Your diet

There is no specific diet for mums!

> Eat a variety of foods. 

> Prioritise proteins, fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain products, dairy products (in reasonable quantities: you don't need to drink milk to produce milk!), and vegetable fats. Have several light meals throughout the day rather than two large meals. Avoid lots of sugary foods. Drink plenty (you will become very thirsty during feeds): water, fruit juice (but not too much), herbal tea, and not too much regular tea. Avoid coffee and fizzy drinks. Snack on dried fruit when you get peckish.

> Your daily intake of calories should be about 2,700, that's 500 more than the average adult intake. But don't feel obliged to get through 2,700 calories if you're not hungry enough!

> There's no particular food you need to avoid while breastfeeding. Contrary to preconceived ideas, you can eat all sorts of food, even cabbage, plums or onions. Because the taste of food passes into your milk, your baby will get used to all the different flavours. Thanks to breastfeeding, educating your child about flavours and tastes begins early on. From curry to cheese, radish to raspberries, your baby will store up a stock of flavours that he will come across throughout his life. Children who have been breastfed are more open to discovering different foods. Note that babies are particularly keen on spicy dishes!

> Nevertheless, watch out for signs of possible food intolerances: crying after feeding, stomach ache, eczema, nappy rash... If this is the case, think about the foods that you've eaten during the hours before feeding. More dairy products than usual? Peanuts? If the signs are unclear, cut out whatever it is that you may suspect for 3 or 4 days. If all returns to normal, don't reintroduce the food in question. If it concerns cow's milk, replace it with goat's milk, eat yoghurts and cheese made from goat's milk and ask your doctor for advice.