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Eating For Breastfeeding

Eating For Breastfeeding – are you eating the right food?

While you are breastfeeding your diet is uniformly as essential as whilst you were
pregnant as you are still the chief source for your baby’s nourishment. As a brand new
Mum you will also require lots of energy to cope with the stress of looking after a
newborn. For this reason you must endeavour and keep up the healthy eating practices
you took up during pregnancy.
Although new Mum's can feel a huge amount of pressure to regain their pre-pregnancy
figures rapidly after their baby is born it is recommended that you shouldn't embark on
a diet or exercise regime until at least 6 weeks after the birth and then only after
consulting your healthcare professional.
Breastfeeding alone burns about 500 calories a day which is why Mums that breastfeed
lose their baby weight at a naturally faster rate. If you do want to lose weight you
should focus on consuming between 2000 and 2200 calories each day from healthy
foods and combine this with mild exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga or pilates.
As an evolutionary mechanism, it is your body rather than your milk supply that will
suffer if you aren't taking on enough of the right foods. This is because the favourable
elements of the foods you eat are passed on to your baby through your breast milk and
only the surplus is used to nourish your body. For this reason the quality of your milk is
likely to remain constant regardless of your diet (with the exception of extreme
nutritional deprivation), however the quantity is likely to be affected. Having said that
every baby needs a healthy Mum with plenty of energy to care for them so a well
balanced diet is vital.
Essentials of the food and drink you eat are passed on to your baby through your breast
milk - this includes alcohol and nicotine from cigarettes. If you do go on smoking
(although this is strongly discouraged) you should delay at least an hour between
having a cigarette and feeding your baby to allocate some of the chemicals to disperse.
Moreover, as alcohol passes into your milk source in less than an hour you should wait
until after a feed before having an alcoholic beverage.
While it is not thought that caffeine has any long term unfavourable effects on babies
when taken in moderation, if you note that your infant becomes frantic or finds it not
easy to settle when you have been drinking caffeinated drinks you may choose to avoid
them or switch to a decaffeinated alternative. You must constantly drink plenty of water
when breastfeeding to make sure that you are suitably hydrated to be able to generate
milk. You should try and drink approximately 2 litres or between 8 and 10 glasses a
day.
You should try and eat 5 varied portions of fruit and vegetables a day, plenty of
 complex carbohydrates (such as brown rice and pasta, wholemeal bread and potatoes)
and lean protein. As breast milk contains high levels of calcium it is essential that you
eat plenty of dairy products, raw vegetables and nuts so that you don't become
deficient.
If you were taking any vitamin supplements during pregnancy it is generally
recommended that you continue with these whilst you breastfeed although you should
always check with your healthcare professional.
Although the majority of babies do not have food sensitivity, some babies become
irritated when their mother consumes certain foods. Unless you notice that your baby
regularly has a reaction each time you have consumed a certain food (within 2 to 4
hours) there is no need to assume that their digestive system will not tolerate it.
However, if you do believe that certain foods bring about a reaction in your baby, it is
important that you check with your GP before eliminating any food group from your
diet.
By eating a well balanced diet comprising healthful foods with the occasional treat you
should be able to provide a healthy, nourishing milk supply for your baby.

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