We should never fail to understate the benefits of breastfeeding. The various advantages that breast feeding hides under its name are in-numerous.
It reduces the threat of respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, asthma, allergies to different food, leukemia and even diabetes (Type 1). You need to eat healthy to provide the nourishment you and your baby need.
Here, are a few foods that will help you nurture and nourish your baby and look after you in a healthy way.
Foods for healthy breastfeeding mother
Salmon
Make sure you help yourself to some salmon. The concept of ’perfect’ food doesn’t exist but if it ever does, Salmon is bound to ace it.
Salmon is rich in DHA which will help to develop the nervous system of your child. All baby food comprises high amount of DHA but it will be most beneficial to your child if it comes from you.
Legumes
Vegetarian, are you? Don’t you worry we have got your back.
Indulge yourself in black and kidney beans for your daily quota of essential protein that will keep you and your baby healthy.
Fruits and vegetables
Don’t you dare forget to add those colorful fruits and vegetables to your plate when you’re breastfeeding.
If you can consume your vegetables and fruits raw it is going to increase the food value in leaps and bounds.
It will offer you an ample amount of vitamins and antioxidants. Consume more dark leafy vegetables, carrots, citrus fruits, Indian gooseberry, papaya.
Dairy products
You need to enrich your body with the required vitamins and minerals. Consume low fat yogurt and milk to meet the daily needs of your body for vitamins and minerals.
Liquids
Drink more fluids. As simple as it sounds you often tend to forget to drink ample amount of liquid to keep our body hydrated.
Breastfeeding moms need to drink sufficient amount of fluids otherwise they will feel nauseated and your stamina is going to hit rock bottom.
Make sure you don’t include tea or coffee to your list of liquids. You can have water, juices, soups and coconut water.
Nuts and seeds
Munch on those almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds and flax seeds. These nuts and seeds are beneficial to your daily diet and are recommended by doctors and top health organizations.
Whole grains
Don’t restrain yourself from those essential proteins, vitamins, iron and minerals. Help yourself to more oatmeal, brown rice, barley, quinoa.
These foods will give you the required goodness you need while breastfeeding.
Strawberries
Worried about that waistline after delivery? Here comes the solution to all your sorrows. Strawberries are not only rich in vitamins but are perfect to watch your daily calorie count. They are a power pack full of potassium, manganese and folate.
Eggs
Eggs are the first item we think about when we want to meet our daily protein need. It will enhance the essential fatty acids in your milk.
Make sure you include it in your breakfast, lunch or dinner to have that protein rich meal you and your child needs and deserves.
Garlic
No matter how much your breath might stink of it this is an excellent component to add to your daily diet to increase the milk production in your body and boost up your immunity level.
It is rich in antioxidants and antibacterial properties to enhance the supply of milk in your body.
Porridge
Why is this suggested to you? Because, you need to consume that you can easily digest.
You can have as much porridge as you want and as many times you feel the pangs of hunger.
Don’t like it every time with milk? Add some spices to it to please your bored taste buds.
Sprouted grains
Grains are the power house of proteins. Switch to sprouted grains and munch on them to fulfill your daily protein needs.
Moringa leaves
Sounds weird but these leaves are packed with vitamin A, B and C. They will also provide you and your baby with calcium, iron and protein. It will help your body in the increase production of milk.
You need to eat right and stay healthy as your baby’s health depends entirely on you and your diet. You should pamper yourself and treat your body right by consuming what you’re meant to.
Foods to avoid while breastfeeding
Every mother must be cautious about their food habits after giving birth to a baby. She is now not just a wife or daughter in law in a family. Rather an additional and sensitive responsible come to her.
Yes, baby is one of the most precious being which is realized by every mother right from the time she takes him in her lap for the first time in delivery bed. She would like to protect her baby from all angles.
Not a single scratch will be acceptable when it is concerned about the baby. Food is an important consideration which can be good or harmful for your baby.
As you are nursing your baby, avoiding some food is vital. Are there any foods to avoid while breastfeeding? Let’s have a look
List of foods to avoid while breastfeeding
Fish
Can a breastfeeding mother eat fish? We all know fish is very good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids, but somehow it is not very much beneficial for nursing mothers.
As fish contains large amount of mercury in it, its intake for nursing mothers is restricted.
The mercury present in fish may affect the breast milk which may cause several health issues to infants.
