The information included in this post is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own situation, or if you have any questions regarding your prenatal treatment plan
By Chelsea Long, Whole30 Content Manager, sharing five tips for a nursing Whole30.
Are you planning to do a Whole30 while nursing? Here are five tips for a nursing Whole30, based on my personal experiences and advice from other parents in our Whole30 Families community.
Want a dietitian’s perspective on Nursing and Whole30? Read this article from our in-house registered dietitian, Stephanie Greunke.
Five Tips for a Nursing Whole30
Tip #1: Eat enough food
This might seem like one of those, “well, duh!” statements, but stay with me. Many nursing people have reported that they need four full-sized meals daily, following the Whole30 Meal Template, to keep up with their hunger. Now is a good time to remind yourself what the Whole30 Meal Template includes because we often find that people tend to under-eat during a Nursing Whole30. I also like to highlight the following points:
- If eggs are your protein of choice, as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand, which is probably 3-4.
- You generally want at least one fat serving in addition to the cooking fat you use, since cooking fat often remains in the pan and isn’t consumed.
- Aim for 2-3 cups of veggies at every meal and add more if it’s all raw leafy green stuff as they tend to wilt down and aren’t very substantial. Occasionally, have some fruit–a fist-sized serving up to a couple of times a day.
If you’re balking at the idea of eating four full meals a day, remember, weight loss is not the goal during a Nursing Whole30. You can try having three full meals and one mini-meal that includes a smaller portion of protein, veggies, and fat. Experiment with eating asparagus, green beans, carrots, yam, watercress, sweet potatoes, dandelion greens, peas, beets, parsley, sesame seeds, avocados, raw almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, garlic, onion, ginger and other leafy green vegetables, as these foods may help with increasing milk supply.
The Whole30 is all about self-knowledge, so stay observant about how what you eat impacts your body. Also, stay observant about how what you eat impacts your baby. Certain veggies (such as cruciferous veggies and onions) have been known to cause gas in some sensitive babies. This doesn’t mean you need to restrict your intake of these foods. Just watch out for any signs of uncomfortable gas or fussiness in your baby, especially if you’ve drastically increased your intake of those foods.
Tip #2: Stay hydrated
In general, we recommend that you drink a lot of water during your Whole30. You can calculate the minimal amount of water you should drink by taking your body weight, dividing it in two, and then taking that number and drinking that many ounces of water a day. (For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink 70 ounces of water a day). Remember, this is the MINIMUM. Many people report that they need to drink more than this. Consider adding Himalayan Pink Salt, Sea Salt or LMNT Recharge (Note: only their unflavored variety is Whole30-compatible) to your water to make sure that your body properly hydrates.
Easily bored with “just water”? I’m right there with you. A few ideas to help you get your recommended daily water intake:
- Divide the number of ounces required per day by your waking hours and set a goal to drink a certain amount of water per hour.
- Drink a glass of water before drinking any other kind of liquid (such as sparkling water or kombucha).
- Sip on coconut water or mix it with lime sparkling water and fresh lime juice for a special treat.
- Drink herbal teas throughout the day, especially teas that contain fenugreek, blessed thistle, fennel, stinging nettle, goat’s rue, alfalfa, milk thistle, anise, marshmallow root, red raspberry leaf, coriander, caraway, and verbena. Some babies may react to some of these teas, so be observant and discontinue use if it’s not working for you and your babe. Always check your labels to make sure the tea is Whole30 compatible.
- Mix it up by making yourself a fun, hydrating mocktail like these:
- Raspberry Lime Spritzer from Pretend It’s a Donut
- Pom-bucha Spritzer from Laura of Cook at Home Mom
- Mint Coconut Matcha Latte from Frolic and Flow
- Watermelon Agua Fresca from Snacking Kitchen
Tip #3: Eat starchy vegetables
We’ve heard from lots of Whole30 community members who say eating starchy vegetables at least two of their meals per day helps them keep up their milk supply. Here are just a few yummy recipes that include starchy veggies to get your kitchen creativity going:
- Breakfast: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curry Beef from Alex of the Defined Dish or Sweet Potato Hash from Michelle of Nom Nom Paleo
- Lunch: Potato Salad Nicoise from Brian of Sophisticated Caveman or Chicken Pesto Bites from Michelle of the Whole Smiths
- Dinner: Creamy Sage Butternut Squash Soup from Erica of This African Cooks or Spuds with Boss Sauce from Nan and Nicole of Whole Sisters
Tip #4: Don’t skimp on healthy fats
On the Whole30, fat is not your foe! In fact, during a Nursing Whole30, you may want to increase your intake of healthy fats. This may help keep your milk supply rich. You can sip on coconut milk throughout the day or make smoothies* that include fat-rich avocados and nuts. Try this Whole30 Coconut Blended Coffee from Amanda of the Kitcheneer. Another great idea is to add homemade (or store-bought!) mayo to your breakfast potatoes. Here’s a great recipe for one-minute mayo from Cristina of Castaway Kitchen.
Eat all of the avocados. In case you need a few ideas of what to do with avocados, here’s some recipes we love:
- Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Avocados from Stacie of Salad and Sandals
- Slow Cooker Chili with Hasselback Avocados from Kendra of Paleo Paparazzi
- Tuna Treasure from Teri of No Crumbs Left
*A note about smoothies: yes, you’re right … smoothies are not typically encouraged during a Whole30, but remember, that’s a recommendation and not a Whole30 rule. Technically, they are compatible. In the case of a #NursingWhole30, if this is a good strategy for you to work healthy fats and nutrients into your diet occasionally, go for it! Just try limiting the amount of fruit to one cup and don’t use them as a dessert replacement/ The Pancake Rule.
Tip #5: Connect with our existing resources and other Whole30 community members for more support
Take comfort in the fact that others have come before you. We’re committed to giving you the best information possible. I hope these five tips for a nursing Whole30 have been helpful for you! If you’ve still got questions and concerns about Nursing and Whole30, check out these resources:
- Melissa and Stephanie co-wrote an entire section on Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Whole30 in The Whole30 (flip to page 114).
- Join or browse the Pregnancy and Breastfeeding section of the Whole30 Forum, or leave your specific question there to get an answer.
- Find more information on our Parenting Hub.
Chelsea Long is the Whole30 Content Manager. She lives in San Diego with her husband and three children. Formerly an English as a Second Language instructor at the university level, Chelsea shifted her interest to holistic health after giving birth to her first son. She did her first Whole30 at 6 months postpartum while breastfeeding! Chelsea is passionate about helping others find healing through yoga, meditation, and nutrition, both through her contribution to the Whole30 team and through her personal website.
