Breastfeeding nutrition: Tips for mothers

Basically, breastfeeding is like the best nutritional diet. Breastfeeding requires about 450 to 500 extra calories per day. Certain nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium and vitamins ‘A’ and ‘D’ are beneficial during breastfeeding. A variety of foods should be eaten. So the baby will be exposed to different tastes and as a result it will later become familiar with the taste of solid foods.

Fruits

■ Are a rich source of many nutrients. Helps to get rid of constipation.

■ Aim to eat about 2 cups of a variety of fruits per day.

■ Melon, banana, mango, apricot, orange, red or pink

■ Eating grapes is a beneficial fruit.

Vegetables

■ Breastfeeding mothers should eat 3 cups of vegetables a day.

■ Those combining breastfeeding with formula feeding should eat 2.5 cups of vegetables per day.

■ Vegetables are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Adequate intake helps replenish the body with the nutrients it needs to produce milk.

■ Eat vegetables containing potassium and vitamin ‘A’. Spinach, cooked green vegetables, carrot, sweet potato, red pumpkin, tomato red bell pepper should be included in the diet.

Grain

■ Grains provide important nutrients, especially brown rice and whole-wheat bread.
■ Breastfeeding mothers should eat 8 times a day and formula feeding mothers should eat 6 times a day.

■ Some grains, such as quinoa, are high in protein. It contains essential nutrients for breastfeeding.

■ Fortified cereals provide additional nutrients. It is a good option.

Protein

■ Breastfeeding requires the body to consume an additional 25 grams of protein.

■ If one’s weight is 50 kg, the woman concerned weighs 75 grams of protein and essential

■ Protein Sources: Beans and peas, nuts and seeds, chicken, mutton, crab and mussels Salmon, herring, pollock, sardines and trout Seafood are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. It can help in the healthy development of the baby’s brain. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are excellent choices, as they are high in omega-3s.

Dairy products

■ Both pregnancy and breastfeeding lead to loss of calcium from the bones, putting the mother at risk for osteoporosis if she does not get enough calcium and vitamin D. Dairy products such as cheese and milk are excellent sources of calcium. Breastfeeding mothers should consume at least 3 cups of dairy products per day.

■ Sources of vitamin D and calcium are milk, curd, natural cheese. Those who do not eat dairy products can also get calcium from dark leafy vegetables, beans, and fortified orange juice.

■ Breastfeeding mothers should get 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. Young wool is a good source of vitamin D. Also, eating mushrooms and oily fish can increase vitamin D.