Diet Advice For Breastfeeding Mothers

When new moms begin breastfeeding, they often have many questions about how it is going to affect their bodies and what types of things to include or omit from their diet. While no extreme diet measures need to be taken, there are a few key points to keep in mind as you begin breastfeeding your newborn. There are a number of tools and accessories designed to make breastfeeding easier and more comfortable.

Maintain A Balanced Diet

When you are breastfeeding, place less emphasis on diet restrictions and more emphasis on a well-balanced diet. Make sure that you are successfully including all of the major food groups in the proper ratios. Keep your meals packed with healthy whole foods like fruits and vegetables to ensure that both you and your baby are getting access to quality vitamins and minerals.

Do Not Count Calories

After giving birth, many women immediately become dedicated to losing all of the weight during the pregnancy. This can often lead to counting calories and limiting how much and how often you are eating. As a general rule, women that are breastfeeding require roughly 500 more calories a day than those that are not. It is important that new mothers realize the need to continue maintain adequate calorie intake throughout the breastfeeding process.

Slow Down Weight Loss

Again, there is no need to be in a rush to lose all of your pregnancy weight. Most doctors suggest that you do not try to shed large amounts of weight until at least two months after giving birth. Trying to lose the pounds too quickly may affect your milk supply. Weight loss of about one pound per week is an acceptable rate to maintain. Anything over this likely means that you are cutting your calorie intake by too much.

Monitor Your Baby’s Reactions

It is not uncommon for your newborn to get a literal “taste” of what you have been eating when they drink your breast milk. Monitor their reactions to the different things you have been eating. You may find that a diet high in certain foods makes them gassy or irritable. Some foods may cause a taste they either love or hate. Noticing how they react can help you to maintain a diet that is pleasing to both you and the baby.

If you are a new mother, the breastfeeding process can be an intimidating one. It is easy to constantly worry about what you are putting into your body. While you certainly do not need to analyze every detail of your diet, there are a few major considerations to keep in mind to keep both you and your baby healthy and happy. Browse the Ideal Baby online store for bottles, breast pumps and accessories to make the breast feeding process just a little bit easier to manage.