Wheat
If you notice any sensitive allergy in your infant like bloody stools, obvious pain, and crying inconsolably, it may point towards your wheat intake.
Try to avoid consumption of wheat for few weeks and look out for certain symptoms in your infant, if still facing any such allergic reactions then consult with the doctor.
Spicy foods
Should you avoid spicy food while breastfeeding? If you love spicy foods, then try to avoid them. As too much consumption of spicy foods may lead to discomfort to your infants.
Try to have foods which are less spicy in your diet, if you still want to add some spice to your food then have it in such a way, so that it does not cause any problem to your infant.
Coffee
Is it safe to drink coffee while breastfeeding? You may surely love to have a cup of coffee in the morning or during evenings. But consuming coffee a lot especially during breastfeeding time is prohibited by doctors.
As consuming coffee on regular basis will increase the level of caffeine in the breast milk, which can cause severe irritations to your infant like sleeplessness, and crankiness.
Chocolate
Why to avoid chocolate while breastfeeding? Just like coffee chocolate do contain certain amount of caffeine in it.
If you really have sweet tooth for chocolates then try to avoid it for the sake of your infant.
If you notice any kind of irritation in your infant after consuming chocolates, then try to eliminate it now.
Citrus fruits
Fruit juice is good for health, but some fruits basically citrus fruits are not good enough to consume during breastfeeding.
There are certain compounds found in citrus fruits which are not all good for infants.
If you like to eat fruits, then add fruits which are rich in Vitamin c like mangoes and papaya in your diet while breastfeeding.
Peanuts
Is eating peanut safe while breastfeeding? If you have allergies from foods, then try to avoid peanuts also from your diet.
It is advisable by doctors to not consume certain foods which are cause of some allergic reactions to your health, as it will also effect to your infant.
Try to avoid such kind of foods especially peanuts, if you are prone to certain allergies from this.
Parsley
Coming from the family of mint, parsley is another kind of herb which reduces milk in your breast.
If you love to have these herbs in your diet, then try to intake in small quantity occasionally in the form of salads, as this will not cause any such effects.
But if you consume it on a regular basis, then it may cause to your infant.
Corn
Nursing mothers should avoid corn food items they may prone to allergies. Young children’s are prone to allergies from corn.
But it is difficult to find out if infants do suffer the same. If you are really not sure of the reason behind your infants discomfort, then be very specific of what you eat, by keeping note of like if you are having tacos or chips made up of corn, then note it down as ‘corn tacos’ or ‘corn chips’.
Broccoli
Is it safe to avoid broccoli in food while breastfeeding. Broccoli is considered as one of the vegetables which is very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin E.
But somehow it is restricted for mothers who are on breastfeeding, as intake of broccoli may lead to some kind of gassy acids formation in your milk, which can cause discomfort to the infant.
Soy
What foods should i avoid while breastfeeding? It is found that children who are prone to allergies from dairy products are also prone to allergies from soy products.
Therefore if you are planning to substitute milk products with soy products in your diet then check it, what kind of soy products you are having in your diet.
As soy products can also cause several allergies in infants.
Alcohol
Will Alcohol effects the breastfeeding? Doctor’s suggest that having a glass of wine on alternate basis will not affect much your infant.
It is always fine to have wine occasionally, but if you are on a regular drinking spree then it may bring severe consequences to your health as well as for your infant.
Try to avoid it as much as you can for your infant.
Pineapple
Best reasons to avoid pineapple while breastfeeding. Pineapple is one among the delicious food which you should enjoy.
But, if you are a nursing mother, this fruit should be totally avoided. It is loaded with citric acid which can be harmful for your baby.
Both the mother and baby can catch up with acidity after consumption of this fruit by the mother.
If you really wish to keep your baby healthy, this is the particular food which you should avoid.
Peppermint
We love having peppermint extract in our food as it provides a soothing touch to our throat.
But, did you know that the nursing mothers needs to avoid peppermint. There can be tendency among people to have peppermint tea.
But, if you are breastfeeding, this tea should be avoided. Mint present in it is a type of herb which has the quality of reducing your milk production.
Thus, it is the time for you t avoid having peppermint tea for the sake of your child.
Sage
Sage is a herb that should be avoided while breastfeeding. This is also a herb available in nature which definitely have many medicinal benefits.
But, when you are going to feed your baby with your breast milk, this is the herb that should be totally avoided.
This carries the property where the milk production will be endangered. Yes, your baby won’t be able to get enough milk with sage consumption.
