Choline While Breastfeeding

Choline is a B group vitamin and is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in early brain development.

Women who are breastfeeding have higher choline needs than non lactating women. Find out what Choline while breastfeeding does for you and your baby.

What does choline do for a baby?

Choline is not only an essential nutrient for infants but is critical during fetal development.

Choline plays a role in brain and nervous system development. Choline influences stem cell proliferation, muscle function, brain function and spinal cord structure.

Adequate choline intake by pregnant women greatly reduces the risk of neural tube defects in their babies.

Choline is passed from a nursing mother to her breastfed baby. For breastfeeding mothers, adequate intake of choline supports healthy brain development in their baby.

Recommended choline intake for pregnant and lactating women

The recommended daily choline intake is 450 mg for pregnant women and 550 mg for breastfeeding women. According to the National Institute of Health, the average choline intake of women in the United States of America is 278 mg per day.

Most prenatal vitamin supplements and other dietary supplements (excluding a choline supplement) do not contain enough choline to meet this requirement.

An adequate intake of choline during pregnancy and breastfeeding can be achieved through taking prenatal vitamin supplements, in addition to eating a balanced diet, including foods rich in choline.

What are choline rich foods for breastfeeding mothers?

Breastfeeding mothers require extra calories to replace the energy burned during breast milk production. It’s important that lactating women choose foods with adequate nutrients to support their health and that of their babies.

Foods to include in a choline rich diet for a breastfeeding mother are:

Eggs (particularly egg yolks); 1 whole egg contains 147 mg of choline, almost one quarter of the daily requirement for a breastfeeding mother
Organ meat (such as liver); 85 g of beef liver contains 240 mg of choline, almost half the daily requirement for a breastfeeding mother
Fish (such as salmon or tuna); 85 g of salmon contains 187 mg of choline
Beans (such as soybeans, lima beans and kidney beans)
Shitake mushrooms
Almonds
Quinoa.

Can choline increase breast milk production?

Choline is not required to produce breast milk; it is an essential nutrient for the optimal health of a growing baby.

The fastest way to increase breast milk production is to increase the frequency and volume of milk removal. This can be done by offering your baby more frequent breastfeeds or by using a breast pump to express milk.

If you are concerned about your breast milk supply, seek advice from an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

Can too much choline be harmful for a baby?

More research is needed to determine how much choline could cause adverse effects in infants. It is unlikely, however, a baby would receive too much choline from breast milk, infant formula or food sources.

What is the link between choline and SIDS?

One study conducted in Australia identified that babies who died from SIDS had lower levels of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), an enzyme involved in brain arousal pathways, than living babies.

Although more research is needed to provide recommendations with regard to choline and SIDS, the study provides evidence that low cholinergic activity is a biological mechanism that contributes to SIDS.

For more information on SIDS prevention, you can read BellyBelly’s article SIDS Prevention – 6 Ways To Reduce The Risk.

What is the difference between choline and DHA?

Choline and DHA are both essential nutrients for growth and development.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for normal brain development and brain function in infants. Choline is a key component of the molecule that carries DHA around the body, transports it into the brain and forms the structural building blocks of membranes.

Research into the effects of choline and DHA in the first 1,000 days (from conception to 2 years of age) has found that adequate intake had beneficial effects on neurodevelopment, as well as other health benefits in relation to birth outcomes, growth and infant morbidity.

How do I know if I need more choline?

Pregnant women and nursing mothers who do not take folic acid supplements or who are low in vitamin B12 are at greater risk of inadequate choline intake.

You can read more about the importance of folic acid in BellyBelly’s article Folic Acid While Breastfeeding | Why It Is Important.

Choline deficiency can lead to poor memory, learning or mood disorders and fatty liver disease.

How do you know if you are getting enough choline?