Breastfeeding milk

Previously, it was believed that the amount of breast milk was directly dependent on the amount of liquid consumed, and even doctors recommended drinking more milk and tea with it. Modern trends say that food has no effect on lactation, and milk is considered a strong allergen and is not recommended to be included in the diet of a nursing mother. Is this true and can a mother drink it while breastfeeding?

Should I drink milk while breastfeeding?

Nursing mothers are concerned about the fact that milk contains proteins that cannot be absorbed by the baby's digestive system. This opinion would be justified if it went directly into the newborn's stomach. But in reality, the product undergoes certain transformations in the woman's body and the baby gets a different formula. It is worth remembering that milk is an excellent source of calcium - an element that is essential for muscle and bone growth, many vitamins and microelements. Enriching your body with them will be useful for both the mother and the baby. Doctors recommend starting to drink milk after the baby is one month old. [ 1 ]

What kind of milk can I drink while breastfeeding?

The word "milk" often evokes the association "cow". But in fact, the product comes from different animals, is processed and prepared in different ways, and there is also milk from plant cultures. Which one can you drink while breastfeeding? Of course, the most popular and accessible cow's milk. Let's talk about its different options:

• homemade milk is the healthiest fresh milk, straight from the cow. It contains more than 30 types of vitamins, 20 amino acids, about 40 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, immune bodies, enzymes, and many microelements. In fact, this is not a drink, but real food. Only rural residents have the opportunity to consume such a product, and city dwellers buy it at the market. There is no guarantee that the cow is kept in proper sanitary conditions, is not sick, and the hostess is clean. Whole homemade milk is usually fatty and this can cause an allergy in a child. Therefore, you need to try drinking a little and monitor the baby's reaction. At the first signs of an allergy, switch to other types of the product;
• boiled milk - boiling will protect it from bacteria, although it will reduce the content of useful substances. When buying a product at the market, this is the most reasonable way. In addition, it gives the opportunity to drink normalized milk, i.e. brought to the desired fat content by diluting with water. After boiling over a fire and cooling, it can be stored in the refrigerator for quite a long time;
• baked milk - it tastes much better than boiled milk and is better absorbed. The technology of its preparation is that after boiling it is kept for a long time on low heat, in a stove or oven. As a result, the content of fat, calcium, iron, vitamin A becomes more concentrated. At the same time, ascorbic acid (4 times) and B1 (2 times) are destroyed. To determine whether it is harmful to the baby, you must first try it, and if there is no reaction, drink it as usual;
• store-bought milk – we buy pasteurized milk of varying fat content in stores. This technology allows us to preserve most of the useful components, since it requires heating it only to 60-70°C, and delaying the souring process for 36 hours. This form of milk is the safest for a nursing mother;
• dry milk - it is obtained by drying normalized pasteurized cow's milk. To obtain a drink, the powder is diluted with warm water. The fact that it is used in the preparation of infant formula speaks in favor of its use during lactation;
• condensed milk - consists of concentrated milk and sugar. Its protein content exceeds 30%, it is very high in calories. For a long time, there was an opinion that tea with condensed milk can increase the volume of milk during lactation. Modern research proves that this is a myth. Condensed milk can cause allergies in a child, so until the baby is three months old, mothers who love sweets are not recommended to consume it;
• lactose-free milk is processed milk from which lactose has been removed. It is found only in the milk of mammals and promotes the absorption of calcium, other microelements and the reproduction of beneficial bacteria. But lactase is needed to break it down into simpler carbohydrates. Insufficient production of this enzyme causes digestive problems for both mother and child: bloating, pain, vomiting, regurgitation, loose stools. In lactose-free milk, the separation of lactose into glucose and galactose occurs at the stage of its production, so it is completely harmless to the body, while retaining all the nutritional qualities of natural milk.

Goat milk during breastfeeding

The best alternative to cow's milk if the baby does not accept it is goat's milk. It contains more protein, calcium, fat, while the balls of the latter are smaller, which allows 100% absorption by the body. The amino acids of its protein are close in composition to female ones. It is a hypoallergenic dairy product, because it contains beta-casein, and not alpha-1s-casein, like cow's milk, which causes allergies. At first, it is recommended to dilute it with water and boil it, as the baby grows, try to drink natural milk in small portions and, if there are no rashes on the body, fully introduce it into your diet within 48 hours.

