Fruits and berries during breastfeeding
Last reviewed: 23.11.2021
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Fruits and berries during breastfeeding are a prerequisite for proper nutrition of each mother during lactation. It is very important that the main vitamins constantly enter the metabolism of the female body from medicines, as well as from fresh products. There are fruits that are especially useful during breastfeeding, and there are those that can cause side reactions in the child, so the choice of products should be treated responsibly.
The benefits and possible harm of fruit when breastfeeding
When you are breastfeeding, you need to choose your diet more carefully than during pregnancy. As many mothers know, one of the most important goals during breastfeeding is normal lactation and adequate supply of milk. A proper and healthy diet is very desirable, since it has a direct effect on the composition of mother's milk. Although the diet of the nursing mother is to provide sufficient quality and quantity of milk, some types of foods should be avoided. After all, there is a chance that your child may get sick or may experience allergic conditions due to an improper diet. Nursing mothers should strive for a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, as well as a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in order to obtain the necessary nutritional elements that are necessary for her and the baby.
Fruits should be in every mother's diet. They are a source of important dietary fiber, minerals and antioxidants. Compared to ordinary women, nursing mothers slightly increase the need for vitamins and healthy foods, since they must enter the baby's body with milk. Doctors usually advise mothers to breastfeed to include at least 500 grams of fruit in their daily diet, as fruits are rich in vitamins A, E, C, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and other elements. Half of these fruits should contain a high amount of vitamin C and folic acid, and the other half must necessarily include vitamin A. Fruits help provide extra food for your child. However, not all fruits have such advantages, especially when they often use them above the required amount.
What kind of fruits are recommended and which ones are undesirable in breastfeeding? The main fruits, which are allowed almost to all - are seasonal, local natural products. But do not forget about the possible reaction of your child to citrus fruits, because they can cause your child stomach upset. Highly allergenic food sources, such as raspberries and strawberries, can be transferred into breast milk, which can increase your child's chance to develop an allergy to food in the future. Therefore, you need only use hypoallergenic vegetables and fruits during lactation, of course, taking into account individual characteristics. First of all, you need to start adding to the diet those batteries that grow in the area where the mother lives. They are considered more adapted to digestion, as well as less allergenic.
Fresh fruits with feeding have their advantages, because it is in this form they contain a huge amount of nutrients.
Allowed fruit when feeding in the first month is a more limited list, because it is at this time that errors in the diet of the mother can cause colic in the child. In the first month of life, the newborn continues to form the intestine, so some fruits can cause increased fermentation or gas formation. Allowed fruits during breastfeeding in the second month already include some seasonal berries - watermelon, melon, as well as mango, blueberry. In any case, when forming a diet, you must first study the benefits and possible reactions to all fruits.
List of fruits with breastfeeding
There are some fruits that should be avoided during lactation.
- Citrus fruits are some of the most popular fruits. However, it is necessary to avoid citrus fruits and their juices, at least in the first months of a child's life.
Citrus fruits include fruits such as orange, lemon, kiwi fruit, pineapple. In most cases, citrus fruits give a pungent taste to your breast milk. Some children may object to its taste, and become fussy by consuming it. Sometimes your child may also develop a rash as a result of getting citrus into the milk. It may be allergic to citrus fruits.
But there are individual features in which most moms can eat citrus fruits without any problems during lactation. In fact, citrus fruits are excellent for nursing moms, either as an appetizer or as part of a meal, since they are full of vitamin C. Therefore, eating tangerines, lemon and pineapple to a nursing mother can be done with great care and in small amounts, and if there is no reaction, then You can allow this pleasure to yourself no more than twice a week.
- In addition to citrus, make sure that you do not consume cherries or prunes. Cherry can sometimes create problems with colic for your baby.
There is one fruit that can replace all the vitamins contained in citrus fruits, and it is great for nursing mothers - papaya.
Fresh and ripe papaya is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. One cup of sliced ripe papaya (about 140 grams) provides about 144% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C for adults. This is more than what an orange gives. Vitamin C is an immunoactive agent. It is also a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Vitamin A and flavonoids are also found in papaya. One cup of sliced ripe papaya provides about 31% of the daily needed intake of vitamin A for adults. This vitamin maintains healthy mucous membranes, skin and is vital for a healthy vision.
