In the life of every woman there comes a period when she wants to take care not only of herself. She begins to plan her becoming a mother. However, for many it turns out to be a surprise that pregnancy is not only the birth of a new person, but also the restructuring of one's own body. Changes will affect not only appearance and social status, but even nutrition and daily routines. Many products may be allergic. That's why a hypoallergenic diet for a nursing mother is useful.
Why is this needed?
The menu of a nursing mother is a controversial topic not only among health workers, but also among young parents themselves. Pregnancy is a very important period in a woman’s life, when a lot of things seem new. Therefore, the first months after childbirth seem to land on an unfamiliar island, when in ambush troubles may lie in wait. Today the child cries for no reason, tomorrow smiles, no matter what. And in a week the baby will have a rash all over his body. "Is it an allergy?" the young mother asks. Yes, the reaction in babies happens very often, but because many pediatricians recommend following a diet throughout the entire period of breastfeeding. Are such strict food restrictions justified?
The opinion of doctors
Most pediatricians and nutritionists agree that a full and balanced menu means a lot to a nursing mother. This conclusion was made after a comprehensive study of breast milk, which showed that its vitamin and mineral composition is due precisely to the woman’s diet, while the energy value and content of BJ remain fairly stable. So meat, fresh vegetables and fruits must be present on the menu. Every day, a woman needs a sufficient amount of selenium, iodine, riboflavins, as well as vitamins A, group B and others. If there is a lack of any of the above, then the composition of breast milk may change. In the absence of indications, a hypoallergenic diet for a nursing mother can adversely affect her health of the woman herself and her baby.
What's at risk?
If a young mother is prescribed a hypoallergenic diet, the list of products under the ban is impressive. First of all, cow's milk gets into disgrace, which babies are most often allergic to in their first year of life. It's all about milk protein, which provokes the appearance of atopic dermatitis. In second place among allergens is the vegetable protein gluten, which is found in most cereals. Further in terms of allergenicity are chicken eggs, meat, seafood, chocolate and bananas. However, in addition to such basic products, it is not recommended to abuse strong tea and coffee, smoked meats and sausages, carbonated drinks, pickles and marinades, as well as products with an abundance of preservatives, dyes and flavor enhancers. At risk are also citrus fruits, exotic fruits, some berries and dishes from raw fish and meat. Needless to say, it is important to exclude alcohol from the diet, as it can cause neurological disorders in the baby.
Let's go through the symptoms
Rash and itching are not always symptoms of a food allergy. Often the cause of malaise can be acne in newborns, sensitivity to atmospheric phenomena, or even a household allergy. In these cases, a hypoallergenic diet for a nursing mother will not help. It is worth revising your nutrition in situations where the baby has large red spots on the skin, atopic dermatitis, itching and Quincke's edema. In this case, allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma can be observed from the side of the respiratory system. At the same time, problems with the baby's gastrointestinal tract may appear: nausea, vomiting, profuse and frequent spitting up, unstable stools or streaks of blood in the feces.
No diet anywhere
To prevent the risk of allergies, doctors advise feeding the baby milk for at least six months, while limiting complementary foods with milk mixtures. But there are specific indications. A rigid hypoallergenic diet for a nursing mother is recommended in the first month of breastfeeding, with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the baby, as well as in the presence of allergies in one of the parents. As a last resort, food restrictions are indicated for the first one to two months of feeding. And of course, you can’t do without a diet when a child has symptoms of a food allergy.
Healthy principles
So, the first thing to do is diagnose a nursing mother, since it is important to identify allergens and find an adequate replacement for them. For this, an allergist advises a woman to keep a food diary and note the reaction to certain foods. The meager permitted menu is replenished once every 3-5 days. And all this time, a woman watches the skin of a child. If the reaction is favorable, then you can continue to expand the diet. By the way, a complete rejection of potential allergens is not recommended. Ideally, you need to find that unstable balance of consumption for the formation of food tolerance. According to the degree of allergenicity, the list of identified products is divided into three groups: low, medium and high allergenic. According to the severity of the symptoms manifested in the baby, the pediatrician prescribes nutrition within one of these groups. However, the main factor in the appointment of treatment is an individual approach.
