What To Eat While Breastfeeding?

There are many myths and misunderstandings about what a nursing mother should eat and what to avoid during lactation. In order to dispel any doubts, it is worth getting to know the current state of knowledge and the results of research on the way of eating while breastfeeding, as well as the practical tips that can be derived from them to help you plan your menu.

Both expectant mothers and young mothers often wonder what to eat when breastfeeding. What should be the diet of a nursing mother? Are there products that should be avoided then? What to eat when you are breastfeeding for the best nutrition for your baby? There are also questions about examples of a ready-made menu for a nursing mother. In our guide, you will find everything necessary to ensure proper nutrition during lactation.

Breastfeeding - the "gold standard" in infant nutrition

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of an infant's life is an optimal and model nutrition. In the following months of a child's life, it is recommended to continue breastfeeding while introducing complementary foods. Numerous studies have shown that breastfeeding in infancy is associated with the optimal psychosomatic development of a child, has a beneficial effect on the development of cognitive abilities in childhood, and also reduces the risk of diseases, including diet-related diseases in adulthood.

Does the menu of a nursing mother affect the quality of milk?

The composition of mum's milk is an individual feature and adapts to the needs of her baby. It depends on the stage of lactation, the time of day and night, and even the time of a single feeding. The composition of the milk only slightly depends on diet used by mom while breastfeedingThe content of essential nutrients, minerals, and vitamins in mature breast milk is almost constant, with the exception of minor fluctuations in the concentration of B vitamins, vitamin C, and fatty acids. A proper diet for a breastfeeding mother therefore primarily impacts her health and well-being.

Reduced milk production and a reduction in its immunoprotective functions, while maintaining its nutritional value, are observed only in the case of significant malnutrition of the breastfeeding woman.

Diet during breastfeeding and diet during pregnancy

The basic nutritional recommendations for lactating women do not differ from those for pregnant women. It is important to use a balanced, varied diet based on natural and little processed products. You should also take care of the proper hydration of the body and supplementation of the most frequently selected deficient nutrients, such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and vitamin D.

Nursing mother's diet: how many calories more?

Daily requirement for energy Breastfeeding women increases in relation to the period of pregnancy.

The increase in energy demand during pregnancy and lactation is as follows:

• 70st trimester of pregnancy + XNUMX kcal / day;
• 260nd trimester of pregnancy + XNUMX kcal / day;
• 500rd trimester of pregnancy + XNUMX kcal / day;
• lactation for the first 6 months + 500 kcal / day
• lactation in the following months + 400 kcal / day.

The amount of energy provided in the consumed foods should be appropriate to age, body weight and physical activity. According to the current standards, the energy value of the daily diet of a nursing woman should increase by 500 kcal / day during the first 6 months of feeding and by about 400 kcal / day in the following months.

What To Eat When Breastfeeding: Basic Nutrients

Protein

Need for protein in lactating women it increases because its synthesis in the body must cover the amount of protein in the produced milk. Protein intake during this period should be increased up to 6 months after delivery and by 10 g/day after 6 monthsafter childbirth compared to the need before pregnancywhile maintaining the proportions of 2/3 protein from animal products (lean meat and meat products, fish, milk and dairy products, eggs) and 1/3 from vegetable products (cereals and vegetables). The share of protein in the energy pool of the entire daily diet should be 10-20%.

Fats

Consumption fat by breastfeeding women should be increased compared to the period before pregnancy o 16,7 h/person/dayęFat should provide 30% to 40% of the energy value of your daily diet. Pay attention to the type of fat you eat, as it affects the fatty acid composition of human milk. What To Eat About Fats While Breastfeeding? Particularly noteworthy are products that are a source of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have the most beneficial effect on the body of both mother and child.

Expert advises

Compounds harmful to health, such as trans isomers of fatty acids, present in hydrogenated fats (some margarines) and products prepared with their participation (e.g. confectionery, bakery and fried products), as well as in "fast food" foods, can also penetrate into the food. ".

