What is the best thing to eat when feeding a baby? Principles of nutrition during breastfeeding

Has happiness appeared in your home? The tiny miracle needs you like no one else, and his little organism needs yours. breast milk, especially for the first months of life. In the article we will tell you what a nursing mother can eat so as not to harm the baby, and his stomach can adapt more easily, as well as how to improve the quality of lactation.

Newborns need nutrients and lactobacilli. Once born, it is difficult for a baby to immediately get used to a new way of life, including a different diet. The digestive system suffers especially during the first 3–6 months, because the baby’s stomach is sterile at birth.

How faster body will receive a sufficient amount of microelements, the faster the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will improve. Mother's breast milk can help a newborn during this difficult period.

From the first day, receiving colostrum, the little man’s stomach begins to be enriched with the necessary bacteria.

Breast milk contains unique composition, which cannot be found in any artificial substitute.

It not only helps the digestive system get comfortable, but also has a number of positive properties:

• increases immunity;
• improves the functioning of the endocrine system;
• promotes mental and physical development.

At the same time, a natural product can harm the baby if the mother does not monitor her diet. Therefore, it is very important for breastfeeding women to eat properly.

The baby will receive the same food as the mother. In this regard, there are menu recommendations for nursing mothers.

By following them, you:

• reduce the risk of gastrointestinal diseases in your baby;
• accelerate the restoration of the newborn's intestinal microflora;
• reduce the period of occurrence of colic;
• improve your health and that of your baby;
• improve your child's metabolism.

Colic in a newborn is a very common phenomenon. They do not depend on the type of feeding (artificial or natural). However, thanks to breastfeeding, spasms bother the baby much less often and are eliminated faster than in those who have been fed dry formula since birth.

Diet for the first month after childbirth

The first month after childbirth is the most demanding in terms of diet for nursing mothers. This is due to the fact that the newborn’s stomach has not yet been saturated with the necessary microelements.

The baby needs to gradually get used to the new product. In the first month it is better to abandon innovations and stick to a strict menu(see table 1).

The well-being of a breastfed baby directly depends on the mother’s diet.

Foods that should be excluded in the first month of feeding:

1. Dairy products, including condensed milk. They will make the baby swell. There is a stereotype that these products help increase breast milk. In fact, the hot flash has nothing to do with drinking milk.
2. Fatty, salty, smoked food. It will be difficult for the baby’s sterile stomach to digest such food.
3. Fresh fruits (especially citrus) and vegetables. Fruits during lactation in the first weeks after birth provoke fermentation in the body.
4. Juices. They contain a lot of sugar, which promotes fermentation.
5. Legumes.
6. Flour products.
7. White cabbage in any form.
8. Puddings, yoghurts, cottage cheese and other fermented milk products.
9. Berries, honey, nuts. An allergic reaction is possible from consuming these products. It is better to introduce them with caution after two to three months.
10. Coffee, strong tea.
11. Chocolate.

You should also refrain from adding seasonings to food and be careful when consuming foods that can cause allergies. For example, cheese, chicken, etc.

Table 1 Sample menu for a nursing mother

Turn your baby onto his stomach every day 10 minutes before feeding. This will help him digest food better.

Green tea and coffee affect the nervous system and heart. Keep this in mind during the first month of breastfeeding. For prevention, it is advisable to give the child drops based on simethicone, dill water and regularly massage your tummy.

Nutrition rules by month - table

Starting from the second month, nursing mothers are allowed to slowly introduce new foods into the diet (see Table 2). Every baby's body is different. Some people start to feel bad even after eating buckwheat. Take this into account. Observe your baby's reaction to each dish.

Table 2 Approximate input of products by month, starting from the 2nd

Many mothers worry where to get calcium if dairy products are not desirable, especially in the first stages of feeding? In fact, there is much more calcium in other foods. For example, the food richest in calcium is sesame. It is not prohibited for nursing mothers. You can sprinkle the seeds on any dish. It will become both tastier and healthier.

