A Guest Blog Post by Beth Rush, the Mindfulness Editor at Body+Mind.
Between sleepless nights and fluctuating hormones, your well-being as a breastfeeding parent can easily take a back seat. What you eat is critical in your energy levels and recovery, supporting lactation, managing inflammation, and potentially easing underlying symptoms like swelling or fatigue.
An anti-inflammatory diet for breastfeeding doesn’t have to be restrictive or overwhelming. It’s about choosing foods that nourish you and your baby during this unique season of life.
What Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
An anti-inflammatory diet is a well-supported eating approach that centers around reducing chronic inflammation. Inflammation is your immune system’s response to injury, illness or stress. However — when inflammation lingers — it can wear down your energy, impact digestion, and affect your mood and milk supply.
An anti-inflammatory diet nourishes your body with whole, nutrient-dense foods. Think colorful fruits and vegetables, omega-3-rich fish or seeds, whole grains, nuts, and anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric and ginger. These foods are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats, all working together to support healing and hormone balance in the postpartum period.
For breastfeeding parents, this way of eating can offer steady energy, improved digestion and resilience as your body recovers.
How Inflammation Affects Breastfeeding Parents
Postpartum recovery isn’t always linear, and sometimes, inflammation plays a quiet but significant role in how you feel day to day. Chronic low-grade inflammation can be an underlying factor for tender joints, swollen feet, brain fog and general fatigue. While it’s a normal part of the healing process after birth, lingering inflammation can make breastfeeding and recovery more challenging.
Whether you’re healing from a C-section, dealing with mastitis or simply trying to regain your sense of vitality, a diet that supports your body’s processes can go a long way in helping you feel stronger, calmer and more supported in your postpartum journey.
Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Meal Ideas
Choosing the right foods is about adding ingredients that help your body feel its best. The following foods are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and can be especially supportive while breastfeeding:
1. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, kale and Swiss chard are packed with vitamins A, C and K, which help reduce inflammation and support your immune system.
Toss any of these greens into a soup or smoothie, or saute them with garlic and olive oil for a quick side dish. From curly to Italian, there are many different types of kale, so you can explore which variety you like best.
2. Omega-3-Rich Fats
The Omega-3s in salmon, flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts are essential for brain and heart health. They play a role in reducing inflammation and supporting hormone balance.
To go all in on anti-inflammatory ingredients, season your salmon with flavorful, inflammation-fighting spices like turmeric and ginger, and then serve it over a bed of quinoa. Throw some walnuts on top for good measure and extra crunch. Flaxseeds and chia seeds make great toppings for yogurt or granola.
3. Berries
Berries are full of antioxidants that help protect your cells from stress and support your body’s healing process.
Throw some blueberries, strawberries or raspberries on your yogurt. You can also add chia seeds for more texture and anti-inflammatory impact. These berries also make great salad toppings for some healthy sweetness.
4. Turmeric and Ginger
These two spices are well-known for their inflammation-fighting properties.
Add them to teas or curries for a flavorful boost. They also make a great seasoning for roasted veggies like carrots, potatoes or broccoli. These veggies are quick to prepare, making them perfect for busy breastfeeding moms. Toss them in your spices and some olive oil on a sheet pan before roasting them in the oven. Be sure to add a few sprinkle of black pepper to activate the curcumin in turmeric.
5. Fermented Foods
Fermented foods — like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut or miso — support gut health, which is closely tied to inflammation levels and overall immunity, both key for postpartum recovery.
Yogurt makes an easy morning or midday snack and can be paired with other anti-inflammatory ingredients like berries and seeds. Miso is also easy to incorporate into your diet. Make a salad dressing by whisking miso paste with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Add garlic, soy sauce or ginger for more flavor. If your dressing comes out too thick, whisk in a little water at a time until you achieve your desired consistency.
6. Whole Grains
Grains — like quinoa, brown rice and oats — are rich in fiber and minerals. They help regulate digestion and provide long-lasting energy without blood sugar spikes.
You don’t have to rethink your usual meals to integrate these anti-inflammatory ingredients. Simply swap out your white rice or traditional pasta for quinoa or brown rice-based noodles.
Foods to Be Mindful of While Breastfeeding
Every parent and every baby is different, so what feels great for one breastfeeding journey might not suit another. When it comes to inflammation, certain foods may contribute to discomfort, especially if your body is already working hard to heal or if your baby seems fussy after feeding. Here are foods to pay attention to:
- Highly processed foods: Chips, sugary cereals and fast food often contain preservatives, refined oils and added sugars that can promote inflammation over time.
- Excessive sugar: While a sweet treat here and there is totally fine, consistently high sugar intake can contribute to energy crashes and increased inflammation.
- Certain dairy products: Some parents notice that cheese or milk can upset their baby’s tummy or increase mucus production, especially if there’s a sensitivity.
- Artificial additives and dyes: These may not cause inflammation in everyone, but they can affect gut balance, which plays a role in your immune and inflammatory response.
Instead of cutting out these foods entirely, take note of your body and your baby’s response. Certain inflammatory foods might affect breast milk, making your baby feel unsettled. A little mindful experimenting can help you find what feels good.
Being a new parent is daunting enough with all the uncertainty you can experience, but leaning on resources that can help you navigate this time is invaluable.
You could find other parents who are going through the same things as you or reach out to a therapist to calm your feelings of anxiety about breastfeeding and your diet. An estimated 20% of people experience mental well-being issues following childbirth or during pregnancy, so you’re not alone — no matter your feelings postpartum.
Nourish to Flourish
Your postpartum body is doing incredible work healing, nourishing, adjusting and adapting. An anti-inflammatory diet for breastfeeding is an invitation to support your well-being with foods that help you feel more balanced, energized and clear-headed in this new phase of life. The journey is yours and it’s okay to ask for help, tweak your habits or try something new as you grow into it. Even one nourishing meal at a time can make a difference.
About the Author: Beth Rush is the mindfulness editor at Body+Mind. She writes about mental health during pregnancy and beyond. She also shares tips for coping with c-PTSD, PCOS, and climate anxiety. Subscribe to the Body+Mind Newsletter for more posts by Beth.
Nurtured Well is the leader in Maryland’s Women’s mental health. It’s founder, Sharon Fisher is currently enrolled in a Integrative Reproductive Psychiatry Fellowship in which she is learning about how all theses nutrients affect your mental health. Schedule your visit now.