Nutrition in the first months of breastfeeding

Mom's nutrition during breastfeeding is very important not only for the health of her baby, but also for restoring the physical form after childbirth. It is very important that a child with breast milk receive all nutrients that do not bring him discomfort in the tummy and do not cause allergic reactions. Therefore, mothers should know that they need to eat for this and in what quantity.

General rules for feeding mothers with breastfeeding

Many young mothers are interested in how breastfeeding will affect their diet, because the quality of milk depends on food. Some mothers with breastfeeding are so prone to taboos and obligations regarding her diet that breastfeeding may seem too complicated to endure for very long. Unfortunately, in most cases there is no real reason for the existence of these rules. Breastfeeding is a normal stage of a woman's reproductive life, where, like at all other stages of her life, her diet should be healthy, balanced and adequate, taking into account any specific medical conditions. In our daily lives, most of us have eating habits that are not "ideal", but still good enough to provide enough nutrition. A woman who does not strictly adhere to her diet can successfully breastfeed. However, it is important to keep in mind that good nutrition helps the mother maintain her health.

One of the important properties of breast milk is that it can fully provide the baby with calories and all the necessary nutrients, even if the ration of the nursing mother is not good enough. However, if the nutrition of a young mother is low in calorie, or if one group of foods is preferred with the exception of others, this can affect the quality and quantity of your milk.

Therefore, the main thing to remember is not to starve, especially to lose weight after pregnancy. After all, the main thing for the mother now is the health of her child, and the physical form will be restored gradually through proper nutrition, and not fasting at all. When the mother does not receive the necessary nutrients with the food she needs, her body relies on its reserves, which can eventually be depleted. In addition, Mom needs energy and strength to care for the newborn.

There are several principles for the correct nutrition of the nursing mother - this is sufficient caloric content, balance, saturation with vitamins and nutrients, the absence of harmful and allergenic products. But we must take into account that although there are main principles, but the approach to nutrition is individual, because some babies tolerate some foods well, others are not very good. A diverse diet is one that includes an assortment of different product groups, not excluding any particular product. But even in the case of specific allergies or food intolerance, a diet that includes different types of food and varies from meal to meal, day in and day out, and from season to season, will help reduce the reactions that can occur when you re-consume large amounts of a certain product.

Many nursing mothers feel hungry almost all the time, which makes sense, because your body works around the clock to make your milk full and nutritious. There is not a single answer to what exactly the caloric content of food should be for every nursing mother. The exact amount of calories depends on the number of individual factors such as weight, how much you have physical activity per day, how quickly and efficiently the metabolic processes in the body are going on, and how often you are breastfeeding. But in general, moms who regularly feed a child need from 2000 to 2500 calories a day. Mom, which is less active, has higher fat stores or feeds, more caloric, may require fewer calories than the mother, which is more active, has less fat reserves, and eats more processed foods. Instead of counting calories, follow your sense of hunger as a guide to how much you need to eat.

Can I breastfeed my mother at night? The newborn eats the same day and night, so that the mother's hunger at night after feeding is the same as during the day. Therefore, Mom can and should be eaten at night to ensure normal lactation. Another question is the weight of the mother, which can be increased because of this. In this case, the mother should give preference to light foods - kefir, cottage cheese, light soup, which will add energy and do not have the properties to be put off in excess weight. Sometimes it's just impossible to sleep after a night's feeding because of the feeling of hunger. This is of course and understandable, because after feeding the baby, the mother loses a lot of calories. In this case, you can not starve, and in the loss of excess weight this will help regular exercises. A low calorie diet in the first few months can reduce the amount of milk produced and the baby may be malnourished.

Balancing is one of the main criteria not only for the health of the child, but also for the normalization of the physical form of the mother. The use of the right combination of proteins, carbohydrates and fats contributes to the assimilation of the quantities of substances that are necessary for your body and the baby's body. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and cereals, some vegetables, not only provide caloric value, but they provide more lasting energy.

Some ingredients in mother's milk are present in constant proportions in all nursing mothers. Others may vary depending on the maternal diet. We know, for example, that the type of fat in the mother's diet is closely related to the type of fat in milk that mommy has, although the content of calories in breast milk is fairly stable. Therefore, when it is necessary to choose fats, it is necessary to give preference to mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Foods rich in such "healthy fats" are olive oil and fatty fish (for example, salmon), avocados, olives, nuts and seeds. It is important to limit saturated fats, which are easily digested and considered unhealthy. They are found in fatty meat, tropical oils (such as palm kernel and coconut), butter and fat. Getting too much of these unhealthy fats with food can change the fat structure of your breast milk, which is bad for your child's health.

