How to Eat Healthy This Chinese New Year

As a breastfeeding mom, it’s common knowledge that you should be eating well. After all, a healthy mom produces quality and nutritious milk, and therefore, a happy baby. Right?

However, the Chinese New Year period can be a challenging one. With lots of delicious – but sometimes unhealthy – food, you may feel like you’ve run out of options. But this shouldn’t be the case. With a few handy tips, you’ll be able to feast like before while still ensuring that your breast milk and supply remain a-okay.

Plan Ahead

Making a list of breastfeeding-friendly foods, scheduling meal times, planning pumping and latching breaks, communicating with family and friends, and bringing a cooler bag for milk storage are ways you can stay prepared when you’re going around your CNY visitings. In this way, you’ll always have access to healthy food options and even keep up with your breast milk supply.

Some breastfeeding mothers may experience a drop in milk supply due to the lack of rest and the hustle and bustle of the festivities. To keep your spirits up and stomach fed, bring along handy and nutritious snacks, such as lactation cookies, when out and about.

Opt for Fresh Ingredients

Many traditional CNY dishes are filled with processed ingredients. Steamboat, for example, is commonly served with dishes which are high in salt, fat, and MSG content, making it unhealthy if consumed continuously over a few hours.

The beauty of steamboats is that you can choose what to put into your bowl. Instead of reaching for that luncheon meat, opt for a few servings of fresh vegetables instead. 

Watch Your Portion Size

It’s easy to get caught up in the festive atmosphere and overindulge, but moderation is key here. Two or three pineapple tarts is more than alright, but if you’re eating an entire bottle at one go, you may wish to double down.

A good way to pace yourself is to use a small plate instead of snacking directly from the packaging. This way, you’ll be able to portion out however much you want without losing sight of the portion.

Stay Hydrated

As a nursing mother, you need about 16 cups of water each day. But with all the visiting and travelling, it can be easy to forget to drink up – and the next thing you know, your supply has noticeably dipped.

You may consider bringing a bigger tumbler with you so you don’t have to constantly refill your bottle, or pack a few thirst-quenchers such as lactation cold pressed juices. This way, you’ll get to stay hydrated and enjoy the lactation induction benefits.

Bring Your Own Snacks

If your CNY schedule is hard to predict, or you just want to stay prepared, the best way is to bring your own snacks. At Marian’s Lactation Boost, you’ll find a wide array of foods for lactating mothers. Designed to improve breast milk supply and help you produce nutritious milk, these products will definitely support your breastfeeding journey whether you’re at home or out visiting.

From lactation cookies to allergen free and vegan lactation cupcakes to lactation overnight oats which you can bring out with you, there’s something for every palate. Need to stock up before CNY comes along? Check out our bundle deals in Singapore or find out how to handle nosy questions from relatives about your breastfeeding journey today.