What you eat will impact your baby’s brain and physical development. Maintaining a healthy diet will help your body make a nutrient-rich supply of breastmilk. By understanding the importance of nutrition and making smart food choices, you can ensure that your child grows up happy and healthy.

Breast milk is not just made of protein, fat, or carbohydrates – it also contains many nutrients, including vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the baby. It is important to include a lot of foods that have calcium, vitamins A, B, iron, and folic acid.  Fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats are some of the things you can eat to achieve this.

You don’t need to eat anything special while you’re breastfeeding. But it’s a good idea for you, just like everyone else, to eat a healthy diet.

Stay Hydrated

Breast milk is made up of about 80% water hence it is important to drink plenty of water when nursing the baby. Make sure you drink lots of water, fruit juices, milkshakes, and other such healthy fluids every day, especially in summer.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleeping well will help you feel more relaxed and alert when you are breastfeeding. Getting enough sleep will also help the baby sleep better. Make sure you get at least 8 hours of sleep every day.

Reduce stress and anxiety

Stress and anxiety can be very harmful to your physical health. Meditation is a simple method to relax your mind and reduce stress and anxiety. Breathing exercises are another way to help you reduce your stress and anxiety. The best part about this exercise is that you can do it anytime and anywhere.

Have a Balanced Diet

Your body needs to get essential nutrients to be functioning at top condition. When mothers have a healthy and balanced diet, the same nutrients are passed on to the baby when they are fed. Include dairy and other high-quality proteins in your diet. Eat nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and seafood.

New mothers also need the strength and stamina to take care of their newborn. Having nutritious meals with healthy snacks will help keep hunger in check and provide you with all the energy required.

Forget About Calories

If you’re breastfeeding, you need about 2,000 -2,500 calories per day. How much food to eat depends on many factors, such as your current weight, how much exercise you do, your metabolism, and the frequency of breastfeeding.

If weight is a concern, consult a doctor or dietician who can give you advice on how to maintain the ideal weight.

Lose Weight Gradually

Avoid trying to lose weight for at least two months after delivery. An abrupt decline in calorie intake can affect the milk supply. New moms who combine exercise and a healthy balanced diet can lose around ½ a kilo a week.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Limit caffeine intake, as an excessive amount can cause caffeine to be passed on to the baby.

Continue Taking Vitamins

After you give birth, it’s important to continue taking vitamins that were prescribed when you were pregnant and gradually transition to a multivitamin. Nursing mothers should have Calcium (1000 mg/day), Vitamin D (15mg/day), and DHA (200-300 mg/day) supplements.

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, for both you and your baby, exposure to sun is a good source of vitamin D.

Calcium is depleted when breastfeeding. Dairy foods, such as milk, yoghurt and cheese, or non-dairy sources, including nuts, tofu, sesame seeds and leafy green vegetables help build up calcium.

Consult a gynaecologist or nutritionist in case of any queries about your diet or nutrition. They can help you create a healthy eating plan that meets your needs and those of your baby. We at Neobliss would be happy to refer you to a nutrition consultant too.

In conclusion, there are several ways you can eat healthily while nursing a baby. First of all, be sure to eat plenty of water. Make sure that your diet includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. When you eat, try to eat slowly and mindfully. That means eating food that tastes good and making sure that you eat as much fibre as you possibly can. Try to limit your intake of processed foods. Ensure that you eat a wide variety of foods. Finally, drink plenty of water and cut down on sugary drinks.