Tips for Healthy Diet & Nutrition During Breastfeeding

Eating a healthy diet is important for all women, but it is especially important for breastfeeding mothers. Breastfeeding mothers need to eat an extra 300 to 500 calories per day to support milk production. They also need to make sure they are getting enough of certain nutrients, such as calcium, iron, and vitamin D.

Practical Tips to Care for the Body When Breastfeeding–

Proper Hydration

Drink sufficient amounts of water to facilitate milk production and the flow of milk from your breast. A minimum of eight to ten glasses imbibed every day keeps you energetic, and this amount can also be increased or supplemented through the use of various fluids and fruit juices, even milk. The benefits of fluid consumption are so apparent that you will adopt it in no time.

While you drink optimum quantities of fluids or water throughout the day, it is essential to remember that whatever be your regime, do not forget to imbibe the water or fruit juices before you sit down and start feeding your baby. This will suit you so perfectly and make you feel so good that you will begin to crave those drinks regularly. However, do not drink caffeine-containing products like tea or coffee, which are dehydrating agents at best and will do more harm than any actual good.

Maintain the Shape of Your Breast Through Special Accessories

Special types of brassieres are available in the market that helps you to breastfeed your baby while giving optimum support to your chest muscles to prevent the sagging of the breasts and maintain their shape and firmness. Some cotton feeding nighties with side zip will be best for comfortably breastfeeding at night.

Get Optimum Rest

Your body needs to heal both from the thrust of giving birth and drained body nourishment due to the best way of healing is getting optimum amounts of blissful, soundless, and deep slumbers. This rejuvenates you up and helps your body to recover from the nutrient drainage brought on by breastfeeding. With such a tiny baby at a stretch, soundless sleep is just not realistic.

More often than not, you may have to make do with intermittent sleep during the daytime. For this, set your timetable according to the sleeping pattern of your baby. As soon as it takes the daily nap, get your phone off the hook, hang a ‘do not disturb’ sign near your doorbell, and abandon whatever you are doing to get on with the much-needed quota of your sleep. When you wake up, all the stress and anxiety vanish into thin air, and you are ready to take up the gauntlet once again.

Bask in Some Open Air

Take some time off from your busy schedule every day and go out to stroll with your baby. Refreshing outside air will rejuvenate both you and your baby and energize you so much that you will be able to take on any challenge that comes your way, and your body will also recover perceptibly.

Tips for a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet–

A special well-balanced diet will go a long way in maintaining the baby’s good health and its mother. Major changes are not needed in what you eat or drink, but you must concentrate on eating certain foods rich in proteins and vitamins.

A well-balanced diet is vital for a breastfeeding mom. Even if you are not eating properly, breast milk can meet your baby’s nutritional needs. You must get enough vitamins and nutrients as you need the energy to meet the physical demands of the new baby.

You should also focus on eating cereals, whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables. You should also consume foods that provide plenty of calcium, iron, and protein.

Experts recommend that nursing moms need an extra 500 calories a day. But calorie needs vary from one person to another, and your energy needs will depend on your current weight and activity level.

You should also avoid certain fishes due to their high mercury content while breastfeeding your baby. Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine must be avoided, and alcoholic beverages can limit the amount of milk supply produced by your body and cause irritability and sleeping problems in babies.

You must also not resort to dieting while you are nursing your baby. Rapid weight loss can lead to problems for the baby and yourself. Also, limiting your diet may reduce the milk supply for the baby, and she will not be able to meet her energy needs fully.

As your body sheds excess fluid, you must consume plenty of water to stay well hydrated. Iron supplements can also be continued until you stop feeding the baby. You must also avoid intensely flavored foods and hot spicy stuff that can harm your baby. The above diet can lead to the healthy growth of the baby.

Nutrition During Lactation

A new mother’s nutrition and dietary habits during lactation are just as important as during pregnancy. The same rules apply to nutrition during lactation as pregnancy, and the foods that should be avoided during pregnancy should continue to be avoided until after the lactation period. Some women may assume that after they give birth to their healthy baby, it is ok to eat differently, but they should remember that everything they eat is still being passed on to the baby during the lactation process.

One of the most important things to remember during the lactation period for nutrition is that an average new mother produces up to 27 ounces of milk each day. This quantity of milk produced requires her to take in 500 calories a day to make up for the deficit. Here are some good guidelines for mothers to follow during lactation:

• Water intake should be increased and should be at least 2.5 to 3 quarts per day.
• Calorie consumption should be around 2500 calories per day.
• Eat plenty of foods that are rich in protein.
• Instead of having a couple of large meals, consume 5-6 smaller, healthy meals throughout the day.
• Stay clear of nicotine and tobacco.
• Stay clear of any kind and amount of alcohol.
• Always talk to your doctor before taking any medication.
• Keep up with taking the prenatal vitamins; they are just as essential during lactation as during pregnancy.

Basically, to be healthy and provide healthy nutrition for your baby during lactation, follow the above guidelines and take care of yourself to keep you healthy to properly take care of your newborn. Make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet, and remember that everything you consume is also being consumed by your newborn.