Improving your diet and making adjustments with foods that may upset the baby does not have to be a hardship. In honor Breastfeeding Awareness month in August, learning not only how you can get in shape, but how you and your baby can enjoy satisfying meals will ensure this special time in your life is as memorable as it is meaningful.
Foraging for food
Continuing to eat the healthy and nutritious foods you ate during pregnancy will help you stay healthy, which in turn will positively impact your mood and energy level. Breastfeeding actually helps women get back to their pre-pregnancy size quicker because it guides mothers to eat healthy meals. However, if you don’t always eat well, your body will adjust accordingly to make sure your milk is protected and the maximum amount of nutrients are in the milk.
Nursing moms should have daily helpings from each of the basic food groups,” says Connie Diekman, Director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St Louis. A breastfeeding mom’s caloric intake should also consist of a variety of carbohydrates such as pasta, whole grains and fruit, healthy fats such as fish, nut butter, olive oil, and avocado, and proteins found in seafood, eggs, dairy products, legumes, poultry and nuts. “I frequently advise nursing mothers to eat less sugar and more omega-3s, which are the healthy fats important for brain development and immune function often found in fish, adds Diekman. Remember that calcium is just as crucial when nursing as it was during pregnancy.
Feeding fussy eaters
Sears states that what a mother eats does not usually upset her baby, “however, some babies will be sensitive to certain foods in their mother’s diet.” These upsetting foods can affect the baby as soon as two hours after a mother eats them. Eating or drinking cow milk products may upset babies with milk allergies. Spicy foods eaten by a mother could distinctively alter the taste of her milk making it unappealing to her baby. “These situations can cause a baby to refuse to be fed or have colicky symptoms like crying and fussiness,” says Sears.
If you suspect foods are causing your baby to be fussy, chart those foods and list your baby’s corresponding reactions. Eliminate the foods for 10 to14 days to see if his symptoms disappear or diminish, and repeat with different foods as needed. Once the troublesome symptoms subside, slowly reintroduce the suspicious food to determine if the symptoms reappear. “If the symptoms do reappear, eliminate this food while breastfeeding, says Sears.
To diet or not
Nursing mothers should not restrict particular food groups because their own body, as well as their baby, needs nutrients from all food groups. “Diets such as Atkins, South Beach, etc., are geared toward a general population, not nursing mothers, and put babies at risk for nutrient deficiencies,” Diekman cautions. Omitting carbohydrates limits iron and folic acid, which “can cause anemia or neural tube disease,” she adds. A nursing mom should not try to lose weight until at least 12 weeks postpartum.
Instead of dieting, make nutritional substitutions in your daily diet. Choose foods that are made with whole grains, watch your fat and sodium intake and switch to skim or low fat dairy. Look at getting nutrients from whole food before considering power bars or nutrient packed beverages. “Nutrients are better absorbed from intact food versus liquid processed shakes, vitamins supplements, etc.,” urges Diekman.
Balancing beverages
Concern that breastfeeding prevents a mother from enjoying a dinner party or an evening out with her spouse often has women considering avoiding or ceasing breastfeeding their infants. Experts suggest nursing mothers pump milk prior to consuming alcohol and wait until the alcohol has cleared her system to begin breastfeeding again. An algorithm created by Motherisk is one tool for nursing mothers to estimate how long it takes to eliminate alcohol from breast milk. Consulting your child’s pediatrician for his or her guidelines and recommendations will give you piece of mind and the freedom to safely indulge in social activities.
Drink a glass of water before breastfeeding, as you might not drink a sufficient amount after feeding. Caffeine can have a diuretic effect, causing you to lose valuable minerals and fluids.
Parent Child Magazine
New and expecting moms can visit www.lansinoh.com to receive Nurture Note, a special e-message that provides breastfeeding tips, encouragement and support. You can also register for a chance to win a free Lansinoh Double Electric Breast Pump. For each mother who registers for the Nurture Note from August through October 2006, Lansinoh will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in support of breast cancer research.
No comments:
Post a Comment