The lactation period, as well as the period of pregnancy, is extremely important for both the mother and her baby. So that the baby does not suffer from colic and other digestive disorders, the new mother should pay special attention to her diet. The list of products that will not be harmful to a nursing mother and her baby is quite large, so there is no need to harass yourself with strict diets or introduce the most stringent dietary restrictions. It is enough that the loyal diet of the nursing mother is observed, and then everything will be in perfect order with the health of the crumbs.
Nevertheless, it must be understood that in the lactation period, everything eaten by the mother is present to one degree or another in the breast milk that the baby eats. Therefore, any malfunction in the digestive system of a woman can cause the child to feel unwell. And therefore, the products that enter the body of the nurse must be fresh, minimally refined, not contain preservatives, carcinogens and any other chemical additives.
What should you not eat a nursing mother?
Honey, chocolate, cocoa, citrus fruits, strawberries and other products that can cause allergies in the baby, in the first three weeks of life, the crumbs should be excluded from the diet. In addition, one must remember that spicy and salty foods can negatively affect both the smell of milk and its taste.
It is recommended to refrain from intentionally increasing the percentage of fat content in breast milk by consuming large amounts of fats, such as sour cream, pork and other products. With an increase in the fat content of breast milk, the baby will expend more effort to suck and digest it. As fats, it is better to use corn and sunflower oil - these are vegetable fats.
New products must be added to the daily diet gradually, in small portions, not forgetting to monitor the baby's reaction to such innovations throughout the day. If there are no signs of irritation or digestive upset, then a new product can be left on the allowed list.
Nursing mom's diet: allowed foods
During breastfeeding, a woman can eat eggs, dairy products, boiled potatoes, pasta, vegetables, pears, apples, nuts and cookies without fillers. Fatty foods, preservatives, spicy sauces and seasonings, creams, cakes and smoked foods should be discarded. It is also not recommended to use sparkling, sweet and even boiled water.
Drinks that the diet of a nursing mother allows can be as follows: tea with milk, compote from all kinds of dried fruits, juices (carrot, apple, pomegranate), fermented milk products up to 1% fat, cow's milk (only baked or boiled) are suitable. Do not forget about the diversity and balance of the daily diet, since the nutrition of the baby depends on this.
There are special vitamin complexes designed for pregnant women and mothers. They are designed to help your child get all the necessary nutrients in sufficient quantities. It is very good to use such complexes when there is no certainty that the child receives a sufficient amount of vital substances in his daily diet.
Starting from the sixth month after childbirth, the diet, which provides for the diet of a nursing mother, is expanding significantly, and among the prohibited ones there remains a maximum of one or two products to which the baby still does not respond well. After a year, if you continue to breastfeed, you can use everything except preservatives and dyes.
Sample menu of a nursing mother
- Morning - 170 g of kefir;
- Breakfast –250-300 g of milk buckwheat porridge, 200 g of tea with milk, 1 egg;
- 12 hours - fruit juice (200 ml);
- Lunch - 120 g of salad with dried apricots and grated carrots, 300 g of fresh cabbage, 80 g of boiled meat, 260 g of potatoes in milk, a cup of compote, 100 g of rye bread;
- Snack - 40-50 g crackers, 150 g low-fat fermented baked milk (up to 2.5%);
- Dinner - 200 g of cottage cheese souffle with 50 g of milk sauce, a cup of tea with lemon, a slice of bread;
- At night, you can drink 150-170 g of kefir.