Małgorzata Wiek

Dietitian, Human Nutrition Specialist, Nutrition Department, Gastroenterological Clinic, Institute of Mother and Child

Dishes / meals should be prepared with the addition of natural fats, i.e. fresh butter, vegetable oils (soybean, corn, sunflower, olive oil). Sea fish (salmon, sprat, sardine, mackerel, trout, cod, hake) and nuts in the diet are a source of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Carbohydrates

They complete the energy pool of the whole day diet carbohydrates, providing 45-65% of energy. The source of carbohydrates in the diet of breastfeeding women is a varied assortment of bread, including whole wheat bread, also various types of groats, and potatoes, which provide complex carbohydrates. Vegetables and fruits are a source of natural simple sugars and disaccharides. It is recommended to limit confectionery and sweets - a source of food sugar, due to the prevention of, among others, excess body weight, insulin resistance, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Fluid requirements during lactation

In addition to what to eat while breastfeeding, it is very important that you get the right amount of fluids. According to the current nutrition standards, the demand for fluids during breastfeeding is about 2,7 l. It is even greater than during pregnancy, because the water contained in the produced milk is also taken into account. In practice, physiological thirst quenching is recommended rather than drinking strictly defined amounts of fluids. The optimal fluid to drink is low mineralization (<500 mg / l dissolved substances) or medium (500-1500 mg / l dissolved substances), low sodium (<20 mg / l Na +) water, high in calcium and magnesium. It is not recommended to drink carbonated water, which may increase the feeling of bloating and give you a false sense of quenching your thirst. During lactation, in addition to water, you can drink weak infusions of tea, milk in the amount of about 0,5 liters (2 glasses), which provides valuable nutrients [source of calcium, protein, vitamin B2].

Due to the high sugar content, the consumption of juices, preferably from freshly squeezed fruit and/or vegetables, should not exceed 200-250 ml.

Coffee consumption should be limited as caffeine may pass into food and promote excessive activity in the child and disturb sleep. More than 3 cups of coffee is not recommended as it provides about 300 mg of caffeine. As there is insufficient scientific evidence to suggest the effects of alcohol consumption by women while breastfeeding on the development of infants, the safest solution is not consuming alcohol during lactation.

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Aleksandra Swiebod

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Supplementation of the diet of a nursing mother

Does the diet while breastfeeding require supplementation? Provided that the recommendations regarding proper nutrition during breastfeeding are followed, supplementation with multi-ingredient preparations is not necessary. According to the position of the Group of Experts Nursing women should take only DHA and vitamin D and, in special situations, calcium and iodine.

• Supplementation vitamin D. should be carried out under the control of serum 25 (OH) D concentration, so that it falls within the range of> 30-50 ng / ml. If the determination of 25 (OH) D is not possible, supplementation at a dose of 2000 IU / day is recommended throughout the lactation period.
• Due to the proven beneficial effect DHA supplementation is recommended on the child's body at an early stage of development, and at the same time insufficient amounts of this ingredient supplied with the diet. According to experts' recommendations, in addition to eating fish at least twice a week, you should additionally supplement DHA in the amount of 200 mg / day or 400-600 mg / day in the case of a low consumption of fish by a nursing woman.
• Need for calcium During lactation, it is 1000-1300 mg/day. What should you eat while breastfeeding to get the most calcium from your diet? The main dietary sources of this nutrient are milk and dairy products, fish (sprat, sardines), green vegetables, dried fruit, and nuts. To ensure adequate calcium intake, it is recommended to consume approximately 2 glasses of milk, a cup of yogurt, buttermilk, or kefir, 2 slices of yellow cheese, approximately 80 g (4 tablespoons) of cottage cheese, 15 g (a small handful) of nuts, 3 servings of green vegetables, and 2 servings of fruit daily. Calcium supplementation is necessary for breastfeeding women in cases of, for example, lactose intolerance or cow's milk protein allergy.
• Need for iodine during the lactation period it is 210-290 µg / day. The results of the research showed that the diets of breastfeeding women are not deficient in terms of this nutrient. There was no need for additional supplementation in countries where food iodization programs were implemented. In the event of iodine deficiency in a breastfeeding woman, supplementation with potassium iodide preparations in the amount of 150 µg / day should be introduced.

