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Can Breastfeeding Mothers Have Protein Powder?
The short answer is yes. Protein powder and protein shakes are very safe for moms that are breastfeeding because they help increase milk supply.
A few years back, WHO (World Health Organization) issued a recommendation for breastfeeding women. According to their research, they suggested women should consume an additional 25 grams of protein a day while breastfeeding.
As every new mom, you are focusing only on the baby, so you often forget how important your nutrition is. For this reason, it is essential to try and get all the nutrients that your body requires. This is where protein powder steps up.
Protein powder during breastfeeding is very helpful for both lactation and weight loss. When drinking protein shakes you are taking in a lot of nutrients and good calories, which can help with your milk supply but also are great for losing that extra baby weight.
Breastfeeding mothers can take a protein supplement, as long as they choose the right type. This article will help young mommies choose the right protein powder and start digesting some essential nutrients.
Are Protein Shakes Safe for Breastfeeding?
A protein shake is great for both your breast milk and your body. Simply because they are a great source of calories and protein that can help you feel fuller while also staying hydrated through breastfeeding.
Dehydration can harm your milk supply, which can become a very big problem over time. Drinking protein shakes can help you hydrate.
Though protein supplements are also good for the body, some are not great and well suited for pregnant or breastfeeding moms. A protein shake is always the best option because it can help you stay hydrated all the time.
Why Is Protein Essential For Lactating Mothers?
Protein is essential to the body because it provides amino acids, which will later grow into muscle development, hair, skin, nails, and organs.
Protein helps repair cells and is involved with cell regeneration. It helps the baby grow and the mother heal after birth.
Although it is easier to consume protein through crackers, bread, and rice, many mothers don’t have the time to prepare protein food for every meal.
This is why babies need to get their protein from the mother, and because our bodies do not create protein on their own, mothers need to ingest the right amount every day.
How Does It Work?
When you are consuming a sufficient amount of protein post-partum, you are giving your body the adequate nutrition it needs to maintain lean tissue and produce nutritious milk. Besides, when you are lactating, your body consumes protein to produce enough milk supply.
Whether you are a fitness addict or an inactive person, your protein requirements reach a new level when you are breastfeeding.
Consuming protein is crucial for both you and your baby. It also makes the skin, hair, and nails healthier.
What Should I Look For In Protein Powders While Breastfeeding?
When you are looking to buy protein powders while breastfeeding, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the powder dairy or plant-based?
- How does your body react to various dairy or plant products?
- Are you a vegan? Is a vegan certification important to you?
- Do you prefer any specific powder texture?
- Do you have any allergies?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you can choose the right protein powder for you.
Tips For Choosing Protein Powders
Before choosing the right protein powder, it’s essential to know which one is safe for a breastfeeding mom. So, here are some tips on how to distinguish different types of powder.
Is Whey Protein Powder Safe for Breastfeeding?
Whey is the key ingredient of milk, along with casein protein. When separated from the casein, whey becomes a complete protein that contains all 9 essential acids and it is low in lactose content.
Whey protein powders are a mixture of beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, bovine serum albumin, and immunoglobins.
Whey protein powder is very safe for moms and provides benefits like aiding weight loss, lowering cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, and helping with cardiovascular disease.
When it is not taken in moderate doses, this type of protein powder can cause nausea and headaches.
What is Clean Protein?
What is usually called clean protein is the protein that comes in chicken breast, lean red meat, fish, eggs, quinoa, chia seeds, almonds, etc.
However, for vegans, clean protein can be anything that is not animal meat.
Naturally, clean protein is an aspect of eating clean, and it emphasizes a healthy diet over a processed and refined one.
When you commit to clean proteins, you push your body to find the strength and avoid potentially unhealthy additives found in sugar, preservatives, artificial colors flavors, and more.
What Ingredients Should I Avoid?
When you are a new mom, you may want to quickly lose weight and might be tempted to hurry the process along. However, that is not the right way to go.
Your biggest concern when choosing a protein powder should be the hidden ingredients or additives that can potentially harm you or your baby.
You have to stay away from fat-burning protein powders. Many protein powders are designed for athletes and contain things like extra caffeine, guarana, ginseng, green tea extract, etc.
These ingredients contain stimulants, and they can be dangerous for your baby.
