The Best Breastfeeding Diet: What Should You Eat?

This fatty acid is a necessary component for optimal eye, brain, and heart development in babies. It is also the most abundantly found omega-3 fatty acid in breast milk. So, how can nursing mothers get more DHA in their diets? Somer notes that fatty fish such as salmon and herring are chock full of this fatty acid. Moms can also look for foods fortified with DHA, such as certain brands of eggs, cereals, and breads, and supplements that provide the necessary amounts of DHA for nursing mothers.

While it is recommended to take in 300 mg of DHA daily, a 2006 study done by the Society for Women's Health Research showed that on average, breastfeeding women in America are only taking in 60 to 80 mg a day—less than one-third of what they need.