subject: Improving Your Breastfeeding Diet To Get Optimum Health Benefits [print this page] It is essential to adapt a healthy breast feeding diet so that you can provide enough milk for your baby, as well as milk that is of the highest quality. Otherwise you may find yourself needing to supplement more and more meals with formula which can make setting a consistent feeding schedule quite difficult. Above all, you want to focus on getting the right amount of nutrients so you can maintain your own health while you focus on feeing your baby.
Your diet should include substances that will help you with your milk production. There are no diets that tell you what to eat to have more milk when breast feeding but you can eat foods that help your body produce milk more easily so you can provide adequate nutrition to a growing baby. Make sure you are getting enough fluids so that your body can dedicate plenty of resources to keeping you hydrated as well as producing milk. You will also want to avoid foods that contain alcohol or caffeine because these produce more breast milk, but slow your babys willingness to drink, which can lead to clogged ducts and other health issues.
In addition to avoiding caffeine and alcohol while you breast feed, you will need to avoid any foods that might agitate your babys system. Your baby is still developing, so you will need to give them time to learn to handle more difficult foods. Spicy foods or any foods that regularly give you gas will probably have the same effects on your baby, causing them discomfort and making them agitated. You will also want to avoid any fish that may have been exposed to mercury as this can lead to mercury poisoning in your babys smaller body.
When you dont get enough nutrients for yourself while breastfeeding you may begin to lose weight. This could mean that your body is leeching calcium and other nutrients from your body in order to keep up with the demand of feeding your baby. You will need to count on taking in at least an additional 500 calories while you breast feed to help avoid losing weight in an unhealthy way. Additionally, you want to make your baby comfortable while they feed so you can set a regular schedule so you do not wind up gaining weight. A pillow can help your baby settle in so they can feed at a healthy pace.
In addition to having a good diet, it is important to keep your baby on a solid diet as well. Use tools like a rocking chair to make sure they can feed with ease so they will get used to feeding regularly. A prop or pillow will also allow your baby to feed at the proper angle so they are less likely to get air in their stomachs and become uncomfortable. As you develop your breastfeeding diet you will want to think about what you can do to make your child want to nurse regularly so you can help them grow and develop at a healthy pace.
