If you’ve got a newborn, you may worry that whatever benefits or hazards you get out of eating or drinking something can go directly to your child. You may be interested to know how coconut water for breastfeeding can benefit not only you, but your little one!
According to Early Motherhood Guide.com, coconut water’s richness in minerals, electrolytes, and nutrition are all helpful in maintaining the hydration of the mother and increasing her milk supply.
In this article, we’ll make sure you have all the information you need about coconut water as it relates to breastfeeding, including whether or not it is safe to drink, how it helps breast milk’s supply, and it’s many benefits!
Is It Safe to Drink Coconut Water While Breastfeeding?
According to EatRight.org, whatever a mother who is breastfeeding ingests is meant to be broken down into a milk that benefits the baby drinking it! A mother’s milk is meant to break down carbs, fat, water, and protein into an easily-digestible formula.
Breast milk is also full of antibodies and all the right ingredients for healthy bacteria in the baby’s gut. The milk can change in terms of benefits as a baby grows and their needs alter.
The question is, if you’re drinking coconut water while breastfeeding, is it safe?
Yes, the good news is, coconut water is very safe for a nursing mother! This is because the main symptom to watch out for while nursing is dehydration; however, coconut water is known to be a great source of not only hydration, but minerals and nutrients that are good for mother and child.
The only reason coconut water would be unsafe is if the mother or baby were allergic to coconut. This is a pretty rare condition, but if a nursing mother begins to experience irritation while drinking coconut water, it may be a sign that she is allergic to coconut water.
Does Coconut Help Breast Milk Supply?
Another concern for mothers who are nursing is whether or not they’ll be able to produce enough milk for their growing child. With this in mind, you may be wondering if coconut actually helps breast milk supply.
The answer to this question is, yes, coconut does help a mother’s breast milk supply! Coconut is rich in EFAs, or Essential Fatty Acids. This is one of the main ingredients of any food that can increase a lady’s amount of milk, simply because it is one of the main components of breast milk itself!
Another great reason to ingest coconut is that it contains monolaurin, which is a fat that encourages the growth of brain cells. If you’re getting your coconut content from coconut water, you’re not only reaping these benefits, but you’re likely maintaining your hydration levels nicely, too.
Coconut Water While Breastfeeding Benefits
So all in all, what are the benefits to breastfeeding while making sure to drink coconut water? Whether you enjoy the taste of coconut water or not, you’ll find the list of benefits below helpful:
- Coconut Water is Full of Nutrients – As previously stated, coconut water is full of essential fatty acids (EFA), but it also contains light levels of Monolaurin, which is a fat that encourages the growth of brain cells in children. There is even 0.1 gram of protein in the common blends of coconut water!
- Coconut Water is a Source of Hydration – Coconut water is great for staying hydrated because it contains sodium, magnesium, and potassium. In fact, while coconut water can hydrate was well as regular water, it has the added benefit of flavor, encouraging mothers to come back to sip for more and remain hydrated.
- Coconut Water Contains Antioxidants – Unstable molecules can damage cells and cause disease. However, antioxidants, like the kind found in coconut water, can stabilize these molecules and balance out their effects on the body. This is very important for breastfeeding moms, who can pass this benefit on to the baby through their milk.
- Coconut Water is Energizing – Coconut water is rich in electrolytes. Electrolytes are actually just a fancy type of mineral which is useful because of one thing: they carry an electrical charge! This electrical charge can transfer energy into the cells and help muscles contract and the body perform it’s function, especially while breastfeeding.
With these benefits, it is obvious that coconut water would be a great choice of drink while breastfeeding!
How Much Coconut Water Should I Drink For Breastfeeding?
One consideration to take into account while breastfeeding is how hydrated the body must stay. This will help us determine how much coconut water, with it’s nutritional and energizing benefits, should be ingested while breastfeeding.
A breastfeeding mother produces milk that is 87% water, on it’s own. All of that water is coming directly from the body of the mother, who must be careful to maintain her own hydration and health while feeding her child. To keep up her own water content, a nursing mom needs to drink at least 16 cups of water a day.
If you have a standard set of 26-ounce kitchen glasses, that would be about nine of those glasses of liquid a day. Another way to think of it is to drink around half of an ounce of water per pound of your own typical weight before you began nursing.
This sometimes-intimidating water content does not all have to come from water itself! Drinks that are high in electrolytes or nutritional content, like teas or, of course, coconut water, can also do the trick.
94% of coconut water’s make-up is water. It definitely counts as part of daily fluid intake, but unlike plain H20, coconut water also has extra nutrients! That being said, one of those nutrients is potassium, which, while normally a good thing, can cause an upset stomach if too much of it is consumed.
Therefore, altogether, it is recommended that a woman who is breastfeeding only drink two cups of coconut water a day, at most. The rest of the mother’s water intake should come from regular water.
Coconut Water For Breastfeeding Final Thoughts
Coconut water is an excellent choice for breastfeeding mothers. It is full of nutrients that are beneficial for both mother and child, and it is a natural, safe way to increase breast milk production. Coconut water is also a delicious and refreshing way to stay hydrated, and it has a host of other health benefits that make it an ideal drink for nursing mothers. If you are looking for a nutritious and delicious way to boost your breast milk production, coconut water is a great option.