Diet plays a very important role during breast feeding. The need for a proper diet does not stop at pregnancy but rather its importance is carried on to the post pregnancy stage as well. A nursing mother’s diet will always determine the quality of breast milk produced. The food that the mother eats has a twofold function: not only does it have to meet the mother’s nutritional requirements, which tends to be greater in the postnatal stage, but it also provides her body with the ability to produce milk. If a nursing mother does not have a nutritious diet, the baby would still be healthy, but this will be at the expense of her own health. In the absence of sufficient nourishment, milk production will become the body’s first priority and the mother’s needs would not be met. It is just like during pregnancy, where the nutritional requirements of the fetus were met first, followed by that of the mother’s.
Consume a lot of cereals, whole grains, vegetables and fresh fruits. About five servings of vegetables and fruits a day will help provide both you and your baby with the required nutrients. Besides they will also help in providing you with the necessary roughage. Focus on foods that are rich in calcium, iron and protein.
Go in for snacks that are healthy. Snacks such as yogurt and sandwiches that are made from whole meal bread and filled with salmon, cheese, tuna, and leafy greens would be a good choice for you. Consume a lot of juices and water. The juice of sweet limes, pineapples, oranges, water melons and musk lemon are healthy. Vegetable juice that has been made from beetroots, carrots, mint, tomatoes and a hint of lime is also highly nutritious.
Stay away from caffeine, fizzy drinks and alcohol. Your calorie intake can be spread over five meals. These could be breakfast, lunch, post lunch snack, a small snack in the evening followed by dinner. Dry fruits make healthy snacks as well. You could soak 4-5 almonds in a glass of water and leave it overnight. The next morning peel the almonds and eat them. You could also add apricots, dried figs, walnuts and raisins to your cereal. A diet that is varied is important for the mother. To conclude, always pay close attention to your baby while nursing. This will help you in eliminating any food from your diet that seems to bother him/her.