Tips To Follow A Good Breast Feeding Diet

By Author: Nanshi Pache
Total Articles: 11
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The baby is totally dependent on the mother for the first 6months after birth and its feeding habits keep changing as it grows up. This can take a toll on the mother’s health if she does not follow a healthy breastfeeding diet. The nutrients, vitamins, minerals, amount of water intake etc., by the mother reach the baby, thereby helping him to grow.

What should the diet plan include?

A healthy diet for breastfeeding mothers should ideally include:

Porridge: This is relatively easy to make and is nutritious food which is also easily digestible for breastfeeding mothers. Adding galactogogues or lactation-enhancing foods to the diet is a very good procedure. Some galactogogues include oats, tapioca root, Dalia, carrots, green gram pulses, fenugreek, sesame seeds, nuts etc.

No oily or spicy food: It is best to avoid foods containing increased quantity of fats or spices during this time since they affect the health of the baby.

Short frequent meals: Eating large meals tends to cause indigestion and should be avoided. Instead, small but frequent meals should be ...
... made a part of any diet for breastfeeding mothers.

Stay hydrated: It is very important for breastfeeding mothers to stay hydrated since lactation requires a good quantity of fluids which is taken from the mother and thus needs to be replenished.
Foods to include:

Certain foods are very good for the diet for breastfeeding moms and should be added to daily food items to benefit from them. They are:

Fenugreek: These seeds when sprouted make for an excellent additive to the diet of a breastfeeding mother.
Garlic: Even though garlic has a foul smell, when used in soups and curries it tastes very good.
Galactogogues: These lactation-including foods - or galactogogues as they are called - include cumin, fennel and poppy seeds.
Bottle gourds: They help to increase milk production.
Dill leaves: They are certainly very good for both, the mother and the baby.
Water: Water should form the staple of every diet for feeding mother since it helps to:

Digest food
Make Breast milk, since it has a watery base.

Edible gum: It is believed that this strengthens the bones of the baby and also of the parent.

Milk: This is a good source of Calcium and having it daily keeps away back and knee pain.

Coconut water: This nutrient rich water helps the body to keep cool and hydrated.

Almonds: Almonds have been known to work wonders for the brain development of the baby thereby making them sharper and more intelligent. Soaking almonds in water and having them first thing in the morning is extremely good for both the mother and the baby.

Alcohol and caffeine consumption too tends to get passed onto the baby from a breastfeeding mother and should thus be avoided during this time. If at all it is required, there should be a gap of at least 2 to 3 hours between its consumption and the act of breastfeeding.