Breastfeeding is an incredible way to bond with and nourish your baby, but it also takes a lot of energy. That’s why it’s so important to take good care of yourself, too. You don’t need to eat perfectly or follow a rigid plan—you just need simple, steady ways to fuel your body with the nutrients it needs to feel well and stay strong. Inside this guide, you’ll find manageable tips for eating well, staying hydrated, and building small habits that work in real life (even when you’re running on very little sleep). 

Why Nutrition Matters While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding increases your body’s need for calories, fluids, and key nutrients.1 Think of food as fuel—not just for your milk supply, but for your healing, energy, and emotional well-being. Eating well while breastfeeding can help:

• Support your milk supply
• Maintain your energy 
• Promote healing and recovery after birth
• Boost your mood and immune system

Simple Tips for Nourishing Yourself

Even small changes can make a big difference. Focus on progress, not perfection.

• Stay hydrated: Keep a water bottle nearby and take sips every time you breastfeed. 
• Eat often: Your body burns extra calories while making milk. Don’t skip meals—keep easy, one-handed snacks within reach, especially near your favorite breastfeeding spots.
• Build balanced plates: Aim for a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fiber in each meal to stay satisfied and energized. Meals don’t need to be fancy—a sandwich with avocado, an egg and veggie wrap, or leftover stir-fry all count.
• Embrace easy foods/snacks: Try overnight oats, smoothies, soups, whole-grain toast with nut butter, or trail mix. If you’re short on time, repeating the same go-to meals is perfectly okay.
• Prep in small batches: Make extra portions when you can—like doubling a soup recipe or roasting extra veggies—and freeze leftovers for busy days. A few prepped staples can make meal-building easier all week.
• Create a snack station: Keep a small basket near your favorite breastfeeding spot with shelf-stable snacks (like bars, nuts, or dried fruit) and a water bottle so you’re never caught hungry or thirsty.
• Delegate where possible: Let others shop, cook, or prep. Use grocery delivery or subscriptions to lighten your load. Keep a short list of go-to items to make restocking easier.
• Use your phone as a helper: Try a habit-tracking app or set a gentle reminder on your phone to hydrate, eat, or take supplements. Save quick meal ideas in your Notes app or on your Pinterest board.
• Lower the mental load: Don’t worry about variety every day. If eating the same breakfast three days in a row makes things easier, that’s fine. Nutrition adds up over time—and enjoying what you eat is important, too.
• Accept help: Let friends or family bring meals, hold the baby while you eat, or tidy the kitchen. You don’t have to do it all alone.

Grocery Services

Grocery services help new moms save energy while keeping nourishing foods on hand. Delivery or pickup makes it easier to stay fed and supported during recovery—without the stress of a full shopping trip.

• Prefer a little fresh air without the hassle? Grocery pickup lets you order online and drive up—an associate loads everything into your car, so you don’t even have to unbuckle the baby. It’s an easy, low-stress way to get out of the house, and most pickup options are free.
• Most grocery stores offer delivery through third-party apps. While there are fees and tips involved, it can be worth the splurge if your budget allows—saving you time and energy by bringing everything right to your door.
• Restorative Roots Meal Delivery: Nourishing, ready-to-eat meals crafted specifically for postpartum recovery, delivered to your door.  
• Thrive Market Membership: Affordable access to healthy pantry staples, snacks, and postpartum-friendly foods—all delivered conveniently to your home.

Meal Prep Support

If the mental load of planning meals feels overwhelming, let someone else take the reins. Meal planning services offer weekly menus, grocery lists, and simple recipes—some even cater to postpartum needs.

• Eat This Much – Automatically creates meal plans and grocery lists based on your calorie goals and dietary preferences. Free basic plan available.
• Mealime or Plan to Eat – Customize meals based on dietary needs, save recipes, and auto-generate grocery lists.
• Pinterest – Discover new recipes and plan meals. You can search by dietary needs, save favorite recipes to boards, and organize meal ideas all in one place.
  

Fitness & Habit Support

Small steps can make a big difference—and there are plenty of tools out there designed to help busy parents stay consistent. Many fitness, wellness, and meal support services are app-based or offer short, flexible options that fit into real life.

For example, we like:

• MommaStrong: Short, realistic workouts designed for real mom life. Focuses on strength, posture, and pelvic floor health in just 15 minutes a day.
• Strides Goal Tracker App:: Use this app to build small habits like taking your vitamins, drinking water, or going for walks. Tiny steps lead to big wins.

Books to Keep in the Kitchen

When cooking feels overwhelming, it helps to have a few go-to resources within arm’s reach. Look for cookbooks or guides that offer simple, nourishing meals with ingredients you recognize—and tips that support your postpartum needs.

For example, we like:

What If I Have Questions?

If you are interested in learning more, these Aeroflow classes expand on some of the topics discussed above:

• Bump to Baby Nutrition
• Nutrition & Wellness in Postpartum
• Nutrition for the Breastfeeding Mom

Want More Info?

For a directory of Aeroflow’s other Care Guides offering information on pregnancy, baby care, and more, browse our comprehensive list of titles:

References