Dietary Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers
July 30, 2009
Mother’s milk comprises the precise balance of essential nutrients required for growth and development of infants. It contains petite quantities of protein and elevated levels of carbohydrates which make it more assimilable and pose less strain on the immature abdomen of newborns.
A significant benefit of breastfeeding is that it includes loads of immunologic mediators that shield the baby against harmful microbes, virus and germs. Almost 800 calories are daily required by females for a successful production of milk.
Women who are on medication must confirm with doctor prior to breastfeeding as most of the drugs consumed by mother gets absorbed in milk. Females with symptoms of hepatitis, cancer, impaired immune system and positive HIV should avoid breastfeeding in all circumstances. Given below are a number of foods that are known beneficial to breastfeeding mothers due to their high nutrition content.
Calcium – Daily intake of calcium in accordance with RDA prevents weakening of bones and acute inflammation of periodontal tissues. The RDA of calcium is relatively high for breastfeeding mothers as compared to duration of pregnancy.
A breastfeeding mother should consume at least 3-4 glasses of milk or 4 servings of milk based products during a day. Fresh yogurt, cheese, watercress, almonds, tofu and kale are few examples of calcium rich foods that can be included in meals.
Vitamins – Sufficient supply of vitamins especially vitamin D is essential for infants bone development. It is known fact that breast milk is produced by absorption of nutrients from mother’s body. Higher intake of vitamin rich foods like tuna fish, eggs and fresh citrus fruits by mother makes breast milk a healthy diet for her child.
Avoid – Consumption of alcohol or alcohol based dishes is not advisable for breastfeeding mothers. Several researches conducted by ADA reveals that body takes at least 5-6 hours to eliminate the alcoholic elements from breast milk and intake of such milk leads to fussy condition of baby.
Also, it greatly affects the diet of baby. The intake of coffee or eatables containing caffeine should be confined to a maximum of 2 servings per day. Excessive intake of caffeine results in sleeplessness of baby.
Hydration – While breastfeeding, it is a common situation that mothers feel energy loss due to the dehydrated condition of their body. A breastfeeding mother should drink at least 10 glasses of water or fresh juices to maintain optimum hydration levels in body.
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