Slimming diet and breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is not a good time to be on a weight loss diet. During the lactation period, significant and sharp weight loss should be avoided, especially in the first months. It can be harmful to follow a low-energy / low-calorie, very restrictive diet at this time. The caloric content of the diet should not be lower than 1500 kcal / day, due to the risk of reducing the amount of food produced. It is also inadvisable to use liquid diets and slimming aids. Weight loss after childbirth should be gradual, and breastfeeding promotes this process. It may take around 12 months for it to reach your body weight before pregnancy. In the first 4-6 months of breastfeeding, weight loss is greater, averaging around 0,6-0,8 kg / month. Women who breastfeed their babies in the second half of life still lose weight, but at a slower pace.

Elimination diets while breastfeeding

Many mothers wonder not only what to eat while breastfeeding, but also what to avoid. According to the current state of knowledge and research results there is no justification for the use of elimination diets by a nursing woman without specific medical indications. You should not preventively eliminate potentially allergenic foods (e.g. milk and dairy products, eggs, nuts, fish, gluten-containing products, strawberries, citrus fruits, cocoa) from the diet, as it has been proven that this does not reduce the risk of allergy in a child. It can, however, lead to a shortage of various nutrients in the mother.

Expert advises

The use of elimination diets is justified only in the case of an allergy in the child or mother and should be consulted with a doctor or nutritionist. In place of products eliminated from the diet, products with a similar nutritional value should be introduced.

Małgorzata Wiek

Dietitian, Human Nutrition Specialist, Nutrition Department, Gastroenterological Clinic, Institute of Mother and Child

What to watch out for in a nursing mother's diet?

There is also no scientific basis for eliminating food from a nursing mother's diet if it does not cause gastrointestinal discomfort both for herself and for the baby, but:

• substances with a specific smell and taste, found in garlic, onion, and broccoli, can penetrate food and change its taste;
• products such as: garlic, onion, cabbage, turnip, broccoli, rhubarb, apricots, dried plums, beans, may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in a child;
• fresh fruit may cause loose stools/tummy aches in the child (if not necessary, they should not be eliminated from the diet).

When breastfeeding, let's eat wisely

Diet while breastfeeding is somewhat controversial due to the many myths about what you can and should not eat when you breastfeed your baby. The current state of knowledge shows that the products consumed by the mother have little effect on the composition of the milk and any disturbing symptoms in the child, therefore the obligatory use of elimination diets has no scientific justification. When composing the menu of a nursing mother, it is worth following the principles of conscious and responsible nutrition. Following the rules of an easily digestible diet, adequate hydration, taking care of the correct distribution of meals throughout the day and avoiding overeating, heavy foods, and processed foods - all this should ensure the proper course of the lactation period.

Źródła:

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Marangoni F., Cetin I., Verduci E. et al .: Maternal diet and nutrient requirements in pregnancy and breastfeeding. An Italian Consensus Document. Nutrients 2016; 8: 629; doi: 10.3390 / nu8100629;

Mosca F., Giann? ML.: Human milk: composition and health benefits. La Pediatria Medica e Chirurgica 2017; 39:155:47-52

Smoter K., Bomba-Opoń D., Wielgoś M .: Nutrition of pregnant and breastfeeding women in: Szajewska H., Horvath A. [eds.]: Nutrition and nutritional treatment of children and adolescents. Practical Medicine, Krakow 2017;

Spahn JM., Callahan EH., Spill MK. et al .: Influence of maternal diet on flavor transfer to amniotic fluid and breast milk and children's responses: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 2019; 109 (Suppl): 1003S-1026S;

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Author

Małgorzata Wiek

Dietitian, Human Nutrition Specialist, Nutrition Department, Gastroenterological Clinic, Institute of Mother and Child