Greens also have a lot of calcium. Add spinach leaves everywhere and you will replenish your body's calcium reserves.

A poor diet can cause vitamin deficiency, so take care of yourself and purchase it at the pharmacy vitamin complex. Don't forget about vitamins to stay beautiful and feel good.

Diet restrictions

First of all, limit yourself to those foods to which your baby has an unhealthy reaction. If your body needs such a product or you just really want it, there is a way out. Firstly, you can drink a little of everything, unless of course the baby has a severe allergy, and we are not talking about alcohol. Secondly, milk that arrived after consuming an unwanted product can be expressed.

If the product is healthy, but the baby does not accept it, use it once a week. For example, cottage cheese strengthens, but it is very healthy. Therefore, it can be eaten by a nursing mother periodically and in small portions.

There is a list of foods that should be excluded throughout feeding:

• alcohol;
• soy sauce, mustard (affect the taste of milk);
• food enriched with harmful components;
• too fatty and spicy food.

Complementary foods are also introduced gradually to the baby. Breastfed infants begin to feed the baby food from 5–6 months.

When should you go on a strict diet?

A strict diet during lactation is necessary in the following cases:

1. The first month after birth.
2. Allergy in a child.
3. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in the baby or the mother herself is disrupted.

The list of permitted products in such cases is prescribed by the pediatrician.

Drinking regime during lactation

The more fluid you drink, the more breast milk you will produce. This is true. Young mothers are recommended to drink a lot of tea while still in the maternity hospital. It's not without reason, it's warm drinking plenty of fluids increases lactation.

During lactation you should not drink soda.

The rate of fluid intake during lactation increases by 1–1.5 liters. If before birth, female body needed one to two liters, then after childbirth this figure will already reach 2 to 3.5 liters. The fact is that a nursing mother produces approximately 1 liter of fluid per day, so she needs to replenish it from somewhere.

A balanced and healthy diet is doubly important for a nursing mother, as it provides two organisms with all the necessary substances. Food must contain sufficient amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and microelements. At the same time, when breastfeeding it is often recommended to exclude many foods that may have harmful effects. Negative influence for the baby. The list of such products, along with potentially dangerous ones, sometimes also includes completely harmless ones, which in some cases provoked various reactions in children and were thus classified as unreliable. So what is actually definitely not allowed and what can a nursing mother eat?

Products prohibited during breastfeeding

Having received a list of allowed foods from the doctor after being discharged from the maternity hospital, mothers sometimes become desperate, since it lacks many of the usual goodies, and it looks more like a list for patients with diseases of the digestive system. Just as in nature there are no clear transitions, for example from one color to another, there is also no clear boundary between potentially dangerous and healthy foods in the diet of a nursing mother, and such lists are compiled with a large degree of reinsurance. In fact, there are no prohibited products, because there are no products that, when consumed by mothers, would always affect the condition and health of each child.

Important! There are no products that, when consumed by mothers, would always affect the condition and health of every child. The only exception to this rule is alcohol, which, penetrating into milk, enters the child’s body and can even cause intoxication in large quantities.

