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What drinks are okay for breastfeeding moms?
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025

With the beginning of breastfeeding, a new mother has a lot of questions, and many of them are related to diet. Drinking is also important. Therefore, women worry: what can they drink, what can't they drink, how, when and in what quantities? After all, many drinks and breastfeeding are incompatible. How to make the right choice?
Let's start with the fact that to replenish milk reserves, a woman must drink liquid - about two liters per day. However, during the first three days after birth, the amount of liquid must be limited: if you really want to drink, you can take a few sips of water - often, but little by little.
Starting from the fourth day after the baby is born, doctors advise young mothers to drink as much as the body requires. But if you don’t want to drink, then you shouldn’t force yourself: this can not only fail to improve, but also harm lactation.
What drinks are compatible with breastfeeding?
Can nursing mothers drink compote?
The ideal drink for a nursing mother is considered to be a compote of dried fruits. It has many positive qualities:
- improves milk secretion;
- stabilizes bowel function (both in mother and baby);
- strengthens the immune system;
- prevents diseases of the digestive system.
Before you start making compote, you need to wash the dried fruits well in hot and then warm water. You can soak them overnight, and in the morning drain the water and wash the dried fruits again - this way you can get rid of not only dust, but also substances that the fruits may be treated with. If the product was cut and dried independently, then it will be enough to simply rinse under warm running water.
One glass of dried fruit should be poured with 3-4 glasses of water and put to boil. After boiling, reduce the heat and cook the compote for about 25 minutes. At the end of cooking, add sugar or fructose, bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Doctors advise drinking this compote 30-40 minutes before feeding the baby.
As for berry and fruit compotes, you can prepare and consume them only if you are sure that the baby is not allergic to these berries or fruits. It is best to prepare compote from plums, cherries or apples.
Can a nursing mother drink fruit drink?
Mors is a drink made from berry or fruit juice, with the addition of water, honey or sugar (fructose). The most commonly used berries for its preparation are lingonberries, cranberries, raspberries, currants, strawberries, etc.
Properly prepared fruit drink contains more useful components than, for example, compote. However, the downside of fruit drink is that many berries cause allergies in children. Given this, doctors do not recommend drinking fruit drink until the child reaches 3 months of age. Then the child can be gradually introduced to the drink - through the mother, of course. At first, you should drink ¼ glass of fruit drink in the morning, and then observe the child's reaction during the day. If the baby has a rash or diarrhea, it is better to postpone drinking the drink until the child reaches 5-6 months of age. Fruit drink is reintroduced little by little.
It is worth remembering that the fruit drink must be freshly prepared: this drink is rarely subjected to heat treatment, so it cannot be stored for a long time (in the refrigerator - a maximum of 1-2 days).
Lingonberry juice
Lingonberry is known not only for its healing properties: this berry is hypoallergenic, so it can be consumed without fear during breastfeeding. You can cook compote or fruit drink. The main thing is not to overdo it and not to abuse such drinks. And, naturally, lingonberry fruit drink should be introduced into the diet little by little, from about the 3-4th month of lactation. From the fourth or fifth month, you can prepare mixed fruit drinks - for example, apple-lingonberry, or carrot-lingonberry.
In addition to improving the composition of milk, lingonberry juice improves the condition of nails, strengthens bones and teeth, and prevents hair loss.
You should not drink fruit juice if a woman suffers from low blood pressure, has kidney stones, a stomach ulcer, or is prone to bleeding (lingonberry can thin the blood).
Can nursing mothers drink dairy products?
Milk is a healthy, affordable, but very controversial product. Children sometimes suffer not only from milk allergies, but also from milk intolerance. To prevent complications from breastfeeding mothers, doctors advise avoiding it during the first month of the baby's life. Then the product is introduced into the diet gradually.
Ryazhenka
Ryazhenka is a product that is well and easily absorbed by the body, much easier than kefir. This drink - if you can call it that - helps strengthen the immune system, improves digestion, activates processes in the brain, normalizes cardiac function, and reduces cholesterol levels in the blood.