There are a number of common recommendations for cooking foods to reduce their allergenicity. In particular, the soaking of vegetables and cereals is important, which allows to reduce the content of starch, nitrates and pesticides. So, potatoes need to be soaked in cold water for about 12 hours. For other vegetables and cereals, two hours is enough, but the water must be changed periodically. If you cook soups, then on the second broth to reduce the content of hormones and antibiotics in meat. Fruits should be doused with boiling water before meals and always peeled. Finally, it is better to completely refuse to fry food, making a choice in favor of boiling, stewing, baking or steaming. It turns out that for the most part, a hypoallergenic diet for a nursing mother resembles the principles of a healthy diet.
Or is everything simple?
Many mummies ask a logical question: "Is it worth it to limit yourself in nutrition when you can switch to artificial mixtures?" Of course, each family decides this question in its own way. But the transition to artificial feeding is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, allergic phenomena will disappear, and a young mother will not “hang” for a long time in the market with thoughts: what kind of fish can be lactating? That is, nutritional problems will disappear, but only temporarily. After all, from six months the baby needs complementary foods, and with it all the same problems will begin. If the child has a tendency to allergies and he is not familiar with food through breast milk, then he can react violently to every new dish. As a result, the little man simply does not receive many valuable elements. So continuing to breastfeed is the best solution if you care about your baby’s health. Breast milk for him is an ideal food, the use of which cannot be replaced by artificial analogues. Through natural feeding, you can introduce your child to food and accustom yourself to small doses of allergens so that further feeding is as easy as possible. Thus, a diet during lactation will help to continue breastfeeding, minimize the manifestation of allergies in the baby and, by the way, identify food reactions.
The composition was broken!
The bottom line is that an important and necessary hypoallergenic diet for nursing. Her menu, by the way, can be quite varied and tasty. If the child has an allergy in a mild form, then a nonspecific diet is indicated, that is, a complete rejection of highly allergenic products and histaminoliberators. The latter mean products that enhance the body's production of histamine. Such a diet completely excludes cow's milk, red and black caviar, mushrooms, seafood, honey, cocoa, any nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, products with preservatives and flavor enhancers. With caution, the use of meat broths, chicken and beef, muffins, fruits and berries of bright orange colors is allowed. But all sour-milk products, cereals, many vegetables, greens, green apples and yellow berries, low-fat meat and offal, fish, olive and sunflower oil are allowed.
A specific diet is indicated for more severe forms of allergies. With it, it means the exclusion from the diet of products-histaminolibrators and specific allergens identified. On the basis of several proven permitted products, you need to start forming your menu.
Mom's note
If a woman is prescribed a hypoallergenic diet, the list of products available for preparation is not the richest. The following products are allowed:
- butter;
- low-fat varieties of pork, lamb, rabbit, turkey, offal (tongue, kidneys);
- cereals - oat, buckwheat, corn, rice, pearl barley;
- vegetables - white cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, potatoes (with preliminary soaking), zucchini, squash;
- greenery;
- dairy products;
- fruits and berries of green and green-yellow color (apples, gooseberries, white cherries, pears);
- some types of fish (zander, cod, sea bass);
- vegetable oil (olive, sunflower).
Menu
Is it easy to choose the best hypoallergenic diet recipe for a nursing mother? Not at all, because the list of allowed products is quite rich. Sample menu:
- For breakfast, you can eat any porridge, however, cooked not in milk.
- By lunch there will be nutritious pearl-barley soup with vermicelli. And on the second - pasta with pasta. For appetizer - vinaigrette or stewed cabbage. For sweets - jelly and a bun or casserole made from cubes of black bread and green apples, filled with liquid oatmeal.
- For dinner - boiled rice with a steam patty and pear. You can drink all this with compote from dried fruits (with HB they are very useful).
Recipes
Here are a couple of simple recipes:
- Cook the cauliflower and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs. Garnish with chopped dill.
- To prepare a delicious salad, mix chopped white cabbage with grated green apples. Add julienne boiled beef. Season with sour cream, sprinkle with dill
The main thing is to make a fantasy, and your menu will be varied. After all, all for the sake of a good goal - to raise your child healthy. So do not go out of this way!