Papaya contains enzymes that help reduce inflammation, and the mother after severe birth can take advantage of these anti-inflammatory effects. It promotes healing and prevents infections, and also has the means that help prevent arthritis, macular degeneration and certain cancers.
Vitamins and antioxidants in papaya help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol. Therefore, it prevents the formation of cholesterol in the blood vessels. Papaya also contains folic acid, which is necessary in some biochemical processes that prevent damage to blood vessels. Papaya is also a good source of potassium. This mineral helps regulate heart rhythm and blood pressure, improving the work of muscles and kidneys. It also reduces blood clotting and promotes the opening of blood vessels. Therefore, it promotes a healthy circulatory system and reduces the risk of heart disease.
Papaya is a low-calorie fruit and does not contain cholesterol, so papaya is an excellent snack. It helps maintain the diet and does not gain weight. Papaya has a detoxifying effect and burns fat.
Green papaya (immature) and ripe papaya differ in taste and nutritional value. Green papaya is soft, but it seems more lactogenic.
Is it possible to eat plum for nursing mom? Plums are fruits with a high content of vitamin A, C, potassium. Plums can contain chemical phytoestrogens, which are similar in effect to female hormones. These substances have a positive effect on lactation, like the hormones of women. In addition, plums contain a lot of fiber and have penetrating properties when ingested, so it is recommended to use them if the child has constipation.
Figs are a high-calorie fruit that is good for moms when lactating to restore calories that they burn when breastfeeding (about 5000 calories are burned a day by feeding). Figs also have a lot of fibers, which will help moms prevent constipation. Therefore, it is possible to eat figs in the form of dried fruit as a dried fruit, as it still contains a lot of glucose. A few fruits of dry figs will help restore the need for sugar, which can be limited by feeding. You can also eat dates for nursing mother, but not more than four pieces per day.
Can I eat persimmon feeding mum? Persimmon is a source of essential acids and antioxidants. Persimmon perfectly maintains the level of glucose and cholesterol, affecting their metabolism and absorption. It contains a lot of dietary fiber and has a low allergenicity.
Strawberry is a seasonal berry that contains iron, magnesium, zinc. In addition, strawberry has a high water content, which helps with hydration.
Can I eat bananas for a nursing mother? Banana is the main source of potassium for the body of mother and baby. Potassium is very important for pregnant women, but maintaining a high level of potassium is still crucial in lactation. A normal level of potassium will help you maintain a balance of fluid and electrolytes. In one banana, there are about 450 milligrams of potassium. If anemia needs to increase the amount of folic acid, then bananas are also rich in this vitamin. Bananas very well satisfy the appetite, so you can eat bananas to your mother without any special fear.
Apples are a universal fruit that you can eat when lactating in large quantities. Its main advantage is that it is a regional fruit.
Apples contain a large number of dietary fiber. Fiber is a part of food that can not be destroyed by the digestive system. As a result, it helps to form normal processes of digestion not only in the mother, but also in the newborn. Fibers facilitate the removal of stools, so it prevents constipation. Dietary fiber apples also helps to regulate blood glucose levels, as well as the level of insulin and lipids. In addition, the apple has a low sugar content, which is an excellent food option for mothers with diabetes. Can I eat pomegranate for nursing mother? Despite the fact that pomegranate is a red fruit, it rarely causes allergies. Therefore, pomegranate can be used, especially when anemia in the mother or newborn.
You can eat kiwi and pears with a nursing mother, if there is no problem with the child's chair. These fruits, although they contain a large number of nutritional elements, but can cause colic and constipation.
Is it possible to watermelon while feeding? This berry has the properties to hold water in the body and cause fermentation. Therefore, in the early period is not recommended to eat watermelon, and when the child is older and the colic does not threaten him, then a small piece can be eaten.
Grapes are a fruit that contains a lot of glucose, which can cause fermentation in a child. Therefore, it is undesirable to use grapes for nursing mothers.
These are the main recommendations for the use, benefits and harms of certain fruits for mom during lactation. This must be taken into account, and if the child has problems with digestion or there are manifestations of allergy, then you need to adjust the diet.