The best thing you can do for your babies that you expect for 9 months is to eat healthy. “What do I eat grow better?” mothers cannot ask without thinking in postpartum period. They adapt themselves to a regular life and a healthy diet.
When they meet their babies, a new thought occupies the mother.
- What should be nutrition in postpartum?
- Is my milk enough?
- How can I improve the quality and quantity of my milk?
- In which process can I lose my weight after birth?
The answer to all these questions is answered by a healthy and regular meal type diet.
The first gift that the mother will give to her baby is breast milk.
Breastfeeding is the most appropriate diet for the healthy growth and development of the baby. Breast milk is the first protector of the baby and the first gift from her mother. The need for energy and nutrients during breastfeeding is higher than during pregnancy. The energy required for the milk production of the puerperant mother during lactation is provided from two sources:
- Energy stored as body fat during pregnancy
- Energy from food groups
The puerperant should have a sufficient and balanced diet both to keep the food stores in its body balanced and to get the energy, protein, minerals and vitamins that correspond to the milk it secretes. Thus, when the mother is fed enough and balanced; baby’s immune system, healthy growth and development and psychological development are completed.
The mother who had a healthy postpartum period and lactation period; While maintaining physical and mental health, the emotionally satisfied mother’s confidence in milk production and breastfeeding also increases.
Can mother lose weight during lactation?
Are slimming diets suitable for the nursing mother?
The increased energy requirement of the mother, who produces 750- 800 ml of milk every day during the lactation period, is supported by 500 calories and 20 g of additional protein in addition to her daily diet. It is not recommended to lose weight with the slimming program of the mother during this healthy diet, when the profile and amount of breast milk increases.
However, it is possible for the mother, who spends an average of 350 calories / day for milk production, can give 1500 g per month just because of this production. A healthy feeding mother and baby benefit each other and increase the weight of the baby, while the mother in the lactation process loses weight after birth.
We see that our mothers who do not want to follow the slimming diet for the first 6 months only breastfeed their babies and lost weight. Seeing that she lost weight while raising her baby, the mother feels happy and motivated.
How much should be consumed from which food during lactation?
Breastfeeding mothers need to consume more water than their normal needs in this process. The most basic element to increase breast milk is definitely plenty of fluids. Milk yield of mothers who consume 2.5-3 liters of water and sugar-free liquid during the day increases.
We have divided into four basic food groups; milk and milk products, vegetables and fruits, cereal group, and lastly, the profile of the milk given to the baby of the mother, who has a balanced diet at each meal, is complete and complete.
Mother in postpartum
- 2-3 glasses of milk, yoghurt and buttermilk every day,
- 5-6 servings from the vegetable and fruit group,
- 5-8 servings from the grain group,
- It consumes 3-4 servings (1 egg and 90 g of meat / chicken / fish) from meat- eggs and proteins and meets the nutritional requirement of the postpartum period.
Are there foods that the mother should not consume?
Alcohol and cigarettes should not be used to prevent harm to the baby during lactation. Attention should be paid to tea and coffee consumption and care should be taken not to exceed the daily caffeine amount. When the amount of caffeine is exceeded, insomnia in the mother and baby can be encountered.
Attention should be paid to the consumption of foods containing gas-producing elements (broccoli, onion, garlic, cabbage…), legumes (including lentil-exogenous soup, bulgur) should be consumed. Melon, plum etc. fruits can cause diarrhea in the baby.
In addition, fruits such as melons, plums, grapes, tangerines, oranges can be gas-generating. If your baby develops some serious unrest, such foods should be reduced or never consumed for a while.
What are the foods that increase breast milk?
Which foods support the development of the baby?
- Eggs that increase the quality of breast milk and contribute to the baby’s brain development,
- Milk, yogurt, buttermilk, which support the mother’s mineral stores with calcium and phosphorus contents,
- Iron, folic acid, calcium, and dill, chard, spinach, which are consumed before cooking so that they do not lose their content,
- Onion used in all meals with its auxiliary compounds,
- Recent studies show that if the mother has iron deficiency, milk production also decreases. A good source of herbal iron, as well as oats, which accelerate the progress of milk in the breast canals and increase the amount with its relaxing effect,
- Fennel, which helps the indigestion problems of the baby with its breast enhancing, relaxing and soothing effect,
- Carrot, which enriches breast milk and supports milk formation with beta carotene content,
- Oilseeds (nuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.), which are sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and calcium and enrich breast milk with monounsaturated fats, are foods that will not stop counting the benefits.
Do sugary foods, sherbets and sweets increase breast milk?
There is a false belief in society that sugary foods and drinks increase breast milk. Such foods do not increase breast milk. Therefore, our mothers should stay away from puerperant syrups, ready-made fruit juices, sugar-made compotes, halva, sweets and chocolates for their post-natal weight.
