What is a good diet for breastfeeding mother?Inadequate diet for breastfeeding mother can hurt the ability to take care of both mother and baby. Breastfeeding moms who eat less than 1500 to 1800 calories per day, may experience a decrease in milk supply. Some women fear they cannot nurse due to bad eating habits but good nutrition doesn't need to be the barrier to breastfeeding. The truth is that breastfeeding moms can eat most foods. A healthy diet is based on a varied menu of high-quality foods to help your body make breast milk that is rich in vitamins. Breastfeeding mothers who eat a nutritious diet ensure good health for themselves and optimal growth patterns for their babies. One of the miracles of breast milk is that it can meet your baby's nutritional needs even if you're not eating a perfect and well balanced diet. The downside to the wonders of breast milk is that your body will make the milk and if you are not eating well… you will be the one who suffers first. Poor diets and irregular eating patterns can have bad effects on your milk production and flow in extreme cases such as anorexia or if you are under weight. A healthy diet for breastfeeding mother suggestions for healthier eating patterns while breastfeedingDrinking enough fluids Part of the healthy diet for breastfeeding mother includes drinking enough water and other fluids. Breastfeeding mothers should drink to satisfy thirst. It's recommended that a breastfeeding mother drink at least 8 cups of water per day however fluid intake should be regulated by an individual's thirst.A good way to remember to drink enough is to take a few sips every time you sit down to nurse your baby. Grab something to drink while nursing or keep a water bottle near your favorite breastfeeding chair. Constipation may be a sign that you're not drinking enough fluids. If you're experiencing hard, dry stools, increase fluids and try to increase your fiber intake (fresh fruits and raw vegetables, and whole grains). A natural way to relieve severe constipation is drinking Senna Leaf Tea and make sure to drink a lot of fluids! There is no proof that drinking more fluids will increase milk supply. Drinking huge amounts will actually cause you to produce less milk. Women who are trying to lower their milk supply should not lower their fluid intake as that will cause less urine output NOT less milk flow. First find the strengths in your diet - you'll be amazed at how small changes can lead to huge improvements! The diet for breastfeeding mother and your concern for good nutrition doesn't end with the birth of your baby. Apply good eating habits to both your family's and your breastfeeding diet - it will enhance and influence the well-being of the whole family. Mothers need to know about the effects her diet has on her own health and breastfeeding. The Healthy Eating Equation diet for breastfeeding mother anything you want* + moderation + nutritious = healthy Most foods are allowed in the diet for breastfeeding mother s however there are special cases where it is recommended to follow a list of certain foods to avoid. Eat a balanced and varied dietThe healthy diet for breastfeeding mother s is varied and balanced. The best indication as to how much you need to eat should be your own appetite. The food pyramid organizes how much of each food type one should eat according to its size on the pyramid. Your breastfeeding diet's total daily food intake needs to include a variety of foods from each food group. Eating enough caloriesSome breastfeeding moms need between 300 and 500 extra calories per day above what was needed to maintain pre-pregnancy weight. Your calorie intake depends on how much you exercise and whether or not you wish to maintain your current weight, lose, or gain weight. Eat different foods to get the calories, vitamins, and minerals you need to stay healthy.Diet considerations and breastfeedingForbidden “colicky” foodsYou may continue to eat most foods in your normal diet while breastfeeding and most baby fussiness or "colic" is normal for a new baby, and is not related to foods in your diet. There is little evidence to prove whether or not gassy or spicy foods - when eaten in moderation - cause discomfort or problems for a breastfed baby. Studies that have tested that eating gassy foods does not cause any increase in gas or crying in the babies. The gas we get from beans comes from the undigested part that remains in our intestines. The portion that enters the blood stream and into the