How Much Water Does a Breastfeeding Mother Need to Drink?
When I was out of town for a funeral (nursling in tow), Sinead tagged me for a meme. I’m finally getting around to sharing a picture of my water glass and talking about how much water a breastfeeding mother needs to drink!
Here’s my beautiful glass of water. When we renovated our kitchen recently we treated ourselves to a new set of water glasses from Pottery Barn! I like them because they’re sturdy and weighty — they feel good in your hand! They also come in three different sizes, perfect for a small glass of juice, a healthy serving of milk or a refreshing drink of water.
What’s the rule about drinking water when you’re breastfeeding? It’s the same rule for everyone, breastfeeding or not: drink enough to satisfy thirst. Drinking any more than that can actually decrease your milk supply! One study showed that consuming 25 percent more fluids than the “drink to thirst” recommendation led to a decrease in milk supply. I also learned from lactation consultant Linda Wieser at the LLL area conference that drinking more than 80 ounces of water per day can reduce a woman’s potassium levels and have a negative impact on milk supply.
So, while it’s a good idea to keep a glass of water handy next to the place where you typically nurse, there’s no need to force yourself to drink extra water. Just enjoy a glass as you feel the need!
Tags: breastfeeding, breastfeeding basics, lactation, nutritionRelated Stories
POSTED IN: breastfeeding, breastfeeding basics, nutrition
8 opinions for How Much Water Does a Breastfeeding Mother Need to Drink?
Sinead@BreastFeedingMums
May 16, 2007 at 10:56 am
Hey, Angela, that really is a lovely glass - and a very nice work surface too! I’m hoping to get our kitchen renovated this summer, so I’m noticing kitchens at the moment! :)
I never knew that about water! Very interesting… I may just have to link to this post in a future post!!
kelli
May 16, 2007 at 8:11 pm
That’s great information on water - I didn’t realize that you could drink too much to the detriment of your milk supply. I remember being insanely, crazily thirsty for the first few months of breastfeeding. I just made sure to always have water where ever I was and that definitely helped. I even had a ritual of putting together a little pitcher of ice water to take to bed with me for night nursing and that definitely helped.
Matia, breast pump expert
May 21, 2007 at 11:13 am
Wow, I never heard too much water could be a bad thing. On the contrary, I know I was told to drink as much water as I could, and when I was coping with my milk supply issues, I am sure I was drinking near 100 oz. a day. Is there a link to some news about this study on the internet somewhere? I would like to have this study as a breastfeeding tip to add to my RSS feed.
Angela
May 21, 2007 at 11:34 am
Hi Matia. The study is referenced in the “Breastfeeding Answer Book.” Here’s the cite: Dusdieker, L. et al. Effect of supplemental fluids on human milk production. J Pediatr 1985; 106(2): 207-11.
Michelle
Mar 7, 2008 at 6:59 am
I have a 3 week old and have been having trouble with milk production during the day, but not at night. During the day I force-drink water all day long where as at night i have 1 glass. I started wondering if there was a connection so thank you for your post. Now I will drink what I need.
Thanks!
Myths about Breastfeeding and Foods a Nursing Mother Can and Cannot Eat
Mar 12, 2008 at 11:04 am
[…] Breastfeeding women need not feel they have to consume a special diet in order to provide the right nutrients in their breast milk. It’s true though that breastfeeding women need to consume extra calories (and don’t we all celebrate that fact!) But what about water? Shouldn’t you force extra fluids when you’re nursing, especially if you’re having trouble with low milk supply? Drinking extra water can actually hurt milk supply. […]
Abby
Mar 18, 2008 at 5:08 pm
I read something the other day that really startled me about drinking water during pregnancy. It basically said that I should be drinking about 8 32oz. bottles of water EVERY DAY. I thought, that’s nuts, because I’d never be able to drink that much in a day. Aside from that, it’s so unsafe, and people have died from drinking TOO much water at once.
I definitely think that drinking to thirst is plenty, even for people not nursing or pregnant, and I think there have been recent moves toward telling people not to force down liquids, because you don’t really need to drink more than you feel a need to drink.
Chris
Jul 17, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I noticed your article did not mention anything about environmental conditions. Maybe I’m mistaken but I would imagine that 80 ounces of water would be difficult to consume in some climates. However if you live in a tropical climate like we do wouldn’t you naturally require more than a cooler environment. Similarly to what another poster commented our doctor recomended 6 32ounce waters every 24 hours. I think another consideration would be how long it has been since the delivery. Having plenty of water is also very important for softening of stool which was extremely painful for my wife after only drinking to thirst. If you think it is difficult to drink that extra glass of water try being stuck on the toilet, in pain, for an extended amount of time while your breastfed baby cries because it is feeding time. I have heard of excesive amounts of water having complications for individuals but I don’t feel that this article accurately notes the difference between dangerous levels of water, and what is commonly recomended by health proffessionals.
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