When you are breastfeeding, your nutritional and caloric needs will increase because your body is using more of the nutrients that you consume for the production of breast milk. You will notice that you are easily hungry and your craving for food increases. Therefore, you must eat well to get enough nutrients and calories for your body to function properly. Some experts are of the opinion that lactating mothers need better nutrition than during pregnancy. This is because the quality of the food you eat while breastfeeding not only determines the quality of your breast milk, but also how quickly you get back to your pre-pregnancy body.
Increase Calorie Intake
You need to increase your calorie intake up to 400 to 500 calories per day. This is because the process of making breast milk requires a lot of energy. Increasing your calorie intake will help improve your energy level. Some foods that will increase your calorie intake include whole wheat bread, apple, nonfat yogurt, banana, peanut butter, cantaloupe, berries, oranges, plums, and other complex carbohydrate foods. You should avoid snacking on junk food. They only contain empty calories that will do more harm to the body rather than improve calorie intake.
It is not important to be on a special diet. You should focus on eating healthy foods that improve milk production. Your dietary plan should consist of a balanced diet. It will be good to include a variety of foods like fruits, whole grains, and vegetables in your diet plan. This will help change the taste of breast milk. In other words, your baby will get different flavors from your breast milk that will help your baby start eating solid foods quickly.
drink more fluid
As a breastfeeding mom, you should always try to stay hydrated. Check the color of your urine and drink more water if it turns yellow. It’s a sign that you’re getting dehydrated. It is good that you drink up to 8 glasses of water a day. If you can’t count the number of times you drink a day, you should make sure you drink water when you’re nursing your baby. Babies normally nurse up to 8 times a day and by drinking while you breastfeed, your baby will be able to drink up to 8 glasses of water in a day.
Foods to Avoid
Do not drink juices and sugary drinks. They can cause you to add more weight. It’s also not good to have too much caffeine when you’re breastfeeding because it can pass into your breast milk and keep your baby awake.
Alcoholic beverages are not good for lactating mothers so you should avoid them as well. This is because they are not good for your baby. If you want to drink alcohol, you should opt for baby formula instead of breastfeeding.
You should also avoid shellfish that are high in mercury. Typical examples of such foods include king mackerel, shark, tilefish, and swordfish.
take supplements
If you think you are not getting enough vitamins and minerals, see your doctor. They may prescribe supplements.
Taking care of your body’s nutritional requirements is very important as it will not only help your baby get good nutrition from you but also help you stay healthy.
