Raw fruits and vegetables when breastfeeding

In order for a newborn to develop normally and receive the necessary nutrients, breastfeeding is important. Only mother's milk will provide a balance of vitamins, minerals, and fats, but for this, the mother herself needs to eat properly and ensure that their intake into the child's body. Raw vegetables and fruits are a real treasure trove of useful ingredients, without which a balanced diet is unthinkable, and besides, this is a way to lose weight after pregnancy, but not everything is so simple.

Can a nursing mother eat raw vegetables?

Experts say that in the first months of the formation of the digestive system of the child's body, it is necessary to approach the choice of raw vegetables very responsibly and stop at those that are easily perceived by it. In the diet of a woman during lactation, the share of raw vegetables and fruits can be a quarter of the daily volume of food. A new vegetable should be introduced no more often than once every 3 days, in small portions, while observing the baby's reaction, try to eat them grown in the garden yourself, and when buying at the market or store, ask for a certificate of nitrate content. To be on the safe side, soak them in salted water for 2 hours before eating. Let's dwell in more detail on the most popular of them:

• fresh cucumbers - they contain more than 90% water, the rest - potassium, magnesium, calcium, a lot of iodine, vitamins B, C, PP. They are desirable for mothers, because they are low in calories, fiber has a beneficial effect on digestion, has a laxative, diuretic effect, but in a child they can provoke bloating, colic, sometimes dysbacteriosis. Rarely, cucumbers can cause allergies due to the presence of salicylates in them, but for such a reaction you need to eat a lot of them. They can be introduced into the diet no earlier than 4-5 months;
• fresh cabbage - not all adults perceive white cabbage normally, let alone infants. Although it contains components useful for humans: vitamins A, C, P, B1, K, B6, methionine, enzymes, phytoncides, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, but often causes intestinal irritation, flatulence. All these useful substances could strengthen the child's body, if not for its coarse fiber, it will create an undesirable load on the digestive system that is not yet fully formed and will cause gas formation, pain in the tummy. The decisive factor in this matter can be the mother's reaction to the fresh vegetable, if she does not experience any unpleasant sensations, then the child is able to adequately perceive it, but of course not from the first months of life;
• fresh tomatoes - in the first 2-3 months of the baby's life, they can cause him trouble, but then, gradually introducing them into your diet, this vegetable will only benefit both the child and the mother. The main thing is that there is no allergy, since their red color indicates a potential allergenicity of the product. Fortunately, there are yellow tomatoes, and they should be preferred. The composition rich in vitamins will increase the child's immunity, protect him from various infections, serotonin normalizes the nervous system, choline will raise the level of hemoglobin in the blood, numerous minerals will play a positive role in the formation of a healthy bone, muscle system, regulation of cellular metabolism;
• raw carrots - everyone knows the beneficial properties of this vegetable, but beta-carotene in its composition can cause an allergic reaction in the baby. The latter argument makes you postpone the inclusion of raw carrots in your diet for 5-7 months, in boiled or baked form it can be present in a month. Together with mother's milk, the child will receive beta-carotene, necessary for visual acuity, B vitamins - for the activity of the brain, nerve cells, vitamins C, E, involved in the formation of immunity, numerous micro- and macroelements, without which vital processes of growth of the body are impossible;
• raw onion - there is an opinion that onion can change the taste of breast milk, make it bitter, and there is a possibility that the baby will refuse it. All this seems to be fiction, because no one eats it in large quantities, especially a nursing mother. You should not completely refuse it, because due to the phytoncides present in it, there is resistance to the proliferation of pathogenic microflora, the fastest healing of diaper rash and other skin problems, it has a beneficial effect on the intestines, is a source of vitamins C, E, B, PP, carotene, iron, potassium, organic acids. Green onion feathers can increase the production of breast milk;
• fresh dill - the appropriateness of this plant in the diet of a nursing mother certainly does not cause any doubt, because everyone uses dill water to eliminate spasms and colic in babies. For a woman during lactation, it will also bring undoubted benefits: it will eliminate heaviness in the stomach, reduce the intensity of headaches, reduce problems with sleep disorders, and also increase the amount of milk in the mammary glands. It owes its beneficial qualities to the presence of folic acid, nicotinic acid, carotene, rutin, vitamins B, E, C, anethine - an antispasmodic substance.

Can a nursing mother eat raw fruits?

It is very tempting to return to various delicacies after a series of restrictions during pregnancy, which include raw fruits, especially if the joyful event took place in the summer and there is an abundance of fragrant bright fruits around. But can you eat them raw during lactation? There are several rules on how to choose them so as not to cause allergies and painful bloating. Firstly, in the first month of a child's life, you need to exclude fruits of bright saturated colors, since their pigment provokes allergic rashes on the skin. Secondly, for the same reason, citrus fruits are generally prohibited, thirdly, you should not eat fruits known for their laxative effect on the intestines: plums, grapes, certain varieties of pears.

Fresh pineapple

Fresh pineapple is a low-calorie dietary product containing vitamins C, B1, B5, B6, PP and a small amount of minerals. What makes it unique is the enzyme bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory, regenerating, and immunostimulating effects. It promotes the breakdown of protein and its absorption in the digestive tract. At the same time, it is one of the strongest allergens, so a mother should not begin introducing it into her diet until the child is 5 months old, starting with a small piece and observing the baby's reaction. Fresh pineapple juice contains a large amount of ascorbic and malic acid, so it should be diluted with water in a ratio of one part juice to 3-4 parts water.

Fresh apples

Apples are the most accessible and widespread fruit in our region. They are abundant both in summer and winter on store shelves: different varieties, sizes, skin colors, tastes. We know that they contain a lot of iron and this has a good effect on the level of hemoglobin in the blood. They also contain numerous organic acids: citric, malic, tartaric and others that strengthen blood vessels, as well as carbohydrates, which are a source of energy necessary for the growth and normal functioning of all vital systems of the child. Apples speed up metabolism, pectins in it help improve the motility of the digestive organs and the absorption of nutrients by their walls. All these characteristics indicate the undoubted benefit of the fruit during lactation. The only trouble associated with it is the possible manifestation of an allergy from red apples, so it is best to peel them before eating them. Several fruits a day will bring pleasure and saturate both mother and child with the necessary ingredients, and to avoid spasms, it is best to start eating them from the age of one month.