There is no doubt that making the best food choices while pregnant can be daunting. After giving birth, mothers experience a small sigh of relief knowing that they are not physically responsible anymore for the nourishment of their baby. For breastfeeding mothers, however, it is important to maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet for their baby's nourishment and for their own health as well.
Types of Foods
Although nursing mother can eat whatever, whenever and as much as they want in order to get the calorie boost that nursing requires, they can never go wrong eating well-balanced meals. A healthy diet for a nursing mother would include fruits and vegetables, in a form as close to their natural state as possible. Dark green, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits and colorful peppers are all good ideas. Lean beef, poultry, beans and other foods containing iron should be included in a balanced diet. Peanut butter, eggs and fish containing protein are also a part of a healthy diet. Drinking a lot of water while breastfeeding is important for milk production.
Benefits
Eating a varied, well-balanced diet will help make the days of new motherhood a little easier. Including iron in your diet will ensure your blood is getting plenty of oxygen. Using protein foods in your meals will assist in a speedy repair of cells and tissues that may have been damaged in childbirth. Eating fruits and veggies containing vitamins such as C, D, and E will fight off infection and promote healing in your body.
Effects
A mother who maintains healthy eating habits while nursing will be in good shape to care for her new little one. A diet full of fruits and vegetables will provide the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for an exhausted mother to retain energy. Including foods packed with iron, such as lean red meats or spinach, will also ensure that energy levels are sustained despite the sleepless nights. Including foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon or walnuts, will help ward off "mommy brain" and keep your memory sharp.
Considerations
In March 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency issued new guidelines for how nursing mothers can limit their exposure to mercury in fish, by avoiding fish like swordfish, mackerel, tuna, and shark. You may also want to avoid drinking while you are breastfeeding, because alcohol enters your breast milk and can potentially harm or irritate your baby.
Misconceptions
It is often believed that what a breastfeeding mother eats directly affects the baby's nourishment. According to breastfeeding expert Katherine A. Dettwyler, however, the quality of a mother's diet has little influence on her milk. Breast milk is designed to provide for and protect baby. If you lack sufficient nourishment, your body will make producing milk for your baby its first priority, and this will compromise your needs. A poor diet is more likely to affect the mother than her breastfed baby.
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