Myths about prohibited foods

1. You should not eat foods that can cause increased gas formation. These products include legumes, zucchini, cabbage, grapes, carbonated drinks, and pears. This myth owes its origins in part to frequent problems with the tummy in babies in the first months of life, the cause of which is not the mother’s diet, but the child’s adaptation to new food and the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial microflora. However, if these products cause flatulence in the woman herself, then most likely they will affect the composition of the milk and, as a result, cause similar symptoms in the child.
2. Flatulence and foamy green chair this is the result of eating a prohibited product. The most common cause of green stool is not the forbidden food eaten, but digestive problems in the child caused by an imbalance of foremilk and hindmilk. This imbalance occurs, again, not because of the mother’s nutrition, but because of short feeding, when the baby sucks only foremilk. The breast is not completely emptied, and the baby does not receive the so-called hindmilk, which is rich in fat. Lactose in breast milk without enough fat is not digested, causing digestive problems. That's why priority actions in such a situation, tests will not be ordered and strict diet mothers, and the correct establishment breastfeeding.
3. While breastfeeding, you should not eat sweets. The emergence of such a ban is due to the lack of a clear understanding of the effect of different types of sweets on the body. After all, no one denies the benefits of dried fruits, honey (in the absence of allergies to it), jam, which, in addition to natural sugars, contain vitamins and other useful components that the body needs. It's another matter if we're talking about about confectionery products that, in addition to excess sucrose and food additives, contain cocoa butter substitutes or other modified fats rich in trans isomers fatty acids, the harm of which has been scientifically proven. In addition, excess sugars can lead to fermentation in the baby's tummy. Therefore, natural products rich in natural sugars (mainly glucose, fructose and a small amount of sucrose) can and should be eaten, since sugars are consumed in the process of milk synthesis.
4. You should not eat onions, garlic, radishes, and other spicy and pungent foods, as they negatively affect the smell and taste of breast milk, and the baby may refuse it. Such precautions are unnecessary, since research has proven that such food not only does not force the child to refuse mother’s milk, but sometimes even, on the contrary, stimulates the child’s appetite. After all, the taste of milk, as well as its composition, is not constant and infant it is difficult to “surprise” him by changing the taste or smell of food that is natural to him. So, if your body requires such products, do not refuse, but, as with everything, know when to stop.
5. A vegetarian mother needs to give up her diet while breastfeeding. There is no need to refuse if such a mother’s diet contains a sufficient amount of proteins plant origin, through the consumption of whole grains and legumes. A vegetarian mother's daily food must contain unrefined vegetable oils, such as sunflower and olive, rich in unsaturated fatty acids necessary for the full development of the baby. If, in addition to meat, a woman does not yet eat dairy products, it is important to replenish calcium reserves by taking complexes of vitamins and minerals containing calcium, which is necessary for the child’s teeth and bones. As for vitamins, almost all of them are present in plant foods, with the exception of vitamin B12, the source of which is animal food (meat, offal, chicken egg yolk, cheese). You should also take care of the consumption of this vitamin because if its deficiency is not noticeable in the mother, this does not mean that everything is fine in the child. B12 accumulates in the liver, and its deficiency can be detected even several years after vegetarian diet. A lack of this vitamin causes muscle atrophy and decreased hemoglobin levels in infants. By making up for the deficiency of all substances that are missing in plant foods, a vegetarian mother will even benefit compared to ordinary mothers, since her milk will be more environmentally friendly. After all, most pollutants are found in fat, the content of which in plants is not as high as in animal products.

List of potentially dangerous products

Why is it still more appropriate to talk about potentially dangerous products? The thing is that it is impossible to determine in advance whether the product will really be harmful to the baby for several reasons:

• no one knows exactly how this or that food component will be transformed in the mother’s body;
• it is not known for certain in what form, concentration and what specific components will circulate in the mother’s blood;
• will these components be able to penetrate into the milk through the blood-milk barrier, and how many of them will be there;
• will there be a reaction to the components that penetrate into breast milk on the part of the child’s body.

Several food groups are considered potentially hazardous

Rules for the use of potentially dangerous products

You should not include potentially dangerous foods in your diet from the first days of breastfeeding. Between blood and milk there is the previously mentioned hemato-milk barrier, represented by lactocytes - cells lining the alveoli of the mammary gland from the inside. In the first days after birth, there are gaps between them that allow more freedom, but after a few days they begin to close, and there are fewer substances freely penetrating into the milk. It is better not to consume potentially dangerous foods in the first three months of a child's life.

Important! It is better not to consume potentially dangerous foods in the first three months of a child's life.

Even if food allergens enter the child’s body from time to time along with milk, their quantity will be insignificant, which will help to gradually get used to them and in the future significantly reduce the risk of allergic reactions or reduce their manifestations. Agree that this is reminiscent of a kind of allergy vaccination for a baby.

