If you started to breastfeed, then from now on your duty is to supply with all the necessary nutrients not only your own organism, but also a fast growing baby.

Breastfeeding causes a lot of questions for young mothers.

How much should I eat?.

What products should I avoid? How will my diet affect a child's condition? All of these questions in our article will try to answer the consultants of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Do I need extra calories during lactation?.

In the period of breastfeeding, the caloric content of the diet should indeed be somewhat higher. You should eat 400-500 calories a day more than before. To get extra energy, it is best to add to the diet such useful and nutritious foods as bread with bran, a tablespoon of peanut butter (can cause an allergy!), A medium-sized banana or an apple, about 8 ounces (227 grams) of natural yogurt.

What foods should I drink during lactation?.

Focus on healthy foods that contain many proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Among protein foods you can eat lean meat, eggs, dairy products, beans, lentils and sea fish (species that contain little mercury). It is recommended to enter in the menu different fruits and vegetables (not necessarily "organic"), but remember - they need to be washed carefully by serving on the table.

A variety of products in your menu will change the taste and flavor of breast milk, so the baby can easily get used to the normal food that awaits him in the near future. Do not forget about vitamins and minerals. In some cases, the doctor may recommend to continue taking a multivitamin complex that you drank during pregnancy.

How much fluid should I drink daily?.

Drink often in small portions, preferably before you feel thirsty. If your urine has become more concentrated (darker), increase fluid intake - this is a simple and useful indicator. Always keep water where you are most of the time with the baby.

Do not abuse store-bought sweetened juices and sweet waters. Too much sugar can cause unwanted weight gain. Caffeine should also be cautious: limit yourself to 2-3 cups (16-24 ounces) of caffeine-containing drinks per day. The ingestion of caffeine into breast milk can lead to increased excitability and disturbance of your baby's sleep.

Can I follow a vegetarian diet during lactation?.

Complete avoidance of food of animal origin during lactation is undesirable.

If you are still a convinced vegetarian, you need to follow a few very important rules so that such a diet does not harm the infant:.

• Prefer products that are rich in protein, iron, and calcium. Good sources of gland - lentils, bread with bran, peas, dark leafy vegetables, dried fruits. To improve the absorption of iron, recommend foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits or currants. Vegetarian calcium can be obtained with the same dark leafy vegetables, as well as with soy milk, tofu, juices and flakes, which are specially enriched with this element.

• Take food supplements. Since a strict vegetarian diet may not give you and your baby everything you need, consider the additional intake of multivitamins and food additives. It is worth paying attention to vitamin B12, which is present mainly in food of animal origin. This vitamin is needed for the development of children's brain. If you do not eat milk and yogurt, and also rarely go to the sun, then you will need supplements with vitamin D. Lack of vitamin D may cause rickets in the baby.

What foods should be restricted during lactation?.

There are several categories of foods and drinks with which you should be careful:.

• Caffeinated drinks. As we have already said, caffeine penetrates into breast milk and affects the nervous system of the child, disturbing his sleep. During lactation it is recommended either to completely abandon caffeine-containing beverages, or to limit them to 2-3 cups a day.

• Alcoholic beverages. There is no norm of alcohol, which would be recognized as safe during pregnancy and lactation. If you drink alcohol, rest assured - part of this dose will get to your child. In case of alcohol intake, it is not recommended to give the baby breast milk, until alcohol is released from the body. After a can of beer (355 ml, 5%), a glass of wine (148 ml, 11%) or a glass of vodka (44 ml, 40%) will take about three hours, depending on your body weight. Expressing milk does not accelerate its purification from alcohol and food products. Therefore, during lactation, do not drink at all.

•Seafood. Seafood is an excellent source of proteins and omega-3 fatty acids for children. But in most marine delicacies, your counters contain traces of mercury, which the US health authorities tirelessly warn. Mercury is extremely dangerous for children's nervous system. To protect the baby from this heavy metal, it is recommended to avoid certain types of fish (depending on the region) and limit consumption of seafood 6 ounces (170 grams) per week.

Can a diet provoke an allergy in an infant?.

Certain foods and drinks can indeed cause an allergic reaction in the child. If you notice a rash, changes in behavior or diarrhea after the introduction of a new product into your diet, consult your doctor and temporarily discontinue this product. Refrain from it for at least a week to see the difference.

Most often, the child's allergies are provoked by products from cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, soybeans, wheat and corn. Some nursing women have to avoid sharp (onion) or gas-forming food (cabbage), although the effectiveness of this measure has not been confirmed in the course of adequate controlled studies.

To track the relationship between specific foods and allergies in a child, it is advisable to have a food diary.

In it, you will list all foods and drinks, as well as describe the reaction of the baby, if any. Gradually removing suspicious foods from the diet and noting the changes, you can easily calculate the "culprit" and will be able to leave everything else in its menu.

Remember that during lactation there is no scientifically proven need to go on any hard restrictive diet. Just make a choice in favor of a balanced and varied menu and follow the reaction of the baby.

medbe. en.