Diet while breastfeeding

It is important!

At the same time, the composition of milk is not constant: it differs at different times of the day and during different periods of lactation.
For example, the concentration of fat changes even during one feeding: at the end it is 4-5 times higher than at the beginning. It is believed that the fat content at the end of this process acts as a satiety regulator, so the timing of any feeding should not be arbitrarily limited*. Energy and the formation of strong immunity.

As for lactose in general, it is not only a great source of energy for the baby. In his body, it breaks down into substances that help the development of the central nervous system. The enzymes contained in breast milk populate the baby’s body with the necessary flora, form and strengthen the immune system, which means it will be less likely to be affected by viruses.

Tender feelings.

With natural feeding, the emotional connection between a mother and her child only intensifies, which is also important. Also, during feeding, the female body produces the hormones oxytocin and prolactin, which have a calming effect.

It is important!

It is recommended to introduce new elements into the nutrition system gradually, observing the child’s reaction to a particular dish.
It is best to adhere to a fractional system, i.e., eat 5-6 times a day 30-40 minutes before feeding the baby - this promotes better milk secretion. Pay attention to the list of must-have products that will support your body:

• low-fat fermented milk products: kefir, sour cream, cheese, cottage cheese;
• cereals: buckwheat, corn, rice;
• vegetables and fruits: pears, apples, potatoes, cauliflower, white and Brussels sprouts, broccoli, zucchini and others;
• soups: with vegetable broth;
• lean meats: turkey fillet, chicken (boiled and stewed, as well as in the form of steamed cutlets);
• bread: 2nd grade wheat, rye;
• drinks: herbal tea, dried fruit compote, sugar-free fruit drink;
• butter: 20-40 g butter and 20-30 g vegetable oils.

Basic rules of nutrition during lactation

After the birth of the baby, the mother must adhere to a special menu so that her breast milk becomes quite healthy and nutritious, but does not contain substances harmful to the baby. The speed of recovery of her body and the state of health of the child depend on how correct the mother’s nutrition is. The baby's intestinal microflora takes at least a month to form. During this period, it is especially important to carefully select products.

Breast milk should not contain anything that can disrupt the functioning of the fragile gastrointestinal tract or cause an allergic reaction. Calorie content is important for the mother herself, otherwise she will gain even more excess weight.

When breastfeeding, be sure to consume foods that contain the required amount of nutrients. In addition to proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, you need calcium, magnesium, vitamins, and fatty acids.

The calorie norm for nursing mothers is 2600-2700 per day. This is more than the daily caloric intake recommended for people losing weight. But milk production is a fairly energy-intensive process, so all 2,700 calories will be consumed and will not remain in the body as fat deposits. But you should not exceed the specified norm.

You should accept that losing weight during lactation will not be fast. At this time, strict diets and fasting days are prohibited. They may not deteriorate the quality of milk, even lead to its premature disappearance.

It is not difficult to create a menu for a nursing mother. It generally corresponds to the principles of proper nutrition, but there are some peculiarities. You must follow the rules:

• exclude alcohol and tobacco;
• refuse pronounced flavoring additives, seasonings, dishes with garlic or raw onions;
• exclude products of low quality and questionable freshness;
• drink more fluids - water, weak tea, homemade compotes;
• eat small meals often.

It is important to immediately exclude foods that can cause allergies. As the baby grows, they should be gradually introduced into the diet and observed to see if a reaction occurs. These products include:

• vegetables and fruits of bright orange color;
• citruses;
• nuts;
• egg yolks;
• seafood;
• chocolate;
• honey.

After the birth of the baby, a mother who is responsible for breastfeeding includes a minimum of foods in her diet. Preference is given to completely hypoallergenic natural food. A month later, new products begin to be introduced. This is done with extreme caution. The first to introduce dishes without chemical additives and allergens. First you need to eat a little of the new product and watch the baby’s reaction for a day. If he does not have any digestive problems or skin rashes, he should eat the same product in one regular serving for 3-4 days. If after this no problems are found, we can assume that the product has been successfully introduced into the diet and proceed with the introduction of the next one. If a negative reaction occurs, you need to postpone introducing the product for about a month, then try again.

After a caesarean section, a woman must adhere to the menu prescribed by the doctor. This is important for her recovery after surgery.

What foods are not recommended for a nursing mother to consume?

Almost everything a mother eats is present in milk in one form or another. You should avoid foods that can worsen the taste of milk (salty, sour, spicy) and its smell (garlic). Some foods, for example, legumes and white cabbage, can have a bad effect on a child’s intestines - increase gas formation and even cause diarrhea. It is not recommended to eat foods that are likely to cause allergies.

• Highly allergenic foods - fish, caviar, seafood (crayfish, crabs, shrimp, crab sticks, canned snack foods), eggs, mushrooms, nuts, honey, chocolate, coffee, cocoa.
• Smoked and marinated foods, fried meat.
• Whole milk, cream, fermented milk products with flavors and fruit fillings, glazed cheese curds.
• Tropical fruits, strawberries, raspberries.
• Fast food and fast food.
• Alcohol.
• Carbonated drinks.

