Think again! Dietary supplements, and protein powders in particular, are not just essential for bodybuilding. Supplementation can be useful in many other situations, including during breastfeeding, for sportswomen or women with deficiencies.
The valuable proteins whey provides can help a breastfeeding mother. During breastfeeding, any dietary deficiency will affect the quantity and quality of breast milk. If the mother is sporty or protein-deficient, whey is the ideal solution to meet the baby's needs.
Nevertheless, it is essential to choose your whey carefully. The composition of the product should be taken into account to prevent any side effects that could affect the baby or mother. Under these conditions, we can only recommend a whey with no additives or processed ingredients, produced in France.
Taking a dietary supplement after pregnancy always requires careful consideration. New parents should consult a nutritionist to establish a suitable diet. Not only vitamins, but also carbohydrates and minerals play an important role in the diet of a breastfeeding mother and in the health of her baby.
Whey and pregnancy: what are the risks?
So you already have an answer. Whey is not inadvisable during breastfeeding. However, this may be the case during pregnancy. How can we explain such a recommendation when the product would be beneficial after the baby's birth?
Health authorities believe that, as they stand, some protein powders contain ingredients with unknown effects. Studies carried out in recent years have failed to confirm the safety of some of their components. We return to this subject in our article dedicated to the side effects of taking whey protein.
In the end, there's no need to take whey during pregnancy. What's more, dietary supplements prescribed following prenatal check-ups already prevent nutritional deficiencies.
Under these conditions, the protein powder consumed could constitute an excess that is not particularly beneficial for either mother or child. The excess calories ingested could lead to unwanted weight gain for both mother and baby, and complicate delivery.
Specialists therefore advise pregnant women to meet their protein requirements with everyday foods. Whey is rarely considered. In such a scenario, the medical profession will prefer to resort to specific prenatal supplements. All this is to ensure that the birth goes off without a hitch.
Why take whey while breastfeeding?
The birth of a child marks the end of prenatal vitamins and supplements. However, a young mother's protein requirements increase when she starts breastfeeding. The Swiss Society of Nutrition estimates this increase at just over 15 g of additional protein per day during breastfeeding.
Consumption of whey will therefore be useful if the mother's diet does not enable her to meet her needs. The same applies if she practices sport or is following a slimming diet. It should be remembered that sporting activity increases protein requirements, and athletes must therefore have an adequate intake.
On the other hand, a low-calorie diet increases the risk of muscle mass loss, since the body will tend to burn protein from muscle fibers due to the calorie deficit.
A breastfeeding mother can therefore rely on supplementation to meet her nutritional needs and produce optimal breast milk. However, the situation varies from mother to mother.
Some of them already follow a suitable diet. It's also important to stress that, with a balanced diet, whey consumption is not necessarily useful for a sedentary person.
That's why we encourage you to start by consulting a nutritionist. Only this specialist will be able to assess your diet and adapt a suitable plan. If necessary, he or she can suggest a protein powder or other dietary supplement.
In most cases, you'll need to review the basis of your diet in order to absorb sufficient amino acids while limiting fat storage. Don't hesitate to consult our article on the best whey for women if you're interested in this subject.
Breastfeeding and whey: a danger for the baby?
Beyond the benefits of whey for the mother, we also need to consider the potential side effects that could affect the baby. Unfortunately, doubts persist about the safety of some protein powders on the market.
Protein powders can be contaminated by various undesirable substances(doping products, heavy metals, etc.). These contaminations are sometimes linked to the addition of additives. These additives can have undesirable effects of varying degrees of severity.
Additives have no nutritional value. These compounds are intended to improve various aspects of the finished product, including taste, texture and solubility. The scientific community calls on consumers to be vigilant regarding some of these substances.
As you can imagine, the choice of a protein powder will be all the more decisive for a woman who is breastfeeding. We don't know to what precise extent these additives and processed ingredients can affect your little one's health. So, for yourself and for your child, it's best to be cautious and choose your whey wisely.
Which whey to choose when breast-feeding?
First and foremost, you need to quantify the protein requirements of a breastfeeding woman. This will help identify the type of whey to choose. As mentioned above, her body needs to absorb around 15 extra grams of protein if she doesn't do any sport, and even more if she does.
Since there's no question of consuming huge quantities of protein, classic whey or isolate will be just the thing. In fact, all you need to do is supplement your protein intake with one whey shaker a day at most. So there's no need to opt for a product with a huge protein concentration.
Even so, it's crucial to choose a perfectly safe dietary supplement. Unfortunately, there is no real safety index. Consumers must rely on product composition and avoid potentially dangerous ingredients. Young mothers should avoid any dietary supplements with a long list of ingredients, or containing additives.
These compounds may end up in breast milk. Doubts about the effects of additives should prompt mothers to be extra vigilant. To leave nothing to chance, opt for an additive-free whey produced in France, like the classic Protéalpes range.
A whey without additives will taste much more natural and light, compared with sugar-free but sweetened products. It will be much healthier and will not alter the composition of breast milk.
If you're a sportswoman or breastfeeding, make sure you include it in a balanced and varied diet, with no more than one portion per day.
To find out more, discover the best whey for glutes, our opinion on protein powder for teenagers and how to build muscle without equipment?
