Nutrition During Breast feeding

Why is breastfeeding important?

The beneits of breastfeeding are numerous for both babies and mothers. The World Health Organization and other national and international groups recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months.

For babies, breast milk is the best source of nutrition and it is also easily digested. In addition, it helps to protect the baby against infections and diseases. Studies have shown that breastfeeding promotes correct development of jaws, teeth, and speech patterns. In addition, it decreases risk of childhood obesity and heart disease.

For mothers, breastfeeding promotes faster shrinking of the uterus, it helps the bleeding to stop more quickly, and it increases weight loss after delivery. Breastfeeding is also a great way for the mother to bond with her baby.

Studies have shown that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, in addition to improving bone strength and decreasing the risk of hip fracture.

Why is nutrition and diet important while breastfeeding?

Recommended intakes of energy and protein are higher for breastfeeding women as compared to non-breastfeeding women (around 400 to 500 calories and 65 grams of protein). The main nutrients that need to be increased during breastfeeding are calcium, iron, and folic acid.

The mother needs to consume a well-balanced diet for proper milk production. Similarly, eating a variety of different food from all the food groups will change the lavour of the breast milk and expose the baby to different tastes, which might help the baby to easily accept a variety of solid foods.

Fluids are also an essential component of the diet since dehydration might affect milk production and increase the risk of developing urinary tract infections, constipation and fatigue.

What are the nutrition tips that you should follow during breastfeeding?

Calcium: Increase your calcium intake. Calcium is a mineral found in milk, yogurt, and cheese. Consume fat-free and sugar free dairy. Choose daily any three of the following: 1 cup of low fat milk or yogurt, 3 slices of low fat hard cheese, and ½ cup of ricotta cheese, 2 slices of light halloumi cheese.

Iron: No additional iron is required during breastfeeding for women who are not anaemic after delivery. This is because women who breastfeed exclusively do not commence their menses for the irst four to six months post-pregnancy. Check with your doctor the need of a supplement.

Fluids: Breastfeeding women should consume at least 8 - 12 cups of luid per day to maintain adequate hydration and breast milk production.

Folic acid: The recommended dietary intake of folic acid for women who are breastfeeding is 500 mcg daily. This can be obtained through fortiied foods, prenatal vitamins, or multivitamins. Since every woman’s situation is different, check with your doctor for the need of a supplement.

Good sources of folic acid include fortiied cereals, green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, and nuts

Fiber: Increase your intake of iber as this will help you relieve constipation. To increase the iber content of your diet, you should:

Consume raw vegetables with every meal.
Consume whole grains (brown bread or brown pasta) instead of reined grains (white bread or white pasta).
Substitute white rice with brown rice or legumes.
Do not peel your fruits.

What are the food that you should avoid while breastfeeding?

Excessive Caffeine: limit intake of caffeine containing beverages like coffee, tea, and soft drinks to 2-3 cups/day.
Alcohol: It is better to avoid alcohol completely during breastfeeding. Alcohol can be transferred to the infant via breast milk. If alcohol will be consumed, it is recommended to wait two hours between consumption of 1 serving of alcohol and feeding your baby. One serving of alcohol is 350 ml beer or 150 oz. wine. An extra 2 hours should be added for every additional serving/unit of alcohol consumed.
Sugar substitutes and artiicial sweeteners:It is better to consume artiicial sweeteners in moderation.
Herbal supplements and teas: should be used with caution. Some herbs are considered unsafe during breastfeeding
Fish containing high levels of mercury: Eat 230 to 340 grams of seafood each week. Good choices include salmon, trout, anchovies, herring, sardines, and shad. Eat all types of tuna, but limit white (albacore) tuna to 170 ounces or less each week. Do not eat tileish, shark, swordish, and king mackerel since they contain high levels of mercury.

Healthy snack ideas for breastfeeding moms

Fresh fruits
Dried fruits such as apricots, igs or raisins
Sandwiches illed with vegetables and low fat cheese
Yoghurts
Hummus with bread or vegetable sticks
Vegetable and bean soups
Fortiied unsweetened breakfast cereals, muesli and other whole grain cereals with milk
Fresh milk or a ½ cup of 100% fresh fruit juice

Daily meal planning guidelines

A minimum of 1800 calories a day is needed to promote good milk volume. Visit the dietitian’s clinic to get a personalized plan based on your age, height, weight, physical activity level, and stage of breastfeeding status.