A diet for breastfeeding mothers

Breastfeeding is a crucial element of motherhood. It improves a child’s immunity, positively influencing the baby’s development, it gives him the feeling of closeness and safety he needs, strengthening the bond between mother and child. It’s important to consider what is good for each of them at this time.

Why breastfeeding?

Mother’s milk is free from bacteria, includes all the essential nutrients and antibodies, it creates immunity in a child, providing resistance to allergens.

 

If the mother and child tolerate various foods, there’s no reason to limit a mother’s diet. It’s important, though, to pay attention to the child’s reaction to foods that the mother eats. You can even keep a diary of the food consumed. But if you notice any signs of intolerance to these foods, such as: diarrhoea, colic, an allergic rash (typically if the skin gets reddish, dry or itchy), you need to analyse what the mother has eaten, excluding the danger food from her diet. It is important though not to wean the child when the symptoms first arise. You also need to contact your paediatrician in order to exclude the possibility of an allergy.

 

Which products? It’s recommended that you use fresh, healthy, light and varied foods. You should also combine your meals in such a way that they contain elements of various food groupings:

 - cereals, e.g. breads, pasta, barley or rice,

- fruit and vegetables

- proteins from both animal and vegetable sources, e.g. leguminous plants, eggs, milk  and dairy products, with meat and fish,

- animal and vegetable fats

- carbohydrates.

For effective breastfeeding it is important to drink lots of liquid, mineral water most of all, and juices or special herbal teas. You should not worry about lacking a bigger appetite, since lactation usually speeds up the metabolism. If necessary, you can introduce extra meals during the day. You will benefit from eating less but more often. Plan 5 meals a day so that you don’t grab whatever you have in your fridge and do not eat in advance ‘for later on’. Apart from the main meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner, have a mid-day and an afternoon snack of yoghurt, vegetables and fruit.