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Many people are familiar with the saying that a woman is “eating for two”. pregnancyAlthough this is an exaggeration, nutritional needs certainly increase during pregnancy to support a growing baby.
But what is perhaps less known is that energy needs are actually slightly higher during this period. Feeding The Beast than during pregnancy.
Human breast milk is a dynamic fluid and its composition (including carbohydratefat, protein, vitamins and minerals) vary throughout the lactation period and even between feedings.
Through a biofeedback system (sometimes called “baby backwash”) this can change depending on what the mother is eating, environmental factors, and what the baby needs.
For example, if a baby is starting to get sick, breast milk will adjust to include more leukocytes, infection-fighting immune cells.
So what should breastfeeding women eat? And how does a mother’s diet affect the nutritional composition of her milk?
Nutritional requirements increase during breastfeeding
Fully lactating mothers can produce about 800 ml of milk per day in the first six months after birth, with an energy content of about 3 kilojoules per gram.
Even taking into account the use of excess fat stored during pregnancy, mothers still require an additional 2,000 kilojoules on average to support milk production. This is roughly equivalent to adding a cheese sandwich, a handful of nuts and a banana on top of the normal dietary intake.
Interestingly, your baby’s needs do not decrease once he starts solid foods. It is believed that milk production drops to an average of 600 ml per day in the second six months, as babies start eating solid foods. But since maternal fat reserves are depleted by this stage, additional energy requirements remain the same.
Some nutrients are especially important during breastfeeding, including: proteinCalcium, Iron, Iodine and Vitamins.
For example, compared to a non-pregnant, non-lactating woman, protein requirements increase by approximately half while breastfeeding (from 0.75 grams to 1.1 grams per kilogram of body weight per day).
About the author
Therese O’Sullivan is Associate Professor at nutrition and Dietetics at Edith Cowan University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. read the original article,
Meanwhile, iodine requirements nearly doubled (from 150 micrograms per day to 270 micrograms per day). Iodine is important for thyroid function, and it can affect a child’s growth and brain development.
It is important that women who are breastfeeding eat a variety of foods, including:
- High-protein Foods (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, soy-based proteins like tofu and tempeh, legumes like chickpeas, baked beans and lentils)
- Dairy foods or alternatives (for dairy alternatives, check that calcium is included)
- Whole grains
- Fruits and vegetables.
It also becomes very important to drink more water while making milk.
Thirst is a good guide, but generally around 2.5 liters per day is recommended, or more if it is hot or with exercise.
Is there anything I should not eat?
Whatever the mother eats can pass into her breast milk. For example, in one study, infants whose mothers drank small amounts of carrot juice while breastfeeding were more accepting of carrot juice-flavored cereal than a control group of infants whose mothers drank water.
So it’s important to limit Liquor And caffeineWhich can reach even the child. Not drinking alcohol is the safest option, but if you plan on drinking alcohol, tools like the Feed Safe app can be used to estimate when your breast milk should go alcohol-free.
Up to 200 mg of caffeine per day (equivalent to about one cup of brewed coffee, an energy or cola drink, or four cups of tea) is considered safe for breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding mothers do not need to remove any particular foods from their diet to prevent allergies in their baby. In fact, experts believe that babies can be exposed to common allergens through breast milk. Less There is a possibility of developing allergies to these foods, however, so we need more research on this question.
Although it is relatively uncommon, babies may develop allergies or intolerances to certain aspects of their mother’s diet while breastfed. They may react in the form of colic or wind, reflux, mucus or blood in the stool, eczema or rash, or appear in pain.
In these cases, adjustments to the mother’s diet may be needed. The most common culprits include cow’s milk (the protein, not the lactose component), soy, and egg.
It is recommended to remove questionable foods from the diet for at least three weeks. This should ideally be done under the supervision of an accredited practicing dietitian who specializes in allergies, to ensure that the mother’s nutritional needs are met.
Four tips for breastfeeding moms
- It’s a good idea to have a blood test to check your vitamin D and iron levels – these may be deficient pregnancy and are important for Feeding The BeastIf your levels are low, you can discuss options with your doctor.
- Iodine requirements during breastfeeding are so high that a daily iodine supplement of 150 micrograms is recommended to aid infant growth and nerve development.
- Have a variety of nutritious snacks that can be eaten with one hand for late-night meals, such as peeled hard-boiled eggs, a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread, or avocado and cheese on rice cakes. My personal favorite is the homemade rocky road with dark chocolate, nuts, seeds and dried fruit
- Keep a drink bottle with water nearby while breastfeeding.
If you’re considering gifts for a family with a new baby, remember that new parents’ personal needs often take a backseat when baby arrives, including good food. Consider a hearty frozen meal, muffins with oats and nuts, a nice stainless steel water bottle, tasty trail mix or even some homemade rocky road.