Important! A product that may cause an allergic reaction should be excluded from the diet for a month and the baby’s reaction should be observed. It is not recommended to completely remove such a product from a nursing mother’s menu. Minor quantities food allergens in breast milk helps the baby adapt to them and in the future significantly reduce the risk of allergic reactions or reduce their manifestations.

In any case, if the child has an allergic reaction, the mother should try to remember which of the potentially dangerous foods she ate. For these purposes, it is convenient to keep a food diary so as not to painfully remember what you ate. A product that may cause an allergic reaction should be excluded from the diet for a month and the baby’s reaction should be observed. It is not recommended to completely remove such a product from a nursing mother’s menu; on the contrary, after a month you should try to introduce it again. This will make it easier for the baby to adapt to the allergen through breast milk. Often the cause of rashes is not a specific product, but other allergens present around the child (cosmetics, washing powder, dust, wool). In addition, many children three weeks of age often experience hormonal neonatal acne, which manifests itself as rashes on the face. They are completely independent of the mother’s diet and disappear by one and a half months. It is important to remember whether your immediate family is allergic to any foods, and try to avoid significant consumption of them. If there are no allergic reactions to foods in the family, then you can eat everything, but not at the same time and randomly, but gradually, so that if the child develops an individual reaction, its source is clear.

Important! Be wary of products causing allergies from one of your family members.

Products allowed during breastfeeding

In light of the fact that there are no prohibited products as such, with the exception of alcohol, and it is more appropriate to talk about potentially dangerous products, the whole point of any lists of permitted products is lost. After all, it turns out that you can eat anything, just being careful with potentially dangerous products. However, not all foods are equally beneficial for a growing baby, and when eating everything, you must adhere to the principles healthy eating. What is considered a healthy diet? Healthy nutrition is a balanced and varied diet with foods closest to the region of residence of the child’s mother. The frequency of meals and the method of preparing them are also important. Therefore, you should eat at least three times a day with two snacks and try to eat steamed, boiled and baked food. Thanks to this processing, the products will retain maximum useful substances and will be better absorbed, but if you simply feel nauseous, for example, from boiled or steamed fish, then it is better to eat it in the form in which you are used to. It doesn’t hurt to sometimes listen to the desires of your body, since only it knows exactly what the baby needs most of all at the moment.

Products useful for breastfeeding

1. Rice, corn, buckwheat, like all cereals, are the basis of a healthy diet, as they contain slow carbohydrates that are beneficial to the body and create a feeling of fullness for a long time. But in the case of grain crops (wheat, rye, barley), caution should be exercised, since they are potentially dangerous products due to the risk of gluten allergies.
2. Low-fat fermented milk products without food additives - kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, yogurt - should be present in the diet every day, as they contain calcium in an easily digestible form. It is not recommended to consume fresh, unsoured milk due to the risk of allergies.
3. Vegetables and fruits contribute to the normal functioning of the intestines due to fiber, contain easily digestible sugars (glucose and fructose), vitamins, microelements and antioxidants. But only those vegetables and fruits that grow where the mother and child live can be considered healthy and safe. Exotic foods carry an increased risk of allergic reactions. You need to pay close attention to red vegetables and fruits, as they are on the list of potentially dangerous products.
4. Of all types of meat, poultry and fish are the most beneficial. But if you or your child have allergic reactions to these foods, you can eat other lean meats. Particular attention should be paid to sea fish, as it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids that are not found in other foods.

List of foods with different allergic activity for nursing mothers

To navigate food products according to the degree of their danger to the baby in terms of allergic reactions, three groups of products are given below.

