Health & Fitness
Know your Diet when you are Breastfeeding
By
There is a lot of conflict between modern and traditional approaches
regarding the diets during and post pregnancy. There is a certain set of
foods and drinks, which one approach stops you from consuming while the
other asks you to include them in your diet. Let us break the barriers
and delve into what exactly one can and cannot consume when
breastfeeding.
A lot of questions come up regarding the diet for breastfeeding mothers. Let us take all of them one by one.
Do breastfeeding moms need extra calories during lactation period?
It is often believed that mothers need to feed themselves more in order to effectively produce breast milk. Although, the calorie needs for increase for a woman by around 500 calories per day, there is still no need to add additional butter or ghee in your diet. The recommended calorie intake also depends on the age, height, weight and physical activity. One should remember that female body can effectively produce breast milk from what they eat regularly so, they don't really need to increase calories in their diet.
What should a breastfeeding mother eat?
Breastfeeding should be considered as an opportunity to follow the healthy diet plan you were already following when pregnant. Breastfeeding moms can keep their focus on foods like cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables; making sure their diet includes a lot of proteins, calcium, iron and other nutrients.
Traditionally, a lot of ghee, butter, sugar etc. were included in the diets of breastfeeding mothers to keep them healthy, but they were initially used as supplements to the traditional khichdi diet that mothers used to follow. If you are eating a regular diet without any changes, you can keep ghee and butter at bay.
How important are vitamin supplements?
Iron, folic acid and vitamin supplements form an important part of the diet for breastfeeding mothers. Vitamins A, B12 and C are also important.
Does addition of the extra fluids plays an important role in the diet?
Going over the top with fluid consumption is not recommended but keeping yourself hydrated enough is important. Also, apart from water, it is important to consider the intake of juices and milk. To complete the nutrition requirement, make sure to add a spoonful of health drink to your glass of milk. Health drinks add to the calcium and vitamin contents helping you to keep up with your health.
What foods should not be included in your diet?
There are no hard and fast rules about not consuming a particular food. It is possible that one type of food does not suit a mother and her baby while the same turns out to be good for others. Keep in check if your baby's health is affected when you eat a certain kind of food and breastfeed. Try avoiding it for the time you continue to breastfeed.
Is it fine to consume alcohol or smoke cigarettes for breastfeeding mothers?
It is best to stay away from alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, fish etc.because of high toxin contents. Toxins such as mercury, nicotine etc. can pass from your blood stream to your breast milk and then to your baby.
A lot of questions come up regarding the diet for breastfeeding mothers. Let us take all of them one by one.
Do breastfeeding moms need extra calories during lactation period?
It is often believed that mothers need to feed themselves more in order to effectively produce breast milk. Although, the calorie needs for increase for a woman by around 500 calories per day, there is still no need to add additional butter or ghee in your diet. The recommended calorie intake also depends on the age, height, weight and physical activity. One should remember that female body can effectively produce breast milk from what they eat regularly so, they don't really need to increase calories in their diet.
What should a breastfeeding mother eat?
Breastfeeding should be considered as an opportunity to follow the healthy diet plan you were already following when pregnant. Breastfeeding moms can keep their focus on foods like cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables; making sure their diet includes a lot of proteins, calcium, iron and other nutrients.
Traditionally, a lot of ghee, butter, sugar etc. were included in the diets of breastfeeding mothers to keep them healthy, but they were initially used as supplements to the traditional khichdi diet that mothers used to follow. If you are eating a regular diet without any changes, you can keep ghee and butter at bay.
How important are vitamin supplements?
Iron, folic acid and vitamin supplements form an important part of the diet for breastfeeding mothers. Vitamins A, B12 and C are also important.
Does addition of the extra fluids plays an important role in the diet?
Going over the top with fluid consumption is not recommended but keeping yourself hydrated enough is important. Also, apart from water, it is important to consider the intake of juices and milk. To complete the nutrition requirement, make sure to add a spoonful of health drink to your glass of milk. Health drinks add to the calcium and vitamin contents helping you to keep up with your health.
What foods should not be included in your diet?
There are no hard and fast rules about not consuming a particular food. It is possible that one type of food does not suit a mother and her baby while the same turns out to be good for others. Keep in check if your baby's health is affected when you eat a certain kind of food and breastfeed. Try avoiding it for the time you continue to breastfeed.
Is it fine to consume alcohol or smoke cigarettes for breastfeeding mothers?
It is best to stay away from alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, fish etc.because of high toxin contents. Toxins such as mercury, nicotine etc. can pass from your blood stream to your breast milk and then to your baby.
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