Which Diet For Nursing Mothers?
The diet for breastfeeding mothers should be rich because the need for nutrients is significantly higher than during pregnancy.
Now that you are breastfeeding, you need to eat richly. This does not necessarily mean that you have to eat a lot, but you should make sure you eat a healthy diet that should be as varied as possible. Your diet should include all types of foods, especially dried fruits, eggs, and vegetable fats such as olive oil.
You will likely need to take vitamin supplements. These can help you maintain your reserves of certain nutrients. Especially those that are difficult to ingest through food. These include, for example, folic acid, iodine, iron or vitamin A.
However, you should only take these supplements with a prescription from your doctor. This ensures that you are taking the right dose for you and your baby.
A tasty diet for nursing mothers
oatmeal
Oatmeal has historically been one of the most common diet recommendations for nursing mothers . Oats are known as one of the best foods to include in your breastfeeding diet, and there are many good reasons why oats have earned their reputation.
Eating a bowl of warm porridge every morning is one of the recommendations of Kelly Bonyata, a certified lactation consultant (also IBCLC: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) of the International Lactation Consultant Association ® . The bowl of oatmeal will keep you full all morning and provide you and your baby with iron, fiber, and protein.
Berry
Strawberries, blackberries and blueberries are also part of a healthy diet when breastfeeding. Berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber. They’re also a good source of vitamins and easy to include in your diet because you can even eat them with porridge.
Basically, you should include as much fruit as possible in your breastfeeding diet. Fruit gives you the vitamins your body needs to breastfeed, including vitamins A, D, E, B1, B2, and folic acid. A great way to incorporate fruit into your diet is through a fruit salad. Try to eat two servings of fruit a day, with the peel if possible. The shell contains fiber.
Eggs
Eggs are a good source of protein and fatty acids and a source of vitamin D. It is difficult to get vitamin A from other foods. You can eat boiled eggs as a snack, in a salad, or at will. Just make sure it doesn’t cause allergies in your baby. Otherwise enjoy it!
meat and fish
While breastfeeding, you should eat mostly lean meat. Try to avoid fatty and processed meat whenever possible.
Also, try to eat fish at least four times a week. It should be either white or oily fish – both are good for you. For example, eat salmon, saithe or catfish and avoid swordfish, mackerel and shark. The latter can have a high mercury content.
Dairy products
You should also drink at least three glasses of milk a day while you are breastfeeding. You can also use cheese or yogurt to support the intake of dairy products.
What you should know about diet for nursing mothers
While it is always important to eat healthy, it is even more important when breastfeeding. Your body is challenged more than usual. Below we explain why and give you a few more tips:
- When breastfeeding, your body needs around 16 cups of fluids per day. This can also include liquids that are in the form of food, e.g. B. as soup, is consumed. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty!
- Caffeine goes straight into breast milk. Reduce your consumption to a maximum of three cups of coffee a week.
- Foods high in fiber, like whole grain breads and cereals, are highly recommended after giving birth because they help with constipation.
- You should be careful not to lower your calorie intake below 1,500 calories per day while breastfeeding, according to experts. A very low-calorie diet can lead to fatigue and reduce the production of milk. Breastfeeding mothers should consume between 2,300 and 2,500 calories per day for a child. In twins, it is 2,600 to 3,000 calories.
- According to experts, you should avoid over-the-counter herbal supplements. Most of the time nobody knows the exact composition of these products. Some of the substances in it can affect your hormones. So they can harm the health of you and your baby.
- In addition, according to experts, you should avoid alcohol and tobacco while breastfeeding.
