Eating Disorders & Breastfeeding *trigger*

How does mom's diet affect her milk?
Does mom need to maintain a perfect diet while breastfeeding?
What IS needed for maintaining an ample supply of milk?
How does mom's nutrient intake affect breastfeeding?
Are there any foods that nursing mothers should avoid?
Additional information

Does mom need to maintain a perfect diet while breastfeeding?
The short answer to this question is NO -- a breastfeeding mother does not need to maintain a perfect diet in order to provide quality milk for her baby. In fact, research tells us that the quality of mom's diet has little influence on her milk. Nature is very forgiving - mom's milk is designed to provide for and protect baby even in times of hardship and famine. A poor diet is more likely to affect mom than her breastfed baby.

It's common to hear women say that they want to wean (or not breastfeed at all) because they miss drinking coffee, or want to have an occasional beer, or don't like worrying constantly about everything they eat. Guess what? A mother can do these things and eat what she wants and still provide her baby with the absolute best nutrition and immunological protection - mom's own milk.

According to Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D. (breastfeeding researcher and anthropologist), women throughout the world make ample amounts of quality milk while eating diets composed almost entirely of rice (or millet or sorghum) with a tiny amount of vegetables and occasional meat.

Are healthy eating habits recommended for mom? Absolutely! Mom will be healthier and feel better if she eats well. It is best for anyone to eat a variety of foods, in close to their naturally-occurring state, but this is not necessary for providing quality milk or for maintaining milk supply. Although it is not at all recommended, a breastfeeding mom can live on a diet of junk food - her milk will still meet baby's needs.

What IS needed for maintaining an ample supply of milk?
The main thing needed to maintain an ample milk supply is simple --
The more often and effectively your baby nurses, the more milk you will have.

Occasionally, mom's caloric intake or hydration can affect milk production:

Calories: In general, a nursing mom should simply listen to her body and eat to appetite - this will normally result in mom getting the calories she needs. Counting calories is typically not needed unless mom is having problems maintaining a healthy weight. Excessive dieting can reduce milk supply, but sensible dieting is generally not a problem.
Liquids: It is not necessary to force fluids; drinking to satisfy thirst is sufficient for most mothers. Unless mom is severely dehydrated, drinking extra fluids is not beneficial, may cause discomfort, and does not increase milk supply. It is not necessary to drink only water - our bodies can utilize the water from any fluid.
The main message here -- Eat when hungry & drink when thirsty.
See Do nursing mothers need extra calories or fluids? and How does milk production work? for more information.

How does mom's nutrient intake affect breastfeeding?
Vitamin/mineral supplements (prenatal or otherwise) are not considered necessary for moms who eat a reasonably well balanced diet. See Vitamins (& other supplements) for Nursing Moms for more information.
Mom's fat intake does not affect the amount of fat in her milk, but can affect the kinds of fats (balance of "good" vs. "bad" fats) in her milk to some extent. See What affects the amount of fat or calories in mom's milk? for more information.

Are there any foods that nursing mothers should avoid?
There are NO foods that a mother should avoid simply because she is breastfeeding. It is generally recommended that a nursing mother eat whatever she likes, whenever she likes, in the amounts that she likes and continue to do this unless baby has an obvious reaction to a particular food.
It's suggested that everyone, particularly pregnant and nursing mothers, avoid eating certain types of fish that are typically high in mercury.
It is a good idea to restrict caffeine and alcohol to a certain extent, but it is rarely necessary to eliminate them.
Some food proteins (such as cow's milk protein or peanut protein) do pass into mom's milk. If there is a history of food allergies in your family, mom may wish to avoid or eliminate the allergens common in her family.
Any baby might react to a particular food (although this is not very common). If baby has an obvious reaction every time mom eats a certain food, it can be helpful to eliminate that food from mom's diet. For more information, see Dairy and other Food Sensitivities in Breastfed Babies.