Health Breastfeeding

A breastfeeding diet is the appropriate regimen of food and vitamins that a nursing mother needs to take in, for maintaining her health and the nutritive content of her milk; in this way also maintaining the health of her baby. The average output of mother’s milk is from 23 to 27 ounces daily, each quart containing roughly 300 mg. of calcium. Your breastfeeding diet should address the production of this milk and give you a minimum of 500 calories over the average, normal caloric output.

In the post-natal period of maternity, as it was during pregnancy, the body is without mercy when it comes to providing for the baby’s needs. Before anything else, it concentrates on producing milk for the baby even if the mother’s needs should go unmet. The quality and the quantity of mother’s milk remains more or less constant, regardless of the state of nutrition of the mother. If the nursing mother does not take in enough food in her breastfeeding diet to make up for the accelerated consumption and utilization of nutrients and energy during this period, she will get sick.

Here are a few pointers for a healthy breastfeeding diet:

1. Increase you water consumption to up to one quart more daily. Nursing mothers tend to get very thirsty because much of their water goes to milk production.
2. Eat one gram of protein daily per pound of body weight. Avoid sweets and junk food.
3. Eat equal amounts five times a day, breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and midnight snack. This will make sure that the nutrients in your milk always appear in more or less the same levels.
4. Your breastfeeding diet contraindicates nicotine If you must smoke leave a time span of one hour between your puffing in smoke and your eating so that the nicotine is not absorbed into the food.
5. Again, if you must drink alcohol or beer while on a breastfeeding diet should be done after feeding your baby. Alcohol slows down the baby’s development.
6. Seek the advice of your doctor before taking any medication. Chemicals with iodine, many antibiotics, laxatives, are among the drugs that are dangerous to the baby. Protracted use of any drug is also contraindicated while breast feeding.
7. Allergies and intolerances should be watched out for. Take extra care to avoid substances and foods to which you are intolerant or allergic. If you have allergies, avoid places where you can come in contact with them. Food allergies may occur in public restaurants where you won’t know the ingredients that went into the preparation of the dishes.

When you are pregnant, delivering, and breastfeed your baby, you will be accustomed to listen the words Omega 3. It is usually found in the milk or fish oil supplement. Researchers have found scientifically that Omega 3 fish oil supplements are healthy and good for pregnant and breastfeeding mother. Its main function is helping the baby’s brain and eye development. Actually the body can produce Omega 3 but not in the baby’s body. The next effect of breast milk containing Omega 3 is the baby will have higher intelligent level. If your baby has less Omega 3, she will have less energy for the brain metabolism.

After knowing the reasons why breastfeeding mother has to fulfill the needs of Omega 3, the next task is choosing the right food which contains it. Seafood has been known as the best source of Omega 3 fatty acids. The oil in fish has high concentrations of DHA and EPA. The deep dwelling and cold water fishes are known as the ones with largest concentrations of DHA and EPA. For example, sardines, salmon, trout, herring, and tuna. In a week, a breastfeeding mother should consume 3-oz. of servings. In case you are afraid that the fish you eat is contaminated by mercury or other dangerous substance, you are recommended to take high-quality fish oil supplements. To know the number and kind of fish oil supplement you need, it is better to consult with the doctor.

A breastfeeding mother like you cannot be picky eater. You have to eat various foods to produce healthy breast milk. Your diet has to be balanced appropriately because that is your first investment for your baby’s long-term health. Your baby will get all minerals she needs only from you. Besides vitamins and protein, minerals also have important role for your baby’s development. One example of important mineral is calcium. It is very essential in the development and healthy maintenance of bones. Not only your baby but also you need calcium. You will see that your baby grow fast and gain more weight. The baby’s bones are hardening and you also need to strengthen your bone. In this case milk is supposed to be consumed twice a day minimally. Calcium can be found in cheese and other dairy products.

In addition, you need to consume foods that contain zinc. For example, you may eat red meat, sardines, beans, yogurt, cheese, pumpkin seed, peanut butter, or whole meal bread. Zinc works to heal the wounds and is essential substance of many enzyme reactions. Then, iron is also important to make hemoglobin. It is the pigment on the red blood cells. That is why you have to put some foods on your daily diet. For instance, lean beef, lamb and kidney, eggs, baked potatoes, green vegetables like broccoli, peas, spring greens, and dried fruits like apricots, prunes and figs.