich sources of Vitamin C.

Choose at least two servings from this group each day.

SERVING SIZE SAMPLES:

Choose and Prepare Foods Low in Fat, Sugar and Salt

The best way to meet your extra needs is to choose from the four food groups.  When shopping, read labels and look for foods that are lower in fat, sugar and salt.  If using salt, then choose iodised salt.

Prepare foods low in fat, sugar and salt by:

• Spreading margarine and butter thinly.

• Choose lean meats.  Trim off the fat, skim fat off stews, remove skin from chicken and eat more grilled, boiled or steamed fish.

• When cooking: grill, steam, microwave, boil or bake foods without adding fat, as often as possible.

• Eating meals without adding extra salt.

• Choosing foods with no added sugar.

Many fast foods, takeaways and snacks are high in fat, salt and/or sugar, for example, chocolate bars, muesli bars, potato chips, French fries, doughnuts, pies, sweets, fruit leather, cordials and soft drinks.  Save these foods for treats and eat only occasionally.

Drink Plenty of Fluids Every Day

• Use your thirst as a guide.  You will need at least 6-8 glasses each day.

• Extra fluid may be needed during hot weather or after activity.

• Water, reduced or low fat milk, or calcium fortified milk, diluted fruit juice, or coconut juice from a fresh coconut are the best choices.

• Coffee, tea and cola drinks contain caffeine.  have no more than three cups of any of these drinks each day.

• Tea should not be drunk with meals.  The tannins in tea mean you will not absorb the iron in the meal as well as you could.

• Go easy on soft drinks and cordial and diet drinks as these provide limited nutrients and are high in sugar.

Alcohol is NOT Recommended

• Alcohol passes quickly into the breast milk and can affect your baby.  An occasional glass of alcohol is probably OK but the full effects are unknown.

• Having too much alcohol can affect your ability to care for your baby.

Smokefree IS Recommended

• Some people think smoking is an easy way to lose weight.  This is not true.

• Smoking can reduce the amount of milk you make.

• If you choose to smoke, don't do it while breastfeeding and never smoke in the same room as your baby.