All moms hope to provide their babies with the best that the world has to offer. They say the best things in life are free. In the case of breast milk, that is absolutely true!

Even though breast milk is always the best choice, it can still be better. I believe that at some point, breast milk was perfect—absolutely meeting the nutritional needs of an infant. We might have to go back to the Garden of Eden to find perfect human milk. But our bodies are designed to produce the perfect first food for our children.

Let me emphasize that breast milk is superior to infant formula even when not “perfect.” In fact, even when the mother requires medication, smokes, or eats a limited diet—by choice or not—breast milk still beats formula.

Breast Milk, the Foundation For Lifelong Health

In a culture that often discourages women from breastfeeding rather than offering real support, it’s understandable that lactation professionals sometimes avoid discussing how to increase milk production. They fear mothers may think their milk isn’t “good enough.”

The truth is, your breast milk supply can improve with the right information, especially in the first days after birth when supply is established by the principle of supply and demand. The more your baby nurses, the more milk you make. If your baby is latched well and baby is gaining weight steadily, that’s a strong sign your supply meets their needs.

If you have concerns, working with a lactation consultant can help you increase your milk supply through techniques like skin-to-skin, hand expressing, and using a breast pump to express milk between feeds.

Breast Milk – A Breakdown Of Nutrients Affected By Mother’s Diet

Calcium and Iron

Some nutrients in breast milk remain constant regardless of your diet. For example, calcium and iron levels are stable because your body will pull from your stores to ensure your baby gets what they need. That said, you still need enough in your diet to protect your own health while you feed your baby.

Iodine

The Iodine content of breast milk is dependent on the Iodine status of the mother. Infants are completely dependent on the Iodine in human milk for accumulation in the thyroid and production of thyroid hormone. The CDC recommends Iodine supplementation in pregnancy and lactation.

Iodine is critical for the production of thyroid hormone, and those hormones are necessary for proper neurodevelopmental development in the fetus and newborn. A deficiency of Iodine leaves both the mother and the baby more vulnerable to deleterious effects of environmental pollutants like perchlorate, nitrate, and thiocyanate.

A good source of Iodine is dried kelp from a reputable source. Iodized salt is also recommended for pregnant and nursing women. There is usually some Iodine in prenatal vitamins.

Vitamins B & C

Water-soluble vitamins in human milk, such as B vitamins and Vitamin C, are affected by maternal intake. Vitamin C is found in green vegetables and citrus fruits. B vitamins are found in a variety of meats, dairy, and vegetables.

Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal sources, so women who eat a vegan diet are particularly susceptible to a vitamin B12 deficiency. Breast milk will also be deficient without taking a supplement. Consult with your Midwife or lactation consultant if you follow a plant-based lifestyle.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The fatty acid composition of breast milk varies with the fatty acid composition of a mother’s diet and fat stores. There are two critical omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, that the body needs and uses best when they are consumed equally. DHA in particular is crucial for infant cognitive and visual development.

Unfortunately, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in diets varies from 10 to 1 to as high as 20 to 1. This is most likely due to the absence of fresh fish. It’s also the result of regular consumption of processed foods and polyunsaturated vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, safflower, soy, and cottonseed, as well as trans fats.

Sources of Omega-3 are oily fish or fish oil supplements, walnuts, flax seeds, and omega-3 fortified eggs.

Sources of omega-6 fatty acids are numerous in American diets. Refined vegetable oils, such as soy oil, are used in most snack foods. Cookies, crackers, sweets, and fast food are prevalent in the American diet. Soybean oil alone is used so much in fast food and processed foods that an astounding 20 percent of the calories in the American diet are estimated to come from soy oil alone!

Vitamin D

The amount of vitamin D in human milk is generally low, but can be increased with Vitamin D supplementation. Over the past 5 years, we have monitored the Vitamin D levels of pregnant women and found them to be consistently VERY low.

It makes sense that the low levels of vitamin D found in breastmilk are caused by lack of sun exposure and that we use so much Vitamin D to fight the toxic effects of the environment on our bodies.

Every cell in our body uses Vitamin D, so it’s important that both mother and baby have adequate amounts. Supplements and sunlight are important ways you can increase the amount of vitamin D stores during breastfeeding and beyond.

Practical Tips to Boost Breast Milk Quality

Making nutritious breast milk doesn’t require perfection—just a few mindful habits. In the first 24 hours after birth, frequent skin-to-skin and allowing your baby to nurse on demand help set your long-term supply.

Continue to nurse your baby frequently, use hand expressing if they can’t feed well, and consider a breast pump to increase your milk supply and maintain it if you’re separated from your baby. Remember, supply and demand are key: the more often you express milk or feed your baby, the more milk your body will make.

When your baby is latched well and gaining weight, you can be confident they’re getting enough. Avoid replacing too many feeds with solid foods before 6 months, as early solids can reduce your breast milk supply.

Making nutritious breastmilk requires little effort on the part of moms, but making the best possible milk is worth some dietary changes and supplementation. The changes are not only healthy for the newborn but also for everyone in the family.