Breast milk is important for your baby, as it contains all the vital nutrients needed for your infants to grow. It has a perfect mixture of vitamins, protein, and fat. A lactating mother, should take a proper diet and whatever a nursing mom has in her diet, that passes on to the baby through her milk. Below are few best breastfeeding diet foods to improve lactation in feeding moms.
Benefits of breastfeeding for mother
- Reduces the risk of breast cancer
- Reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer
- Lessens osteoporosis
- Benefits child spacing
- Promotes emotional health
- Promotes postpartum weight loss
- Release of good hormones
- Recovery after childbirth
- Lowers risk of diseases
Best foods for lactation:
1. Fenugreek:
- Taking fenugreek, a very common herb, in powder or pill form, may help increase lactation in new mothers.
- This herb is, generally, used in most of the breastfeeding supplements.
- According to research, fenugreek stimulates sweat production, and as breast is a modified sweat gland, milk ducts and milk ejection are stimulated.
- You can have this herb in tea, or other forms, and most of the women who consume fenugreek might have an increase in milk production within 24 to 72 hours, says study.
- The fenugreek seeds, is available in health food stores.
- Consumption of fenugreek for women with diabetes, hypoglycemia, or asthma, might have side effects with the usage.
2.Oats:
- Consuming oats with milk may help increase lactation. You can have these oats in the form of oats cookies or as oatmeal.
- Oatmeal, is known to be a good source of iron. Adding oats to your diet may help prevent anemia (low levels of iron), and eating something high in iron might increase milk content in some women.
3.Fennel:
- Fennel, a common herb often used for cooking and healing, may boost milk production in breastfeeding moms.
- You can use it in teas or other supplements, or can cook it up by adding it in your food recipes.
- Fennel seeds are available at your local farmer’s market or grocery store.
- The fennel seeds, can be deliciously roasted, used in salads, or even sliced up and served with dip.
- Usage of this herb, is believed to promote healthy digestion and treat stomach upset and gas.
- The fennel seeds used in nursing mom’s diet, generally passes through breast milk, which may help in baby’s digestion and relieve symptoms of colic.
- Research says, with fennel in your diet, it is believed to relieve menstrual problems and balance the menstrual cycle.
- The vegetable part of the fennel plant can be eaten raw or cooked. It can be easily added to soups or other dishes.
- This herb, can also be used to flavor many recipes, including fish, salads and sauces, or you can add fennel to your diet by drinking fennel tea.
- Excess consumption of fennel, might in turn decrease the milk production in moms.
4.Brewer’s Yeast:
- Brewer’s yeast, a supplement, might support lactation and useful for breastfeeding mothers and make more breast milk.
- According to studies, this supplement when passed on to your baby through milk, is generally well-tolerated, while some may become irritable or develop colic-like symptoms.
- Brewer’s yeast may cause gas, diarrhea(R), and abdominal upset, in few lactating mothers and infants.
5.Spinach:
- Another, iron rich food, which is effective in increasing your iron levels.
- Taking spinach in your diet, will increase iron level and may increase milk production in feeding moms, according to study.
- Other iron-rich foods include red meat (especially liver), beans, chickpeas, and other leafy greens.
- Apart from these above foods, includes a variety of whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and more.
6.Low fat dairy products:
- Dairy products are an important part of healthy breastfeeding.
- You can prefer yogurt, milk, or cheese, in your diet. Milk, a calcium rich source will help boost protein and vitamin D levels.
- If you are breastfeeding, the milk loaded with calcium, will help your baby bones to develop.
7.Lean Beef:
- You can include iron rich foods such as lean beef, which are an excellent source for extra protein and vitamin B-12.
8.Legumes:
- Iron-rich beans, particularly dark-colored ones like black beans and kidney beans, are a great breastfeeding food, especially for vegetarians.
9.Blueberries:
- Loaded with vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, a breastfeeding mother, can have blueberries, as two or more servings of fruit or juice each day.
10.Brown Rice:
- Adding brown rice(R), to your diet, may help in losing the weight gained during pregnancy.
- Mix healthy, whole-grain carbohydrates like brown rice in your diet to keep your energy levels up and this energy rich food, provide your body the calories it needs to make the best-quality milk for your baby.
11.Water:
- It is necessary to drink plenty of water, and stay hydrated.
Foods to avoid while breastfeeding are:
Coffee, chocolate, citrus Fruits, broccoli, alcohol, spicy foods, garlic, Peanuts, wheat, corn, as these may cause food allergies in few nursing moms and babies, according to study.
By Supraja
