What you eat during breastfeeding has an effect on both your health and your developing child. Even though your breast milk will be fine even if your diet isn't, eating healthy is still essential. When you consume healthier foods, you help your body absorb the nutrients it lacks when breastfeeding, ensuring that your breast milk is as nutritional as possible for your kid.
It's not always possible to get all of the nutrients you need. You're busy and exhausted as a mum, whether you have a baby or a toddler. Plus, if you don't have a lot of support, it can be difficult to get everything done in a day.
Cooking nutritious meals and taking care of yourself will soon become a distant memory. It's completely understandable. However, it is important to look after yourself. You'll get more tired, lose excessive amounts of weight, and not sleep well if you miss meals or don't eat better. You will be better and stronger if you take the time to eat right and care for yourself. That is preferable for both you and your child. So, here are few suggestions for a balanced lifestyle.
1. Eat a healthy and balanced diet:
Make an effort to eat a well-balanced diet. Try and eat up to three meals a day, as well as a selection of nutritious drinks and snacks, if possible. You might find that consuming six smaller meals is more beneficial to your health.
Limit empty calorie snacks and eat a mix of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains. Have nutritious nuts, vegetables, and already fruits and veggies so you're less tempted to go for a chocolate or a slice of pizza as a snack.
2. Include fish in your diet:
Include any fish in your weekly menus. Seafood is a safe source of protein and also contains important omega-3 fatty acids if you love consuming fish. Two to three days a week, you can easily eat low-mercury seafood including salmon, tuna, rainbow trout, shrimp, crab, squid, and clams. Replace fish with flax seeds oil if you are vegan. And if you are not particularly fond of fish, you can take supplements that are available in the market, consult with your doctor before you start taking any supplements.
3. Add milk producing food into your daily diet:
Consume certain milk-producing foods. Many of the nutritious meals and snacks you will eat during the day can help you produce more breast milk. Oatmeal, hummus made with chickpeas, green vegetables, and almonds are all good additions to a balanced breastfeeding diet since they help milk production.
4. Stay hydrated:
Water makes up the most of breast milk. Breastfeeding, in particular the let-down reflex, will make you feel extra thirsty. As a result, you can drink lots of water. Drink enough to satisfy your appetite, and aim for ten glasses of water or other nutritious drinks a day. Any time you breastfeed your infant, it's a smart idea to drink a glass of water. You can do this 8–12 times a day to ensure you're covered. Dehydration and indigestion can occur if you don't drink enough fluids. It can also result in a reduction in the amount of breast milk you have. Wrap your baby in a comfortable organic muslin cloth when you are feeding to keep them comfortable.
5. Take your vitamins seriously:
Although a balanced breastfeeding diet would
provide you with all of the essential nutrients you need, you can also take your
vitamin supplement. Vitamins, on the other hand, cannot substitute a balanced
diet; they can only supplement it.
Vitamins could be prescribed if you have a vitamin deficiency, are breastfeeding, follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, or have undergone weight loss surgery. Your doctor will advise you on which supplements you can take in addition.
6. Be cautious of weight loss diets:
When it comes to dieting, be cautious. You're not alone if you're concerned about losing weight following the birth of your kids. It's a problem that many mothers are concerned with. If you're breastfeeding, though, you shouldn't begin a diet regimen too fast.
Being on a tight calorie-restricted diet or taking diet pills and weight-loss herbs is not recommended when you are nursing. It could be dangerous to both you and your baby if you do so.
Your doctor can prescribe a healthy diet and exercise program to help you reach your target weight until your body has healed from childbirth and your breast milk supply has been developed. Of course, you must be fair and keep in mind that you have only been in this role for nine months. Although there is a lot of pressure, make sure to not give into it and enjoy little things like massaging your baby and buying baby sets for them. Dress them up and take adorable photos and make a lifetime worth of memories.
With all this being said, eat healthy and take care of your health before you lose yourself into raising a healthy child. Don’t forget to prioritise yourself remember happy mama equals happy child, always!
AUTHOR’S BIO:
I am Lana Murpy, a post-graduate in humanities and communications, and an inquisitive person who loves writing. My forte is digital marketing and everything that has to do with phones and screens. I’m working for Tiny Twig . I am someone who believes that one person can make a change and that's precisely why I took up writing which is the best tool to communicate these days. I have a decade of experience in writing and marketing.