Types of lactose-free milk

Most often, in our minds, milk is a product of animal origin, and in the retail network it is represented by these dairy products. But with the expansion of geographical and nutritional boundaries, plant-based milk has begun to enter our lives. It turns out that it is not only not inferior in composition and quality to traditional milk, but sometimes even surpasses it. In addition, it does not contain lactose, which means it is better absorbed, does not cause allergies, while simultaneously providing us with protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Here are some of its types:

• soy milk - soy is used to make it. It has a soft creamy taste, low in calories. Compared to animal milk, it is almost as good in protein content. There is little calcium, but manufacturers enrich it with it at the production stage, it has little saturated fat, cholesterol. It is a source of lecithin, isoflavones, vitamin E. Soy milk does not contain simple sugar - galactose, which makes it a complete substitute for breast milk for children with galactosemia, it is used in infant formula. If the child does not have intolerance to soy protein, then a nursing mother can drink it; [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ]
• coconut milk – for lovers of the smell and taste of coconut, it will become not only a nutritious liquid, but also a delicacy. It is made from the pulp of the fruit and water. In addition to vitamins and microelements, it contains lauric acid, which increases immunity, 27% fat, 4% protein, 6% carbohydrates. You can make the milk yourself by pouring part of the pulp with three parts water. Strain after an hour and take; [ 6 ]
• rice milk – made from whole grain rice, which is first ground, then boiled in water, the resulting mass is mashed until a viscous consistency is obtained. In industrial production, vegetable oil, thickeners, flavorings are added, and calcium and vitamins are fortified. It has little protein and fat, but no lactose or gluten. Suitable for feeding as a dessert; [ 7 ], [ 8 ]
• almond milk – it has a sweet and delicate creamy taste, it is an excellent source of calcium. In addition, it contains omega-3, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc. And most importantly, it is easy to prepare at home. To do this, the nuts are soaked in water for several hours, then ground with water in a blender, filtered. For taste, you can add vanilla and honey, although the latter can cause allergies in the baby; [ 9 ]
• oat milk – contains protein very similar to animal protein, including gluten. Like any plant milk, it has no saturated fats, but a lot of dietary fiber. The B vitamins in it prevent the formation of “bad” cholesterol. [ 10 ]

Drinks with added milk

The theory that hot drinks with added milk increase lactation has gone into oblivion. And yet, drunk half an hour before feeding, it relaxes the woman's body, the mammary glands expand, which facilitates the flow of milk. This will happen without adding milk, but a nursing woman cannot refuse drinks that increase her performance, restore strength and vigor, although they contain components that are undesirable for the child, and the dairy product neutralizes their negative impact:

• tea with milk - from a wide variety of tea varieties, it is best to choose green tea without aromatic additives, tea bags should also be avoided. It contains vitamins, proteins and amino acids that improve metabolism, essential oils. This is its positive effect on the body, at the same time, the alkaloids (theine) in its composition excite the nervous system and can lead to anxiety in the child, problems with sleep. Milk, if it does not cause rejection, will solve this problem, but you should not get carried away;
• coffee with milk - the baby's body is unable to absorb caffeine, and it can also reduce the iron content in breast milk, so it is not recommended to drink it before 3 months. If you cannot resist the temptation, you can drink a cup every few days, using a weak drink of ground coffee with milk;
• cocoa with milk - it contains significantly less caffeine than coffee, but theobromine, the main biologically active component, has a similar effect. Therefore, in the first months of a child's life, the drink is undesirable, although in small doses together with milk it is not strictly prohibited;
• chicory with milk - a powder from the root of a medicinal plant that tastes like coffee can replace it, but not earlier than 3 months after the baby is born. Chicory has many useful properties: B vitamins have a positive effect on the nervous system, inulin lowers blood glucose levels, nicotinic acid is involved in many oxidation-reduction reactions, vitamins E, A are necessary for normal metabolism, growth of teeth and bones, C improves immunity, iron, potassium, magnesium are also necessary for a growing body. But such a composition does not yet guarantee that the child will normally perceive the drink. Like any other new product, you need to start with a small dose, monitoring the reaction. If everything is normal, then you can gradually increase the volume, and milk will give the taste pleasant notes;
• "Nesquik" with milk is cocoa with added preservatives and flavorings, although it is positioned as a drink for children. It also contains useful ingredients, it is enriched with vitamins and microelements, so if a nursing mother does not drink it often with added milk a few months after giving birth and this does not cause any negative response in the baby, then it is not forbidden.

Milk allergy during breastfeeding

What symptoms make women give up animal milk and resort to plant milk, of course, if they are not vegans? The picture of manifestations is very specific, which creates difficulties in diagnosis. In half of the cases, these are skin rashes: urticaria, nodular rash, redness, burning, irritation. [ 11 ], [ 12 ] In others - a reaction of the digestive system: regurgitation, increased gas formation, colic, vomiting; changes in the respiratory system: nasal congestion, difficulty breathing also indicate an allergic reaction. Even the eyes can be affected and conjunctivitis can occur, the mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals can be affected. In medicine, there are no tests, except for an expensive placebo-controlled provocative test with possible severe consequences, that can detect an allergy to milk. Therefore, the diagnosis is based on the results of observations, clarification of the presence of a hereditary predisposition, a medical examination, as well as the exclusion of dairy products from the mother's diet. As children get older, milk allergy goes away in 30% to 79% of children.