Eating a high-fiber diet while you are breastfeeding is not essential to your baby getting the benefits of fiber, according to a fact sheet published on Net Wellness about breastfeeding. A high-fiber diet has many benefits for you, but it is not a source of fiber for your baby. A simple sugar in breast milk, oligosaccharides, acts as fiber in the baby's digestive tract.
Benefits of High-fiber Diet
High-fiber diets have many benefits, including weight loss, controlled blood sugar levels, lower total cholesterol and normal bowel movements. When you are breastfeeding you need to drink plenty of water, at least 8 to 12 cups a day. Inadequate fluids can cause constipation. High-fiber foods are low-calorie and help with weight loss. Your body needs a lot of energy during breastfeeding, so it quickly uses the extra calories. If you breastfeed exclusively for three months you will probably lose most of the weight gained during pregnancy, according to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension.
Breastfeeding Diet
Breastfeeding requires that you get adequate nutrition and calories in your diet. The MyPyramid food pyramid for moms can help you plan a sufficient diet, states the Clemson Cooperative Extension, but most adults need 6 oz. grains, 2 1/2 cups vegetables, 2 cups fruits, 3 cups milk and calcium-rich foods and 5 1/2 oz. meat and/or beans. The primary concern for breastfeeding moms is getting the right amount of minerals and vitamins. Consult your health care provider to make sure you have ample folic acid, iron and vitamin D in your diet.
Foods to Eat
The Mayo Clinic recommends that women get 21 to 25 g of fiber per day. There are no additional requirements for breastfeeding women. High-fiber foods come from whole-grain cereals, vegetables, fruits, beans, whole-wheat breads and brown rice. One cup of raspberries will provide 8 g of fiber and 1 cup of oatmeal will yield 4 g of fiber.
High-fiber Diet and Anemia
Fiber does bind to some minerals in the diet and affect absorption, but there is no scientific evidence that iron absorption is affected by a high-fiber diet, according to information published by Dr. McDougall's Health and Medical Center. Vegetarians, according to long-term studies, do not develop iron deficiencies because of their high-fiber diets. However, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states that large amounts of fiber from a high-fiber diet can slow absorption of iron and put you at higher risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
Colic and Breastfeeding
Researchers have not been able to make a positive link between colic and breastfeeding, based on information published on the eMEDTV website. Psychological, biological and physical factors of colic have been considered for both bottle-fed and breast-fed babies, but there is still no concrete reason why babies develop it. There is some evidence that a breastfed baby's symptoms of colic went away when his mother removed gassy vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, green peppers and onions, from her diet. A breast-fed diet does not have more advantages than a bottle-fed diet when reducing the occurrence of colic.
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