Nutrition for a nursing mother throughout the year

Products are introduced into the diet of a nursing mother gradually, month by month. A newborn child is allowed:

• lean meat;
• white fish;
• dairy products;
• pasta;
• olive, sunflower, corn oil, as well as butter, but the latter - no more than 30 g per day;
• vegetables: potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, beets, zucchini, cucumbers;
• cereals: corn, buckwheat, oatmeal, rice;
• bananas and dried fruits, almonds;
• boiled egg - no more than 1 per day;
• rye, bran, coarse bread;
• sweets: marshmallows, bagels, casseroles, marshmallows, biscuits.

From 0 to 3 months

It is allowed to include various nuts in the menu in small quantities. But peanuts and pistachios are still prohibited.

In the second month, homemade jam from cherries and apples is allowed. You can have borscht, but only lean borscht.

At 3-6 months after birth

You are allowed to eat honey, fresh white cabbage, various freshly squeezed juices, pearl barley and wheat porridge, and beans (just soak them first).

From 6-12 months

You can eat seafood, various types of fish, exotic fruits, a variety of berries, and chocolate. Onions and garlic are also allowed.

You are allowed to drink a little wine. Fried food is acceptable, but the main thing is that it is not fatty.

Useful tips

Allergens tend to gradually accumulate in the body. Thus, the baby may react to foods that have been present in the mother's diet over the past two weeks. For this reason, experts recommend that nursing mothers keep a food diary in which all meals must be recorded. In this case, if a child exhibits allergy symptoms, it will be possible to look at the diary entries and guess which product the body reacted to. Such notes are especially relevant in the first months of a baby’s life.

Nutrition rules

Diet while breastfeeding is very important. Most women believe that it is enough to give up foods that cause allergies and colic. But there are more goals when following a diet:

• prolong lactation (milk production by the mammary glands) and breastfeeding as much as possible;
• replenish the lack of nutrients in a woman’s body after childbirth;
• prevent allergies, dysbacteriosis and flatulence in a newborn;
• avoid prevent constipation and hemorrhoids in women after childbirth;
• lose weight.

In addition, if you follow all the rules of nutrition for weight loss, the quality of breast milk will improve.

Doctor E. Komarovsky claims that there are many foods that are beneficial for a woman and her baby, so there is no need to follow an overly strict diet. This is a lot of stress for the mother’s body, which is passed on to the baby.

It is only necessary to follow the following basic rules of nutrition during breastfeeding:

1. Food should have enough calories. Some women who gain weight during pregnancy try to lose weight immediately after giving birth, so they start counting calories and reducing their intake. But during lactation you are supposed to consume more than 3 thousand kcal per day.
2. The diet must be correct and balanced, with sufficient amounts of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Fresh vegetables and fruits are very healthy due to the high presence of minerals and vitamins in them.
3. It is important to maintain a drinking regime. Water speeds up metabolic processes, ensures the coordinated functioning of the whole body, and is also the basis of milk. A nursing woman should drink about 2 liters per day.
4. You need to eat 5-6 times a day: there should be 3 main meals and snacks between them. As a result, the break between meals is 2-3 hours.

It is recommended to eat only boiled or oven-baked foods. If a woman eats raw vegetables and fruits, they must either be washed thoroughly or doused with boiling water.

How much fluid should you drink?

It is impossible to say for sure whether a woman needs to drink more water during lactation. However, you should drink your usual amount, and otherwise focus on the amount of milk. If it is enough or in excess, then you should not drink water forcefully. If it happens that it is not enough, then increase the volume by about 1000 ml. It is recommended to quench your thirst with bottled purified water without carbon. The need for fluid often accompanies the beginning of the feeding process, so you can take care of this in advance and keep a bottle of water nearby**.

Do I need to take vitamins?

The lactation period is accompanied by the body's greatest need for calcium, vitamin D, iodine and Omega-3 acids. If a woman eats a balanced diet, taking into account all the recommendations, then she should not be afraid of their deficiency. You do not need to take vitamins at your own discretion - only a doctor can prescribe them and only after passing tests. However, in order to increase lactation and maintain the level of minerals and vitamins in the female body, it is recommended to include specialized products in the diet, for example “Lactamil”: it contains the necessary macro- and microelements, vitamins, prebiotics, lactogenic herbs, Omega-3 fatty acids and Whey Protein.

Postpartum diet after cesarean section

A caesarean section is a serious operation, after which the body spends an incredible amount of effort to recover. After surgical delivery, it is important to monitor not only the woman’s reproductive system, but also the functioning of the urinary and nutritional systems. In order to help the body recover, specialists create a special diet and fluid intake regimen. In this case, the mother's standard diet is simply necessary.

On the first day after surgery, you can only drink non-carbonated mineral water. All other nutrients enter the body intravenously. Only from the second or even the third day, vegetable broths, chicken breast and whole grain porridge with water are added to the menu. Further, the diet of a woman after a cesarean section is no different from the diet of a woman who gave birth naturally.

To maintain lactation or to stimulate it, the following products must be included in the diet:

• fermented milk products: yoghurts, fermented baked milk, kefir (low-fat) approximately 0.5 liters per day;
• lean types of meat, boiled or baked;
• low-fat cottage cheese;
• fruits and vegetables - except those that can cause gas;
• vegetable oil and butter.