Most nursing mothers can eat a variety of foods in the diet without any objection from their child. In fact, the taste of breast milk, which the child feels, depends on the quality of the products. The use of your favorite foods gives your child the "taste" of your diet, and this can help it shape its taste preferences in food in the future. This should be taken into account in the future with your meals.

Quite a frequent problem is the baby's allergic reaction to what the mother is eating. If so, you may notice a reaction to his skin (rash) and exclude such foods.

Even though your food is rich in vegetables and fruits, which are sources of vitamins, you can continue taking vitamins that were taken during pregnancy. Especially this applies to the time when on the street in winter or spring very few fresh healthy products. After that, you can switch to a regular multivitamin and mineral supplement or stay on your prenatal vitamin, depending on your individual needs.

You should consume at least three meals a day, a portion of calcium-rich foods (such as milk and other dairy products, canned fish or calcium fortified foods such as cereals, juices, soy and rice drinks and bread). If there are no such products in your diet or they are not in such quantity, then you need to take extra calcium. The recommended dose for women before, during and after pregnancy is 1000 milligrams.

If you are going to take calcium, it is also necessary to add vitamin D. It is a vitamin that promotes the structure of strong bone tissue and stabilizes the overall health. Vitamin D also helps your body absorb calcium, and it can reduce the risk of developing further diabetes and some autoimmune diseases. But the properties of vitamin D are such that it is not transmitted with breast milk, so the mother must provide herself with vitamin D, and the child also additionally with the use of medicines.

A healthy diet offers many benefits that go beyond those that directly affect breastfeeding. The whole family, including a child who will soon eat with others, reaps the fruits, as healthy eating habits are established. Even if a woman's daily diet lacks some nutrients, she will still produce milk, which will help her child grow. Just need to know the main principles of nutrition, from which, the mother can eat food and monitor the reaction of her child.

Food that mom needs when breastfeeding

It should be noted that there are practically no "forbidden products" during breastfeeding, and all dietary recommendations are individual. But there are major groups of products that should be included in the daily diet. What can and can not be eaten by a nursing mother? The main criterion is the child's reaction to what the mother is eating. And if for some women to eat cabbage or drink coffee categorically it is impossible, for others these products can be acceptable, as the child normally reacts to them.

The smaller the child, the greater the likelihood of allergic reactions or problems with the tummy in him. Therefore, if there are restrictions in nutrition, then they are especially strict in the first months, and further the diet can expand.

Proper nutrition of the mother during breastfeeding by months involves the use of products that do not cause the child problems at this age, although there could have been colic or other disorders earlier.

The main groups of products that must necessarily enter the diet of a nursing mother, this is the guarantee of proper nutrition and benefits for the child.

Fresh vegetables and fruits (preferably in season) of all kinds, eat raw or cooked. Choose products that are in the season in your area, for example apples, plums, grapes. Products that travel long distances often contain more pesticides. Fresh products have a better taste, contain more vitamins and are less prone to oxidation or damage caused by storage under less than ideal conditions. The shorter the time interval between harvesting and consumption of food, the healthier will be the fruit or vegetable. Nursing mothers need vitamins and every day you need twice to eat fresh vegetables or fruits. Cowberry and viburnum are berries, which have a huge amount of nutritious extracts and antioxidants. These berries are filled with useful vitamins and minerals, due to which you can maintain a high level of energy. Grapefruit and other citrus fruits during feeding are a great fruit, as nursing mothers require more vitamin C.

Spinach, rucola, parsley and dill contain vitamin A, which is useful for a child. Green vegetables are also filled with antioxidants.

Various grains (wheat, rice, corn, barley, millet) are preferably whole, in various forms, in the form of whole or broken kernels, as well as semolina and the minimum amount of flour (and products thereof, including bread and pasta).

Folic acid is crucial for the development of your child in the early stages of pregnancy. But its meaning does not end there. Folic acid is an important nutrient in your breast milk that your baby needs for good health. Bread from whole grains and pasta is enriched with folic acid, and also gives a healthy dose of fiber and iron.

Protein products from animal sources ( dairy products, eggs, meat and fish ) and plant sources (lentils, legumes, soybeans). Nursing mothers need to eat protein and iron, which are important for the structure of red blood cells and the provision of cells with oxygen. Iron is present in meat, legumes, green vegetables, whole grains and some dried fruits.

Omega-3 is an important fatty acid that children need for brain development. You can increase the amount of it in your milk, consuming fish 2-3 times a week. The best sources of omega-3 are: salmon, blue fish, bass, trout, flounder and tuna. Do not eat squid, shark and royal mackerel. They contain high levels of mercury.

