Healthy Breastfeeding Diet - Some Useful Hints
- Date: 2007-07-05 - Word Count: 657
Share This!
The quality of breastfeeding that a nursing mother provides to her infant depends upon her breastfeeding diet. If she takes nutritious diet, she will be able to maintain her own health and the health of her baby through the breast milk that she would be feeding it. In order to produce the right amount of milk with at least 330 milligrams of calcium for every quart of milk, she would need a minimum of 500 extra calories intake every day. As such it is important that she strengthens her breastfeeding diet suitably so that the nutritional requirements of the baby are properly met.
Why Breastfeeding Diet Needs To Be Doubly Nutritious
The nutritional needs of a nursing mother are very high when she starts feeding her baby as apart from the amount of breast milk required by the baby, the mother's own needs too need to be taken care of. If the mother does not take sufficient nutrition during this period, the body will strive to keep up the milk production but at the cost of the health of the mother. The breastfeeding diet must, therefore, necessarily incorporate sufficient amounts of balanced food. Even during pregnancy, the fetus needs most of the nutrition before the mother can get the balance and after birth, the baby needs nearly 1000 calories from breast milk every day. This is the main reason why breastfeeding diet must have sufficient nutrition both for the mother and the baby.
Useful Tips For Nursing Mothers
A nursing mother must have a healthy diet that should include an optimum amount of water which should be about 2.5 to 3 quarts per day. Although mothers need more water to cater to the production of milk, they should not drink excessive amounts of it as this can actually bring down the milk production.
Breastfeeding diet should be able to provide at least 2,500 calories to the mother and if the period of breastfeeding is expected to be more than three months, the intake of calories should be at least 2,800. It's essential that the mother take 1 gram protein daily for each pound that she weighs.
The caloric intake of the nursing mother should be spread over equally throughout the day in the form of five meals. She should keep on drinking water and take pieces of fruits and a low-fat diary diet. This will ensure a constant production of milk.
If the breastfeeding mother is on birth control pills, she should take diet supplements that are rich in Vitamins B 9 and B 6 as the pills induce deficiencies of these vitamins. Moreover, nursing mothers need to take folic acid, which is essential for the baby's proper growth and development. Cabbage, spinach, corn, asparagus and chick-peas are rich sources of folic acid.
What Nursing Mothers Should Not Do
Smoking and consumption of alcohol are not advisable for mothers who are breastfeeding their babies. Nicotine and alcohol are both harmful to the baby, more so if the mother consumes them just before the feeding session. Moreover, medication, especially antibiotics, laxatives and medicines with iodine components, should only be taken if recommended by the doctor. Mothers should also avoid insecticides and pesticide residues that are present in aerosols or coils. Unsaturated fats are ideal for her and for the baby.
Each mother can devise her own breastfeeding diet that will give her the necessary nutrition and calories and keep both mother and baby healthy.
These are some general diet tips for breastfeeding mothers. For specific diet plan and detailed instructions, contact your doctor or lactation consultant.
Breastfeeding diet is one of the important rather it's the most important aspects that the mother should be careful while breastfeeding. The nursing mother should maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle to make sure that the breast milk takes care of all the nutritional requirements of the baby. Breastfeeding Tips provides answers to your breastfeeding questions besides providing valuable information related to all aspects of pregnancy and related subjects.
Why Breastfeeding Diet Needs To Be Doubly Nutritious
The nutritional needs of a nursing mother are very high when she starts feeding her baby as apart from the amount of breast milk required by the baby, the mother's own needs too need to be taken care of. If the mother does not take sufficient nutrition during this period, the body will strive to keep up the milk production but at the cost of the health of the mother. The breastfeeding diet must, therefore, necessarily incorporate sufficient amounts of balanced food. Even during pregnancy, the fetus needs most of the nutrition before the mother can get the balance and after birth, the baby needs nearly 1000 calories from breast milk every day. This is the main reason why breastfeeding diet must have sufficient nutrition both for the mother and the baby.
Useful Tips For Nursing Mothers
A nursing mother must have a healthy diet that should include an optimum amount of water which should be about 2.5 to 3 quarts per day. Although mothers need more water to cater to the production of milk, they should not drink excessive amounts of it as this can actually bring down the milk production.
Breastfeeding diet should be able to provide at least 2,500 calories to the mother and if the period of breastfeeding is expected to be more than three months, the intake of calories should be at least 2,800. It's essential that the mother take 1 gram protein daily for each pound that she weighs.
