What to eat when you're breastfeeding: Part 4

What else affects your milk

Other parts of your daily diet can also affect breast milk. For example alcohol and caffeine both pass into breast milk and high intakes of either should be avoided when you're still breastfeeding.

A mum's diet is also likely to transfer a range of different tastes and flavours to the baby in the milk and highly-spiced or strong-tasting foods may unsettle some infants.

Maintaining an adequate supply of milk

Many women who choose to breastfeed worry about whether they will supply the baby with enough milk, because they cannot see or measure how much the baby is getting.

A small dip in birth weight is perfectly normal and your baby will put the weight back on.

A woman's ability to produce milk far outweighs the volume the baby is likely to consume. A baby that is happy and gaining weight, then there's nothing to worry about.

If you have any concerns about whether your baby is getting enough milk or about breastfeeding in general, then make sure you talk to your local health visitor or doctor before you give up and resort to bottle feeding.

More help and advice

- How much milk should I be producing?
- Tips on coping with breastfeeding
- What to expect in the first few weeks after the birth

By Angie Jefferson, Pregnacare consultant and dietitian