When breastfeeding, you need to drink ryazhenka, because it improves the quality of mother's milk. However, you must adhere to the following rules:
- The first consumption of fermented baked milk should be minimal - literally a few sips, to observe the baby's reaction.
- If the baby is prone to allergies and colic, then it is advisable to postpone introducing fermented baked milk into the diet - for example, for 3-4 weeks.
- If the child reacts normally to the mother drinking fermented baked milk, then the optimal amount of the product should be 300-400 ml per day.
- When choosing ryazhenka, pay special attention to the quality of the product: it should be free of foreign additives, with a natural composition, and with a shelf life of no more than one week.
- You should drink only fresh product.
Kefir
A nursing mother is allowed to drink kefir when the baby is 5 months old. If kefir is introduced earlier, it can lead to digestive upset in the infant. A possible allergy to milk protein is also taken into account.
Some mothers worry that kefir releases alcohols during fermentation, which can supposedly harm the baby. Such worries are absolutely groundless: the release of such substances is negligible, and it is no more than when consuming other fermented milk drinks. Industrial kefir contains less than half a percent of alcohol. For such a percentage to somehow affect the baby's condition, you need to drink kefir in huge quantities.
For consumption during the breastfeeding period, it is better to choose kefir that is not too fatty, but also not fat-free: a 1-2% product is suitable.
If the mother loves kefir and literally cannot do without it, then in the first months after the baby is born it is better to replace it with fermented baked milk - it is easier for the body and digestive system to accept. Read more about the advisability of consuming dairy products during breastfeeding in this article.
Can a nursing mother drink soda?
Many women in search of a "universal medicine" begin to drink a solution of baking soda: some - to quickly eliminate heartburn, others - to lose weight. Is it possible to do this?
The vast majority of medical professionals say that it is dangerous to take a soda solution internally – and not only during breastfeeding, but also at any other time in life. Soda neutralizes the acid in the stomach, disrupts digestion processes, irritates the mucous membrane, which is not noticeable at first, but will manifest itself in full over time.
As for weight loss, scientists have long proven that soda does not affect the quality and quantity of fat cells. Another thing is the use of baths, tubs and scrubs with soda: such procedures are really useful, get rid of cellulite and improve the appearance of the skin.
But it is better to refrain from taking soda internally. Consult a doctor: he will help you find the cause of discomfort and choose a good medicine for heartburn.
Can a nursing mother drink flax?
Flaxseed is very useful: it improves digestion, improves the condition of hair and skin, increases immune protection and stimulates lactation. But the possibility of consuming flax by a nursing mother should be discussed with a doctor. Flax is contraindicated if a woman has:
- acute stage of gastritis or pancreatitis;
- high blood pressure.
If there are no contraindications, then you can drink flax, starting from 4-5 months of age - but not more than one tablespoon of seeds per day. Increasing the recommended dosage can lead to nausea, diarrhea, bloating - and not only in the mother, but also in the baby.
Can a nursing mother drink jelly?
Kissel most often contains various fruits or berries, sugar and starch. Raspberries, currants, blueberries, apricots, peaches, etc. are usually used as a base. It is the base that can cause allergies in a child, so kissel is not allowed during breastfeeding only when it is made from components that cause allergies in the baby.
If the baby is prone to allergic reactions, then you should wait with the use of berry or fruit jelly until about 5-6 months of age. But jelly is also prepared using other bases: milk, oatmeal. Such drinks are nutritious and absolutely safe for the woman and her baby, since they do not contain allergenic components.
If a woman wants to normalize her weight after giving birth, she should not drink a lot of jelly, as it is quite high in calories due to the large amount of carbohydrates. The maximum daily consumption of jelly for a nursing mother is 0.5 l, and if there is a tendency to excess weight, no more than 250 ml.
Can a nursing mother drink cherry compote?
Cherry compote is especially useful if a woman has a low hemoglobin level. In addition, cherries help strengthen the myocardium and prevent heart and vascular diseases, and also help restore a woman's body after childbirth.