The caloric intake of the nursing mother should be spread over equally throughout the day in the form of five meals. She should keep on drinking water and take pieces of fruits and a low-fat diary diet. This will ensure a constant production of milk.
If the breastfeeding mother is on birth control pills, she should take diet supplements that are rich in Vitamins B 9 and B 6 as the pills induce deficiencies of these vitamins. Moreover, nursing mothers need to take folic acid, which is essential for the baby's proper growth and development. Cabbage, spinach, corn, asparagus and chick-peas are rich sources of folic acid.
What Nursing Mothers Should Not Do
Smoking and consumption of alcohol are not advisable for mothers who are breastfeeding their babies. Nicotine and alcohol are both harmful to the baby, more so if the mother consumes them just before the feeding session. Moreover, medication, especially antibiotics, laxatives and medicines with iodine components, should only be taken if recommended by the doctor. Mothers should also avoid insecticides and pesticide residues that are present in aerosols or coils. Unsaturated fats are ideal for her and for the baby.
Each mother can devise her own breastfeeding diet that will give her the necessary nutrition and calories and keep both mother and baby healthy.
These are some general diet tips for breastfeeding mothers. For specific diet plan and detailed instructions, contact your doctor or lactation consultant.
Breastfeeding diet is one of the important rather it's the most important aspects that the mother should be careful while breastfeeding. The nursing mother should maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle to make sure that the breast milk takes care of all the nutritional requirements of the baby. Breastfeeding Tips provides answers to your breastfeeding questions besides providing valuable information related to all aspects of pregnancy and related subjects.
Related Tags: breast milk, nicotine, medication, folic acid, breastfeeding, nursing mother, breastfeeding diet, nutritional requirements, feeding sessions, pesticid
Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Tips For Healthy Pregnancy
For a healthy new baby, healthy pregnancy is a must. Every woman has a desire for a healthy pregnanc - How To Make Your Pregnancy Healthy And Comfortable
Healthy pregnancy is the first and for most thing which the every mother desire for. This could only - Morning Sickness Symptoms - 3 Signs That Morning Sickness Has Begun
Morning sickness is a normal part of pregnancy for most women. 7 of every 10 women will go through m - End Morning Sickness - Get Rid Of Morning Sickness With 3 Easy Remedies
Morning sickness impacts four out of every five women. The symptoms and severity of morning sickness - Ginger For Morning Sickness - 3 Ways To Utilize Ginger For Fast Morning Sickness Relief
Ginger is a potent herb, native to Asia that has various healing powers, one of which is eliminating - Morning Sickness Cures - Survive Morning Sickness With 5 Proven Remedies
In the first phase of pregnancy, your body goes through rapid hormonal changes that will prepare you - Morning Sickness Remedy - 3 Methods That Will Have You Feeling Better Instantly
For most women, morning sickness will be the most unpleasant time during pregnancy. Over seventy per - The Best Vitamins And Minerals In Increasing Fertility
There are many natural treatments that can help improve the fertility of a couple. These natural tre - Safe Exercises During Pregnancy-how To Safely Exercise During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is such a wonderful time in a woman's life. Having a little life growing inside you is suc - Getting Tubes Untied: Pregnant After Tubal Ligation
Most people have heard to term getting your "tubed tied". This refers to the procedure called tubal
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Do You Have Any Doubts About Pregnancy Tests?
Read this and all doubts about pregnancy and pregnancy tests will be cleared.The fertilized egg plan - Pregnancy Advice
The 10 Things You Should Do when you are pregnant, these are not the hardcore scientific stuff, just - Deciphering The Fertility Calendar
If you are one of the many couples around the world that are trying to conceive, I'm sure you've see - Getting Rid Of Stretchmarks
Getting rid of stretchmarks can be a difficult thing to do. They're ugly and make days at the beach - Choosing the Sex of your Baby - the Moral Question
Some people oppose gender selection calling it an attempt at playing God. They believe that nature m - Fun and Unique Baby Shower Decorating Ideas
Baby showers are a great way of announcing to the world that you are going to be a new mother. Since - How To Plan a Baby Shower on a Budget
So you're throwing a baby shower, and have no idea what you need or where to go to plan your baby s - How To Start Labor: What Works?
Overdue pregnancy can be physically and mentally challenging. If you have difficulties in sleeping, - 37 Weeks Pregnant - It's Nearly Time To Give Birth
37 weeks pregnant and you're almost to your due date. In most cases you've reached the point that if - Holiday Season and Baby Showers - Should You Have Them?
People often wonder whether they should hold a baby shower during the hustle and bustle of the holid