breast milk is not the part that causes gas.Vegetarian mothersBreast milk of vegetarian mothers is usually nutritionally similar to that of meat-eating mothers. Vegetarian moms need to make sure that their diet includes enough proteins. If you eat a vegetarian, vegan or macrobiotic diet, you may also require extra vitamin B12, vitamin D, iron, and calcium during pregnancy and breastfeeding in order to make sure your breast milk contains a sufficient amount of those vitamins and minerals.Coffee, tea, and caffeinated drinks Caffeine is not forbidden in the diet for breastfeeding mother s though it is best to limit caffeine while breastfeeding because it may make your baby edgy or irritable, and can even have effects on sleeping patterns. It’s best to mostly drink caffeine-free beverages when breastfeeding and if you crave caffeine, limit those to about two eight-ounce servings per day.Alternatives to CoffeeSome ideas for instant Coffee substitutes are drinks made from roasted herbs, grains and chickory such as Chicco,Inca, Pero, Roma, Caffix, Roastaroma. Try these stimulating drink suggestions that pack a punch without the caffeine Green Tea is full of antioxidants and comes in many varieties. Black Tea has a strong flavor and also tastes good with milk. It still has caffeine but half as much as coffee. Licorice Tea has a sweet flavor. Siberian Ginseng Tea is a herbal tea that is also known to have a toning effect on the body. Yerba Maté tea does not have caffeine, but has a stimulating effect. Chocolate powder also has a bitter, coffee-like taste with a mild stimulating effect when unsweetened. Alcohol Drinking alcohol on rare occasion can be compatible with breastfeeding when calculated and well thought-out.Alcohol abuse and frequent binge drinking can cause serious side effects in the baby such as failure-to-thrive and slow weight gain and can damage infant motor development.Breastfeeding mothers who frequently consume moderate-to-heavy alcohol levels may inhibit let-down, or milk-ejection reflex and restrict the amount of milk the baby gets. Smoking and tobacco Heavy cigarette smoking can reduce milk supply. A study done on breastfeeding and smoking states that cigarette smoking significantly reduces breast milk production.On rare occasions cigarette smoke has caused symptoms in the breastfeeding baby such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Smoking can stop or inhibit the milk let-down reflex.Smoking has been linked to early weaning.Smoking can cause fussiness and colic. Health conditions affecting diet for breastfeeding motherA few maternal health conditions may have an effect on milk production such as metabolic conditions such as thyroid illness and diabetes, eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, and depression. Medical professionals and nutritionists specializing in these areas can help you develop a reasonable diet plan if a health condition controls how much you eat or how your body uses food. Weight loss diet for breastfeeding mother ProteinNursing mothers need to eat 64 grams of protein per day. Protein builds every type of tissue cell such as muscle, blood and bone. It supports growth and healthy body cells and helps form antibodies that increase resistance to infection. Meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, peanut butter, soy,and whole grains are all great protein-rich food choices.
Healthy easy-to-prepare chicken and vegetable recipe.
MineralsCalcium leaves your bones and enters your milk however this will NOT make you at higher risk for osteoporosis as you will recover bone mass after weaning. The diet for breastfeeding mother s requires 1200 mg of calcium per day. Great sources of calcium are milk, cheese, egg yolk, canned fish, tofu, almonds, leafy vegetables, and whole grains. If you do not get enough calcium from your diet it's recommended to take a supplement.Phosphorus = 1200 mg per day Iron = 18+ mg per day Zinc = 25 mg per day Iodine = 200 u gc per day Magnesium = 450 mg per day VitaminsVitamin A = 1200 RE per day Vitamin D = 10 u cg per day Vitamin E = 13 mg per day Vitamin B and folic acid = 600 u cg per day Niacin = 18 mg per day Riboflavin = 1.7 - 1.9 mg per day B1-Thiamin = 1.5 mg per day B6 Pyrodoxine = 2.1 mg per day B12 = 2.6 u cg per day Vitamin C = 100 mg per day * anything you want does NOT include the recommended Substances to Limit or Avoid including some medications,nicotine and tobacco,alcohol,caffeine, and certain allergens and foods to avoid.
| 
