A nursing mother produces 23 to 27 ounces of milk per day, containing 330 milligrams of calcium per quart. This requires an extra energy expenditure of at least 500 calories per day. Good nutrition is therefore just as important for you as it is for your baby.

The quality of breast milk is also affected by your diet. Better the diet better the quality of breast milk. In the same way the quantity of milk depends very much on the mother's diet too. If a mother isn't feeding herself with enough nutritious foods, the number of "dirty diapers" goes down or crying happens more frequently, signs that your baby may not be getting enough to eat.

Here are some food intake suggestion during breastfeeding:

1. Increase your water consumption by one quart per day, so that you are drinking a total of 2.5 to 3 quarts. Nursing women tend to be thirstier anyway, especially during feeding sessions, because part of their water consumption goes directly to milk production. But don't overdo it: too much liquid also can reduce milk production.
2. Increase your daily caloric intake to 2,500 calories: you can even eat more if you are planning to continue breast-feeding for more than three months (2,800 calories per day). But again, be careful: many nursing mothers are tempted by sweets. Stick to healthy foods instead! Eat more proteins. The basic rule is to eat I gram of protein each day for every pound you weigh.
3. Spread your caloric intake over five "meals," breakfast, lunch, after- noon snack, dinner, and an extra snack during the evening. Each snack time is also an opportunity to drink water, eat a low-fat dairy product, and a piece of fruit. As your body is continually producing milk, it needs your caloric intake to be regular.
4. Build these into your daily diet:
   Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, squash, and beans
   Fruits such as apples, berries, plums, oranges, peaches, and melons
   Whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, rye bread, and brown rice

5. Stay away from tobacco and even the second hand tobacco smoke. Nicotine passes directly through breast milk to the baby.
6. Avoid any kind of alcohol intake. Alcohol passes through milk in less than an hour and if the baby consumes it in large quantities it can retard his growth.
7. Take no medication without first consulting a doctor. Most antibiotics, sulfa drugs, chemical laxatives, and all products containing iodine are contraindicated while you are breast-feeding. Other medications, taken over a long period, can also be dangerous.
8. Beware of pollutants. Like nicotine, pesticide residue easily passes through mother's milk. If you are nursing, stay away from insecticides (especially in airborne forms such as aerosols or coils). Try to use natural insect repellents such as citronella. Eat primarily unsaturated fats. Sunflower, corn, rapeseed, and olive oil provide fatty acids that are essential for building the baby's nervous system.
9. Eat food containing vitamin B 9. Birth control pills accentuate a woman's vitamin B 9 deficit, and may also contribute to a vitamin B 6 deficiency. During pregnancy, folic acid is vital to the development of the baby's nervous system. Nursing mothers are well advised to continue taking their prenatal vitamins. Folic acid also can be found abundantly in asparagus, cabbage, corn, chick- peas, and spinach. Many other foods, such as wheat and orange juice, have been enriched with folic acid. Check the package labels.
10. After pregnancy every mother wants to try to lose weight. However, dieting during breastfeeding can be very detrimental to your child's development. After breastfeeding, you may start to diet sensibly, but before then be patient for your child's health. In fact, experts say that after a woman stops breastfeeding, she automatically begins to lose weight.