You wake up feeling absolutely ravenous. It is 2am and you happen to have a tiny human wanting to drink from you at the same time. What do you do? What can you have on hand at that hour of the night? The best late night breastfeeding snacks are nutritious, easy to eat with a baby in your arms, convenient and quick to prepare and have next to your bed or in your baby’s nursery.
In this article, you will find some of the best late night breastfeeding snacks for those middle-of-the-night nursing sessions. If you are reading this, it is probably because you are tired of waking up feeling those incredible pains of hunger when you have your baby to focus on. Isn’t it interesting that even when you think you have eaten enough during the day, you can still wake up with an intense feeling of hunger when you are breastfeeding? Your late night breastfeeding snack should be not only filling but also nourishing.
Why do I wake up starving when breastfeeding?
We know how crazy hormones can go during pregnancy and for some periods and some women postpartum, things can be that chaotic during breastfeeding and before they level out.
When you start breastfeeding, your body is suddenly in need of far more calories than before. Producing breast milk requires a lot of energy and therefore it is not surprising that you wake up starving sometimes or even every night. Of course, if you are engaged in any exercise regimen, your body probably needs even more calories for sustenance and you may find that you need to eat more to keep up. Not just at night but throughout the day as well.
READ: How to win the best husband award when you have a breastfeeding wife
Do breastfeeding moms eat a lot?
According to Medela, breastfeeding moms can burn up to 500 calories per day in the first year of nursing. The calorie requirement during breastfeeding is therefore higher than usual and night time increases in appetite are perhaps to be expected for most people. Middle of the night breastfeeding snacks are important to have around to satisfy hunger pangs.
Do I need to eat at night when breastfeeding?
Nothing should stop you from eating at night while breastfeeding if you want to. If your body is asking for food, feed it. Infact, for the benefit of maintaining your breastmilk production, healthy snacks to eat at night while breastfeeding are important.
Can breastfeeding make you gain weight?
Research into how breastfeeding works shows that nursing moms lose 2 kilos more weight over 6 months of breastfeeding as compared to their counterparts who do not breastfeed.
We know that breastfeeding is hard work. Moms need more calories than usual when nursing. It is however important to note that you should try to eat healthily. It is when you eat a lot of unhealthy food while breastfeeding that you could gain weight rather than lose it.
What not to eat when breastfeeding
Generally, much of what you have to avoid while pregnant are also best to avoid while breastfeeding.
Sugary drinks, alcohol, caffeine and fish that are high in mercury like king mackerel and swordfish are to be avoided. Artificial sweeteners are also a no-go if you want to give as natural nourishment to your body as possible.
READ: Why you should re-consider Botox while Breastfeeding
So now you may be wondering what are the best snacks for nursing moms for late night breastfeeding sessions.
15 Best late night breastfeeding snacks
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The best late night breastfeeding snacks might not always be the tastiest but they should absolutely be filling enough to ensure that you are not hunting around for more to nibble on before breakfast. They should, ideally, also be healthy. Let’s get into it.
- Whole Wheat Breadsticks. These are the healthier version of breadsticks made from refined flour. They are great snacks for nursing moms because you do not have to worry about consuming healthy calories and they are easy to eat. They are quite handy to have at your bedside late at night, particularly if you have a dip of some sort to go with them.
- Muffins. These can be as calorie heavy as you would like them to be. You can control this best by finding good recipes and making a batch yourself but either way, they are a good snack to put at your bedside before bed for when you wake up hungry for a nursing session.
- Triscuits. If you are UK-based, you may not be so familiar with Triscuits. From the name alone, you will be able to guess that they are a type of biscuit or cracker. They are low in salt content and pretty versatile. If you are not a fan of plain-flavoured biscuits or crackers, you might like one of their flavoured versions.
- Plantain chips. These are my personal favourite. They are truly yummy! I’ll have them anytime of the day when I’m feeling peckish. Plantain chips are more vitamin rich than potato chips, for example, as they have more Vitamin A and Vitamin C. They are fried though, therefore if you are going to have them in your breastfeeding snack box, you need to know that you should not really be gorging on them.
- Rice cakes. These are easy to store in your nightstand and very easy to eat one-handed as well – two criteria we all look for in our late night breastfeeding snacks!
- Raisins. A handful of raisins, rather than a whole load of them, will satisfy your hunger pangs for much longer than you can imagine. They are also a good choice if you happen to have a sweet tooth.
- Unsalted nuts. We know that nuts are good for heart health. This would make them a good pick for a late night snack. For healthy snacks to eat at night while breastfeeding, it is also awesome to know that they are very easy to eat.
READ: Vasospasm breastfeeding: How to treat and prevent it
- Dried apricots. You might know that these are a good source of Vitamin C but they are also a source of phosphorus, potassium and calcium.
- Beef jerky. Certainly, you should not be inhaling these in large quantities. However, beef jerky consumed in moderation can be helpful to curb hunger pangs. They are best consumed in small quantities because they tend to have a high salt content and it is essentially processed meat.
- Unsalted popcorn. It is important that you have popcorn as a late night snack unsalted as you are likely to consume quite a lot of it. We know that once you start on it, it can be hard to stop. Unsalted popcorn is a great late night breastfeeding snack because it is low fat and high fibre.
- Granola bar. Yes, granola bars can indeed make for very healthy, quick, easily accessible snacks. However, it is important to bear in mind that they can be full of a lot of artificial ingredients too. You should, therefore, read the packaging well to make sure the ingredients are as natural as you think they are.
- Bananas. If you like bananas, put a couple next to your bed before you sleep. They are super easy to consume late at night when you have a baby in your arms and it is great that they do not need refrigeration. Apart from being high in fibre, they are also rich in potassium, manganese and magnesium.
- Sweet potato chips. You can make these at home for yourself! They are vitamin A-rich and also high in fiber. They are definitely a better option than the usual potato chip.
- Cheese sticks. These are a very easy grab-and-go type of snack. You get your protein, vitamin and calcium shot all in one with these and they are nice and quick to consume if you are starving but do not want to spend a lot of time eating anything before going back to sleep.
- Cassava chips. These are yet another healthier alternative to the usual white potato chip. If you are looking for a low-calorie, nutrient-packed tasty snack to pick at when you are feeling peckish during a late night breastfeeding session, cassava chips are it.
What have you been snacking on during your late night breastfeeding sessions?
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