Highly allergenic products

• caviar (red and black), many types of fish, seafood;
• cow's milk, whole milk products, cheeses, cheese products;
• eggs;
• smoked meats, canned food, marinades;
• hot, spicy, salty foods;
• poultry meat (with the exception of chicken and turkey);
• vegetables red and orange color(tomato, pumpkin, beet, bell pepper, carrot), pickled white cabbage, sorrel, eggplant, celery;
• spicy vegetables (horseradish, radish, radish);
• red and orange berries (raspberries, strawberries, cherries, sea buckthorn), fruits (pomegranate, persimmon), as well as pineapple, grapes, melon, citrus fruits;
• dried fruits and nuts;
• confectionery and baked goods;
• carbonated drinks;
• products with food additives and dyes;
• mushrooms;
• honey, chocolate;
• coffee, cocoa;
• exotic products.

Medium Potency Products

• cereals (wheat, rye);
• meat (pork, horse meat, lamb);
• berries (cranberries, black and red currants, watermelons, lingonberries), fruits (bananas, peaches, apricots);
• vegetables (legumes, green bell peppers).

Low-allergenic products

• fermented milk products (yogurt, fermented baked milk, kefir, cottage cheese, feta cheese, yogurt without additives);
• boiled, baked, stewed, steamed beef and chicken;
• some varieties of sea fish (hake, sea bass, cod);
• offal (kidneys, tongue, liver);
• white and green vegetables and herbs (spinach, lettuce, parsley, white cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, Peking cabbage, broccoli, dill, turnips, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, potatoes);
• cereals (rice, pearl barley, oatmeal);
• sunflower oil, olive oil, butter;
• white and green berries, fruits (gooseberries, currants, pears, apples, cherries);
• not carbonated mineral water and weak tea.

In contact with

The science of breastfeeding takes into account both the frequency and quantity of feedings and the diet of mothers. You need to consider which products will be beneficial and which are harmful. Find out what a nursing mother can eat and what foods are recommended to be excluded from the diet during the feeding period. Find out what modern pediatricians say about this - this way you will quickly understand the principles of safe nutrition for nursing mothers.

Basic principles of nutrition for a nursing mother

What you can eat while breastfeeding is a controversial issue in pediatrics. Some doctors argue that the amount of food should not be greatly limited, others believe that a woman should follow a certain diet. The opinions of pediatricians agree on one thing: during the feeding period, mothers need to adhere to certain principles in their diet:

1. Calorie principle. A nursing mother should not comply. The calorie content of the daily set of products should exceed the generally accepted value by approximately 600 kcal, and the main energy load should come from slow carbohydrates.
2. The principle of fractionality. It is advisable that the nutrition of a nursing mother while breastfeeding complies with the “less, but more often” rule. Doctors recommend reducing the size of portions by increasing their number per day. The traditional three meals a day should be replaced with five or six meals a day.
3. Compliance with diet. It is advisable to eat by the hour, correlating the regimen with the frequency of feedings of the baby. It is recommended to have a small snack immediately before feeding, and eat thoroughly in a calm environment when the baby is sleeping.
4. The principle of diversity. It is strictly forbidden for nursing mothers to “sit” on mono-diets, even for a very short period of time. This will lead to imbalance necessary substances in breast milk.
5. An increased drinking regimen is recommended.

What can a nursing mother eat?

An unshakable rule - quality products! No canned or synthetic flavoring additives and exclusively “first freshness”. All products should be purchased only from trusted places. It is important to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in your native region. As for variety, a nursing mother is allowed any foods that do not cause allergies in the baby.

You should make fresh fruit and vegetable purchases with caution; be sure to wash the products thoroughly, and leave some in water for half an hour to an hour. It should be remembered that many products can change the taste of milk. This will easily lead to the baby refusing to breastfeed if new taste sensations he won't like it. Many foods can change the taste of breast milk, for example:

• banana;
• ginger;
• herbs (mint, parsley, basil, celery).

