Returning to work and continuing to breastfeed hasn’t been easy (and I’m only 7 working days into it!). I’m still trying to figure out the best schedule (I currently nurse him once during the night around 2:30 AM, in the morning when he and I wake or after I’ve showered, and in the evenings on demand—usually 3 times), but thankfully I’m pumping enough for his 3 bottle feeds during the day while I’m away.

So while my pumping/feeding schedule might change, I know one thing that won’t: HUNGER. I knew that I’d need to eat an extra 300-500 more calories while breastfeeding, but I just didn’t realize how incredibly ravenous (and thirsty) I would be throughout the day. And I’ve always been a big eater!

I really don’t have a clue how many calories I’m consuming—I feel like it’s enough because I’m holding on to about 12 pounds from pregnancy and haven’t seen a drop in my supply—but I’m really trying to keep healthy and nutrient-dense snacks at my disposal.

Keeping with What I Ate Wednesday’s theme, below is yesterday’s day of eats. My pictures are awful, so bear with me on that!

Breakfast: I normally go with a bowl of oatmeal, but today I grabbed something quick and easy—an English muffin (topped with butter) and one of the last Harry & David Royal Riviera pears (the best!). Plus coffee (duh).

Midmorning snack: a cheese stick and one of the lactation bites I threw together Monday night (rolled oats, flax meal, brewer’s yeast, peanut butter, coconut flakes, honey, and a few chocolate chips—I didn’t really measure). The combination of oats, flax, and brewer’s yeast is thought to be excellent for lactation—and the peanut butter and coconut are a good source of fat and protein (which are essential for milk production).

Lunch: sausage pistolette with sautéed onion and green pepper (leftover from Monday’s dinner)—maybe not the healthiest, but it was delicious!

Afternoon snack: another lactation bite (I needed something sweet) and a few baby carrots; cheese and crackers

Dinner: baby kale salad topped with breaded chicken

Dessert: a piece of king cake!

Just like before, I keep my water bottle full, and I always take it with me to pump. Hydration is important for anybody, but it’s especially important for lactation. It’s amazing how thirsty I get during a feed or pumping session!

One thing is for certain: after indulging through the holidays, I want to make sure I’m consuming (mostly) healthy foods. Obviously there’s always room for king cake. It’s important to me for Baby M to be exposed to a wide variety of nutrients and flavors so that he’s healthy, of course, but also so he’s less likely to be picky when solids are introduced.

What’s something you ate today?