How Much Protein Powder Should You Have As A Breastfeeding Mom?
Your nutrition needs as a breastfeeding mom will go up very soon. Newborn babies need a lot of protein so you will have to eat additional dietary protein to meet their needs.
The average protein intake needed for a young mom is 54g per day. However, this number may go up to 67g or more.
It may depend on your age, body type, and lifestyle. For example, for an active mom who is 30 years old and weighs 120 lbs, 71 grams of protein per day is enough during the first 6 months of breastfeeding.
Before buying protein powder you may want to consult with your doctor to learn your exact protein needs.
Dangers of Too Much Protein
If you go way over the recommended protein daily intake, it may result in some side effects.
The most common symptoms are intestinal discomfort and indigestion, dehydration, unexplained exhaustion, nausea, irritability, headache, and diarrhea.
Try and stay in the recommended range so you won’t hurt your health and the health of your baby.
Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding Moms
Here is our list of the best protein powders for breastfeeding moms:
Milk Dust Lactation Protein Powder + Weight Loss Protein Powder
According to us, this is the best protein powder for moms. This product is specially designed for breastfeeding mamas. It has a milk supply-boosting herb blend, pea protein, and a lot of sugar-craving-busting herbs like cinnamon, turmeric, and chromium.
The powder is soy, gluten, dairy, and corn-free; it’s also a non-GMO vegan protein powder and is full of plant proteins.
It is sweetened only with Stevia, Mon Fruit, and Organic Cane Juice, so it doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners. However, it will still fulfill and curb your sugar cravings.
Ora Organics Breastfeeding Protein Powder
Super clean powder, full of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and essential vitamins. This is a top choice for losing weight because it doesn’t have bulky calories in it.
Ora Organics includes superfoods, a lot of greens, and digestive enzymes. It is the ultimate winner amongst plant-based protein powders.
Majka Nourishing Lactation Protein Powder
This awesome protein powder contains a special lactation blend with fennel and fenugreek.
This product has probiotics, digestive enzymes, a mix of fruits and greens, and enough protein for your needs.
This non-GMO, dairy and soy-free protein powder is a nutritional piece of art and an exceptional blend of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and lactation support.
Naked Whey: Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder
The purest, 100% grass-fed, and additive-free protein powder. In addition, it contains essential amino acids that act as muscle building blocks which will help with muscle recovery.
Naked Whey is cold-pressed to ensure zero contamination from heavy metals, chemicals, or additives. However, it doesn’t have sweeteners to it so it doesn’t promise a great flavor.
KOS Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder
This breastfeeding protein powder is a very clean option that can help you lose some of that baby weight. It will help you to recover very quickly, and it will fulfill all of your protein requirements and reduce sugar cravings.
It is an extremely clean plant protein, hence it is the perfect choice for young moms. The texture of this whey protein is great compared to others; it contains chocolate, vanilla, and blueberry flavors. It is organic, non-GMO, keto-friendly, dairy, soy, and gluten-free.
Boobie Body
Made out of organic pea protein, the Boobie Body is one of the best organic protein powders for breastfeeding moms. The powder is flavored with extract from monk and stevia.
Boobie Body protein powder is enriched with maca root, which helps boost the breast milk supply. It contains 19grams of protein and comes in four different flavors.
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Milk Drunk Protein Powder for Breastfeeding
This vanilla lactation protein shake is easy to customize and make your own – add fresh greens, berries, bananas or nut butters to create your perfect smoothie. Milk Drunk is a natural snack to supplement your breastfeeding diet, and has 17g of dairy free protein, 4g fiber and only 6g of sugar.
Needed Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein Powder for Prenatal, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, & Postpartum
Pink Stork Pregnancy + Nursing Protein
Protiva Nourish Postpartum Collagen Peptides
IdealRaw
A wonderful protein powder that has super amazing lactation-boosting ingredients. It is a pure and high-quality powder that contains a mix of pea protein, coconut protein, chia seed protein, and much more. In addition, it has the perfect veggie and fruit blend.
Fitmiss Delight
A completely natural protein powder that is high in protein and vitamin B. It has a fruit and vegetable mix plus digestive enzymes that will help you get those vitamins and feel more energized throughout the day.
When you are in postpartum recovery, enzymes are very important because if you don’t digest the food properly, you won’t absorb the nutrients.
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