Vegetables and fruits

These products must certainly be included in the set of dishes for nursing mothers, because nothing can replace the vitamins and fiber they contain. They prevent constipation in both mothers and babies, increase the immunity of babies, and some enhance lactation. A nursing woman should only remember about those foods that can harm the baby, and introduce the safest ones into the diet gradually. Here is an approximate list of fruits and vegetables, a safe minimum that determines what a nursing mother can eat:

• potato;
• carrots and beets;
• eggplant;
• pumpkin and zucchini;
• cauliflower;
• broccoli;
• cucumbers;
• apples;
• bananas;
• pears.

The color of the products that a nursing mother includes in her menu is also important. So, for example, green vegetables and salad should be eaten fresh, but “colored” vegetables must be boiled, stewed or steamed. Plant foods should be introduced into the diet gradually. Those that are colored with red pigment (apples, cherries, raspberries, cranberries) are eaten with special caution. The main thing is to monitor the baby’s behavior after the mother eats potentially dangerous food. Its danger lies in the allergenic nature of the red pigment.

Poultry, meat and meat products

Healthy diet It is unthinkable for a nursing woman to live without protein products, which are indispensable for a growing baby’s body. Their safe sources are lean meat and poultry:

• rabbit;
• veal;
• chicken fillet;
• turkey;
• lamb meat

You should also adhere to the rules for preparing meat products. The meat needs to be steamed, boiled, stewed, baked. Soups should be prepared using secondary broths, because many modern manufacturers introduce growth hormones and antibiotics into feed. These elements fall into mother's milk and can harm babies during breastfeeding. Secondary broths (the first water is drained after boiling for five minutes) will prevent this potential danger from animal products.

Fish and seafood

If you include sea or river fish in the menu of mothers during breastfeeding. Low-fat types of this product are recommended, those that can be eaten by a nursing mother:

• pollock;
• zander;
• crucian carp;
• pink salmon;
• flounder.

You should be aware that some types of fish (for example, flounder, mackerel) significantly change the taste of milk. Methods of preparing fish dishes allowed for nursing mothers are steaming, boiling, stewing, baking. The only seafood that is safe during breastfeeding is squid; all other seafood can easily provoke allergies in the baby.

Cereals

This is a source of slow carbohydrates, which significantly increases the caloric intake of nursing women. Cereal products in the form of porridges are especially useful in the first thirty days of feeding. A clear advantage of cereals is their absolute safety. The only exception is semolina, which at low nutritional value easily leads to recruitment excess weight nursing mother, and instant cereals devoid of vitamins. Here's what breastfeeding mothers can eat from cereal products:

• buckwheat;
• oat groats;
• pearl barley;
• corn grits;
• millet;
• barley grits.

Dairy

During breastfeeding, all dairy products are allowed, but some are only allowed. a certain form and quantity. For example, it is advisable to use whole milk (200 ml per day) for preparing porridge and be sure to dilute it with water. Fresh cottage cheese (fat content 5-9%) - 150 g per day, and those older than three days - only for making casseroles and cheesecakes. Fermented milk products allowed for consumption (2.5%, 800 ml per day) are:

• kefir;
• natural yoghurts;
• curdled milk;
• fermented baked milk;
• bifilin;
• acidolact.

What a nursing mother should not eat

There are several reasons why certain foods are prohibited for nursing mothers. This is all food containing potentially dangerous allergens for the baby:

• red fruits and berries;
• chocolate;
• crayfish and crabs;
• whole milk;
• peanut;
• Red caviar;
• chicken eggs;
• Exotic fruits;
• citruses.

Products prohibited for nursing mothers include those that have a stimulating effect and can cause gas in the baby after feeding:

• green, black tea;
• coffee;
• Rye bread;
• beans, peas;
• grape;
• soda;
• raisin.

What should a nursing mother absolutely not eat? Dishes and products with toxic effects on the body of infants:

• alcoholic drinks;
• vinegar;
• watermelon (accumulates nitrates);
• spices;
• canned foods;
• snacks (chips, crackers);
• factory-made confectionery products (sweets, pastries, cakes);
• spicy and fried foods;
• smoked products.

