Eating Correctly while Breastfeeding
Today's women are more open to breastfeeding their new-born babies. Many new mothers are keen to breastfeed even for a short period of time eg during their period of maternity leave from their jobs.
Breastfeeding has many benefits for mother and baby and are widely known to women all over the world. Two benefits are especially significant. Firstly it gives baby a nutritional foundation for a healthy start in life including the antibodies needed to resist childhood infections and diseases.
When breastfeeding, a healthy diet is important so that baby can absorb all the good nutrients from you.
Here are some tips for the breastfeeding mother with regard to her diet.
• Drink plenty of fluids but do not overdo it. Too much can cause a reduction in milk production and make mother uncomfortable by having to go to the toilet very frequently. Too little will lead to thirst and even dehydration if the busy new mother forgets to take fluids regularly. A rule of thumb is to drink something ten to fifteen minutes before breastfeeding baby.
• Have five small meals daily making sure they include water, low fat dairy products, and fruit.
• Avoid sweets as they are not healthy for mother and baby.
• Avoid too much caffeine, chocolates and spicy food as these can cause allergy in baby.
• Eat plenty of vegetables especially green leafy vegetables like kale and broccoli.
• Include moderate amounts of peas, beans, lentils and whole grain which give vitamins and calcium.
• Reducing meat intake enables mother to avoid ingesting pesticides and harmful chemicals as traces of toxic chemical can end up in mother's breast milk.
• Avoid fish that have high mercury content like tuna, swordfish and other predator fish. At high levels mercury can cause brain damage.
• It is important that breastfeeding mothers avoid alcohol. Mothers may unknowingly drink a few too many alcoholic beverages if she feels the stress of coping with a new-born. Although alcohol passes through the milk in less than an hour, it could affect baby's growth if he ends up consuming alcohol in large quantities.
• Do not take medication without your doctor's advice as some drugs may be unsafe while breastfeeding.
• A multivitamin preparation and calcium supplement tablets are good if your doctor prescribes them for you. They help to promote mother's and baby's health and baby's bones also grow strong and rapidly.
• Smoking is unhealthy for mother and baby during and after pregnancy including breastfeeding.
The tips listed above are good for your breastfeeding diet and health as well as baby's health. It enables you to pass on beneficial nutrients to baby and help him develop well physically and mentally.
Breastfeeding has many benefits for mother and baby and are widely known to women all over the world. Two benefits are especially significant. Firstly it gives baby a nutritional foundation for a healthy start in life including the antibodies needed to resist childhood infections and diseases.
When breastfeeding, a healthy diet is important so that baby can absorb all the good nutrients from you.
Here are some tips for the breastfeeding mother with regard to her diet.
• Drink plenty of fluids but do not overdo it. Too much can cause a reduction in milk production and make mother uncomfortable by having to go to the toilet very frequently. Too little will lead to thirst and even dehydration if the busy new mother forgets to take fluids regularly. A rule of thumb is to drink something ten to fifteen minutes before breastfeeding baby.
• Have five small meals daily making sure they include water, low fat dairy products, and fruit.
• Avoid sweets as they are not healthy for mother and baby.
• Avoid too much caffeine, chocolates and spicy food as these can cause allergy in baby.
• Eat plenty of vegetables especially green leafy vegetables like kale and broccoli.
• Include moderate amounts of peas, beans, lentils and whole grain which give vitamins and calcium.
• Reducing meat intake enables mother to avoid ingesting pesticides and harmful chemicals as traces of toxic chemical can end up in mother's breast milk.
• Avoid fish that have high mercury content like tuna, swordfish and other predator fish. At high levels mercury can cause brain damage.
• It is important that breastfeeding mothers avoid alcohol. Mothers may unknowingly drink a few too many alcoholic beverages if she feels the stress of coping with a new-born. Although alcohol passes through the milk in less than an hour, it could affect baby's growth if he ends up consuming alcohol in large quantities.
• Do not take medication without your doctor's advice as some drugs may be unsafe while breastfeeding.
• A multivitamin preparation and calcium supplement tablets are good if your doctor prescribes them for you. They help to promote mother's and baby's health and baby's bones also grow strong and rapidly.
• Smoking is unhealthy for mother and baby during and after pregnancy including breastfeeding.
The tips listed above are good for your breastfeeding diet and health as well as baby's health. It enables you to pass on beneficial nutrients to baby and help him develop well physically and mentally.