Nursing how much water to drink

You should drink enough water to quench your thirst plus a little more. You can accomplish this very easily by drinking a glass of water every time your baby nurses. I always have one with me when I sit down to nurse and I carry one in my diaper bag everywhere I go. I prefer this one made from stainless steels to avoid plastic leaching chemicals into my water.

Fluids are important so skipping them is not an option. However, available data are inconsistent. Nutrition for mom while nursing during pregnancy or tandem nursing. Can I diet while breastfeeding? Lawrence R, Lawrence R. Breastfeeding: A Guide for the Medical Profession, 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Mosby, Riordan J.

Mohrbacher N. Becker G. Nutrition for Lactating Women. For nursing mothers, who produce about a quart of breast milk each day, staying hydrated is even more important. The general, well-known rule of thumb for most people is to consume about eight 8-oz. Some people require more and some less, but this is a good starting point for the majority of people.

However, a breastfeeding mom loses more fluids than the average person and thus needs to drink more water. When nursing an infant under 6 months of age, most mothers produce about oz. To account for this extra fluid loss, you should drink at least an additional 32 oz. You should also increase your intake above this suggested level if:. While nursing moms should increase their daily intake from about 64 oz. It's easily digested and absorbed, and its composition naturally changes as a baby's developmental needs change.

But does what a mother eats or drinks impact the milk she breastfeeds her child? While nursing babies are unlikely to develop a food allergy from breastfeeding, some foods may not agree with the infant. Some foods that may cause an infant to be fussy during feedings are: spicy foods or gas-producing vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli. If this happens, avoid that particular temporarily and try it again when your baby is a little older.

As a nursing mother, you need about 16 cups per day of water, which can come from food, beverages and drinking water, to compensate for the extra water that is used to make milk. One way to help you get the fluids you need is to drink a large glass of water each time you breastfeed your baby.