Medical experts do not exclude the possibility of drinking cherry compote while breastfeeding - this allows the child's body to receive all the necessary vitamins and microelements for the proper functioning of the central nervous system.
Cherry compote can be drunk by almost all young mothers. Of course, only after the absence of hypersensitivity to cherries in the baby is proven. If no allergy is found, then the mother can easily consume not only compote, but also juice and other dishes with added cherries.
Can a nursing mother drink dill water?
Dill water is a godsend for both a new mother and a nursing baby. Dill improves digestion, cleanses the blood, and accelerates metabolic processes.
Dill water has the following healing effects:
- eliminates swelling, expels bile;
- relieves spasms;
- stabilizes high blood pressure;
- disinfects, relieves pain;
- calms;
- relieves increased gas formation and colic;
- stimulates milk production.
It is especially recommended to drink dill water if the child begins to have colic, and also if the mother has a lack of milk.
The only contraindication may be low blood pressure. If the mother suffers from hypotension, then doctors recommend replacing dill water with caraway or anise infusion: these seeds have a similar effect.
Can a nursing mother drink ginger?
Ginger root is an irreplaceable remedy in many situations. For example, it will help strengthen the immune system, improve the health of the stomach, cleanse blood vessels, strengthen the bone and nervous system, and also lose weight (ginger is a well-known "fat burner").
However, despite the huge list of positive properties, ginger root is not allowed to be included in the diet of all nursing mothers. The fact is that the taste of ginger can cause an allergic reaction in the baby, increased irritability and tearfulness, and increased colic. If a woman is prone to bleeding, then ginger can aggravate this problem. Given this, doctors do not recommend using ginger to prepare drinks and dishes if the baby is under 6-7 months old.
In addition, ginger should be avoided if a woman suffers from digestive diseases or high blood pressure.
If the baby is already six months old, and the woman has no contraindications to taking ginger, then you can try adding a little root to tea. The first intake of such a drink should not exceed 50 ml. If the child adequately perceived the new taste, then the volume of the drink can be increased later, but not more than one cup (200 ml) per day.
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Can a nursing mother drink raw water?
It is not recommended to drink raw tap water, because it can cause stomach upset in infants.
Drinking raw water is only allowed when this water was taken from sources tested by the SES (for example, a well or borehole). You can also drink water that has been passed through a high-quality filter that has not expired.
To avoid complications, most experts still advise boiling the water you drink.
Can a nursing mother drink mineral water?
As for mineral water, you can drink it while breastfeeding if it does not contain gases. In this case, you should choose only table types of mineral water. You should not drink medicinal water during lactation, as it contains too many mineral components and salts, which can create an additional burden on the still weak child's body.
Can nursing mothers drink Sassi water?
Sassi water is used primarily for weight loss and body cleansing. Since women do not stop thinking about their well-being and appearance even in the postpartum period, the question of drinking Sassi water becomes relevant. Such water improves digestion, reduces gas formation, saturates the body with moisture.
Why are there doubts about drinking Sassi water while breastfeeding? The fact is that classic Sassi contains ginger root, mint, and sometimes citrus fruits. Such components can cause allergies and sleep disorders in infants. To avoid adverse symptoms, experts do not advise women to drink such water until the baby is 6 months old. After that, you can gradually start drinking the drink, taking into account the following points:
- all product components must be of high quality and fresh;
- fruits, leaves and roots included in the drink must be washed thoroughly;
- You should only drink fresh beverages.
Sassi water should not be drunk if the nursing mother has kidney disease, stomach problems or duodenal ulcers.
Drinks and breastfeeding – sometimes this combination is useful, but sometimes it is harmful. Any caring mother always thinks not only about her own health, but also about the health of the child. When introducing certain drinks into your diet while breastfeeding, you should always be careful and try new juices or compotes literally drop by drop. If everything is fine and the child does not have a negative reaction, then you can drink to your health – of course, within reasonable limits.