Good foods to eat while breastfeeding

Breastfeeding mothers should always eat a balanced, healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids to make more breast milk. Your daily diet should include all of the basic food groups like calcium, protein, iron, and vitamins. Breastfeeding mothers typically require more calories than a new non-breastfeeding mother. If she is fully breastfeeding, her diet should include 2700 kcal per day. However, your calorie intake will drop after weaning from breastfeeding to 1800 kcal per day. It is very common that you feel more thirsty; therefore, it is essential that you drink enough water to quench your thirst. You can also drink a glass of water before and after breastfeeding.

A healthy diet for breastfeeding is based more on the good quality of food than on the quantity of food.. A healthy daily diet should include:

1. 50% grain (such as oats, cereal, wheat germ, etc.)

2. 20% vegetables, beans, and peas (such as carrots, squash, spinach or other green vegetables, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, soybeans, kidney beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc.)

3. 10% fruit (such as plums, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, honeydew melon)

4. 10% of various nuts, seeds and algae (such as almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, etc.), and 5. Last but not least, 10% meat and fish (such as lean beef, pork, lamb, shrimp, clams, oysters, cod, rainbow trout, halibut, etc.). 6. You can also add some dairy products to your diet, such as low-fat milk and low-fat or fat-free yogurt.

Good foods that help maintain a healthy and balanced diet for breastfeeding:

1. Beans and peas, such as soybeans, kidney beans, etc., are your source of protein. They are also rich in vitamin B. It is a good source of food to lose weight during lactation without affecting the quality of breast milk.

2. Raisins, almonds, and other dried fruits contain more iron, calcium, and fiber than fresh fruits, and are also a very good substitute for fruits that can lead to weight gain.

3. Clams, oysters, and dried scallops are fortified with iron. You could add this group of foods to your diet to prevent anemia.

4. Seaweed is a high-fiber, calorie-free food that also helps lower cholesterol. 5. Spinach, cabbage, and green vegetables would improve your body’s metabolism.

Nursing mothers need to be aware of the intake of certain foods, as any food that you have included in your diet will pass into your breast milk. It is recommended to avoid taking many spices, vinegar, ginger and sesame oil. Fish such as swordfish, king mackerel, shark, and tilefish are not suitable for you as a breastfeeding mother, as these fish contain high levels of mercury. It is also recommended to avoid alcoholic beverages. Caffeinated beverages such as coffee are also not recommended. However, a moderate amount like 2 cups a day would not affect your breast milk much if you can’t help it. You should stop smoking if you are a smoker. Even secondhand smoke is not good.

Nursing mothers are advised to be aware that any medication must be taken under a professional description. Although the amounts of medication that will be present in breast milk are low and the concentration is too low to cause any danger to the baby, you are urged to consult a professional before taking any medication. You should seek professional advice on the appropriateness of the use of any medication before attempting self-medication.

Feeding your baby by breath requires additional calories in your diet; therefore, you must ensure that your diet and the foods you eat daily include all of the essential dietary food groups. The type of food you eat will affect the quality of your breast milk for your baby.