Best Breakfasts for Breastfeeding Moms

Fueling your body and your baby is of highest importance for breastfeeding moms. Make sure you start your day with one of these healthy breakfasts that focus on protein and healthy fats.

If you’re a breastfeeding mom, often your nursing baby gets the first meal long before you can enter the kitchen to think about breakfast for yourself. But breakfast is a meal that breastfeeding moms can’t afford to skip. Not only do you need to keep your supply up, but you need to fuel yourself for the day.

The Institute of Medicine says that a breastfeeding mom needs 25 grams more protein than a non-nursing woman. During lactation, your body uses protein to produce breast milk and to sustain your growing baby.

Eating a high-carb, high-sugar breakfast of cereal won’t do much to help your milk supply or keep you full. Instead, breastfeeding moms need to focus on eating a well-balanced breakfast with a good amount of protein and fat. Not only will this combination keep you satiated, but it will also help to curb any sugar cravings, which all of us breastfeeding mamas know are very real.

Related: The Best Dairy Free Lactation Cookies

If you’re a breastfeeding mom who needs ideas for healthy breakfasts to fuel both you and your nursing baby, consider these options that focus on protein and healthy fats.

Smoothie Bowl

There are all sorts of recipe variations for smoothie bowls. Consider Chocolate Almond Butter, Super Berry or Blueberry Avocado.

Homemade oatmeal with all the fixings

Think nut butters, coconut butter, dried fruit, fresh fruit, honey, yogurt, toasted coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, cinnamon.

Avocado toast

Avocado is a great source of healthy fat for a nursing mom. Check out these 12 variations of avocado toast to find one that fits your palate.

Three-ingredient blender pancakes

Make this recipe (simply blend almond meal, cottage cheese and eggs) for the whole family or reduce by two-thirds to make enough pancakes for just you.

Toast with a nut butter and sliced banana

Opt for a denser, more nutritious bread like Ezekiel bread (made from sprouted grains), rye bread, oat bread, multigrain bread or whole grain bread.

Egg sandwich

An egg sandwich can be a simple as a fried egg or scrambled eggs between two pieces of toast. Add cheese or jelly for more flavor.

Breakfast Burrito

Stuff a corn, flour or even grain-free tortilla (Siete brand) with scrambled eggs, cheese and salsa. Add a meat such as bacon, sausage or ham to add even more flavor.

Hashbrowns with eggs

If you have the time, you can make homemade hashbrowns from white potato, sweet potato or even jicama. Top with scrambled or fried eggs to up your protein.

Greek yogurt and granola

Avoid sugary yogurts and look for plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Top with granola, honey, nuts, seeds and even fresh fruit.

Morning Glory Muffins

Make a grain-free version or classic version depending on your dietary preferences.

Smoothie

Make a healthy and filling smoothie using yogurt, peanut butter and banana or even spinach.

Oatmeal Bars

If you don’t like the texture of hot oatmeal, try it in a baked form such as these flavors of bars: peanut butter and maple cinnamon.

Quiche

Make your quiche with or without a crust, and choose a classic recipe such as ham and cheese or something more daring like goat cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomato.

Paleo banana bread

This is my favorite banana bread recipe, which is nutrient-dense and also happens to be paleo. It uses almond meal and coconut flour instead of wheat flour and maple syrup instead of refined sugar.

Scrambled eggs topped with cheese or salsa

Scrambled eggs only take a couple minutes to whip up and are a great source of protein. Cook along with bacon or sausage to add more flavor.

Breakfast Cookies

For an easy on-the-go breakfast, try  baking a batch of breakfast cookies such as Cranberry Oatmeal or Peanut Butter Banana.

If you’re a nursing mama, what do you consider your best breakfasts for breastfeeding your little one?