A balanced diet can be achieved by eating different foods from each of these food groups, as well as by consuming individual foods in different forms, such as consuming different varieties of fruits and vegetables or cooking differently. Some vitamins and proteins are better absorbed if other vitamins and minerals are simultaneously present. For example, iron is used better if vitamin C is present in the diet. On the other hand, the surplus of certain types of foods can be harmful. A large amount of protein, for example, can lead to the fact that the body will get rid of excess amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Additives in food should be minimized. The use of preservatives prolongs the shelf life of food, often simply masking the processes of natural wear and tear. The preservative itself usually does not benefit our health, and the food products are in any case less nutritious than if it were fresh. Flavors and dyes retain the taste of food and smell good in the gap that goes away when it is processed, packaged, transported and eaten. Some stains are of vegetable origin and usually do not cause problems. Other colors are derived from animals or are synthetic, and can be a cause of hypersensitivity and related problems.

All food should be processed to the minimum extent. Only in this case all the nutrients originally present in the food are stored.

Milk and cheese are an important part of the ration of the nursing mother. In addition to providing proteins and B vitamins, such products contain a lot of phosphorus, and also with them your milk is loaded with calcium to ensure a normal synthesis of bone cells in both the mother and the baby. Therefore, it is important for you to have enough calcium to meet your own needs. Try to include at least three cups of dairy products every day in your diet. Cow's milk and dairy products are the sources of this mineral in this case. There are many other good sources of calcium, including: canned fish, such as salmon or mackerel, which contains bones that become soft during processing and are easier to eat, anchovy paste (from whole anchovies) also has a high calcium content. Seeds of sesame should be chewed well, to increase the ability of the body to use the calcium contained in them. Tofu or soy cheese, which often coagulates using calcium-rich substances, is an important part of a traditional diet enriched with calcium. Some kinds of algae (sea vegetables such as wakame), fermented products (miso) and seasonings, including soy sauce, can also help enrich the breast milk with calcium, as well as many other beneficial substances that are especially important for the nursing mother. But this does not mean that every mother should necessarily have all these products. Some of these foods should be present in the diet several times a week and this will be enough.

Almonds or other types of nuts and dried fruits, such as walnuts and dry, figs are important to consume in moderate amounts because of the high caloric content of these foods. Therefore, such products should be reasonably limited, especially if the child has unwanted reactions.

How much should I drink to a nursing woman? In general, drinking to the sensation of thirst is a good rule. Many mothers are thirsty when they are breastfeeding, especially when the baby is a newborn. Therefore, it will be useful during breastfeeding when you need to drink a glass of water. Drinking outside your needs is not necessary, since it does not help to increase the amount of milk.

Herbal teas and infusions are a pleasant way for many women to increase fluid intake. Although many believe that some herbs can increase milk production, we know that if the baby does not empty the breast regularly, then milk production will not reach its upper potential. Excessive amounts of herbal teas can be harmful, both for the mother and the baby, so they should be used sparingly and with caution.

There are no products that should be avoided simply because you are breastfeeding.

The question of drinking coffee is always considered debatable. Even a small amount of caffeine enters your breast milk, and it can accumulate and lead to tachycardia in the baby and his anxiety. Most moms limit the intake of caffeine (including coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, chocolate) no more than 300 mg per day. But I must say that it is normal, if my mother can drink a morning cup of coffee during breastfeeding, not exceeding the norm once a day. If there is no reaction in the child, then you can allow it. The dietary intake of the mother during breastfeeding at 1 month may be more limited, because during this period the functional activity of the intestine is not yet developed in the child, and problems such as colic, constipation or diarrhea are often encountered. Therefore, in the first month of life it is necessary to limit not only caffeine, but also other products such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, dairy products, chocolate, citrus, garlic or chili - all of which can contribute to violations of normal digestion. Mom's nutrition during breastfeeding at 2 and 3 months can be slightly expanded and introduce products that have been limited. You need to start with a small amount, and if the child does not have a reaction, then increase.

Avoid alcohol during breastfeeding, especially in the first month after the birth of your child. Alcohol quickly passes into breast milk (within 30-60 minutes your breast milk has the same alcohol content, the same as in your blood). If you are going to enjoy alcoholic beverages, keep in mind that your body needs two to three hours to eliminate alcohol. The exact time frame depends on how much you drink. Children consume less milk for four hours after alcohol enters the milk, thus protecting themselves. The child can become sleepy and fall asleep more quickly after you have a drink. But the harmful use of alcohol in breastfeeding is undeniable, so alcohol should definitely be excluded from the ration of a nursing mother.

Mom's nutrition during breastfeeding is an important factor that affects the quality of breast milk. But we need to remember that there are no strict limitations in certain products, and all recommendations are individual. It is usually recommended that the nursing mother should eat whenever she likes, in the quantities she likes, and continue to do so if the child does not have a clear reaction to certain foods. After all, the pleasure of feeding should be not only for the baby, but for the mother.

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