Table of allowed and prohibited products for breastfeeding

In the first six months of life, a breastfed baby should try all foods through mother's milk. This concerns natural food Therefore, the list of foods strictly prohibited for nursing mothers is headed by products with chemical additives. In second place is something that can cause allergies. All other products are considered safe. What nursing mothers can eat and what foods are prohibited are presented in the table.

Menu for a nursing mother in the first month after childbirth

Breast cells (lactocytes) have the ability to pass or block various substances. In the first few days after birth, there are gaps between lactocytes, so all substances enter the milk freely during feeding. Later, the gaps are reduced, a blood-milk barrier is formed, and the body blocks the potential danger to the newborn. This feature determines the nutrition of a nursing mother that is safe for a baby in the first month after childbirth:

1. During the first week, a woman is allowed to eat porridge with water, baked apples, bananas, lean or vegetarian soups; lean meat, vegetable and cow oil, stewed or boiled vegetables, rosehip infusion, weak tea.
2. The first two days of breastfeeding, a woman’s diet is poor. It is limited to low-fat soups, porridges, boiled vegetables (potatoes), gray (pecked) bread.
3. From the third day, baked apples and meat are added to the diet.
4. What can you eat after childbirth, from day 10? These are fermented milk products quail eggs, fish, pasta, stewed vegetables, tea, compotes, crackers, cookies, dried fruits.
5. During the entire first month of breastfeeding, a woman should not eat meat broths, whole milk, raw (fresh) vegetables, berries and fruits, sour cream, coffee, or wheat bread.

New foods should be introduced in minimal portions, being sure to observe the baby’s reaction after feeding:

• how he takes the breast;
• is there frequent regurgitation?
• whether rashes have appeared on the skin;
• Is sleep disturbed?
• Are gases formed after feeding, etc.

Proper nutrition for a nursing mother by month - table

During the feeding process (as during pregnancy), addiction develops child's body to a variety of foods, so it is necessary to calculate the menu of a nursing mother by month:

Drinking regime during lactation

During childbirth and breastfeeding, a woman loses a lot of fluid. She needs to replenish the volume of double daily norm: instead of the prescribed one and a half liters - three. Pediatricians recommend drinking a glass of plain water immediately before feeding (20-30 minutes). The main drink of a nursing woman becomes plain water(you can buy bottled, but not carbonated).

Water can be replaced with rosehip decoction, herbal (chamomile, lemon balm, thyme, linden), weak tea with lemon. Some breastfeeding women benefit from milk tea to enhance lactation, but start drinking it no earlier than the second month of breastfeeding. Other drinks allowed for a nursing mother are fruit drinks (cranberry), jelly, compotes (from dried fruits), and juices.

Video

What can nursing mothers eat? Every pediatrician has his own opinion on this matter. It either coincides with or differs from the traditional idea of ​​the norms by which a nursing woman should eat. Watch the video from Dr. Komarovsky’s author’s program dedicated to breastfeeding. You will get to know the point of view professional doctor, learn about the directions of theoretical and practical pediatrics, get acquainted with reviews of nursing mothers, their vision of the list of useful and harmful products.

P First of all, I would like to understand why a woman who is breastfeeding should pay Special attention for your own food. Let's start with the obvious reasons.

Firstly , pregnancy and childbirth - serious challenge for the woman’s body, therefore, in the postpartum period, her body needs to be restored, replenishing those substances that were used to bear and give birth to a child.

Secondly , the child, although he is no longer directly connected to the mother’s body, continues to feed on what her body produces - breast milk. The elements that make up breast milk are produced by breast cells. In this case, nutrients that are present in the mother’s blood are used. They enter the blood from the intestines. Accordingly, we can say that all the products that make up the mother’s menu are present in breast milk in one form or another. This means that these products must be in sufficient quantity and the necessary quality to ensure normal height and baby development.

Third , nowadays mothers often suffer various kinds allergic diseases, dysfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract, including those arising in connection with gestosis of pregnancy, and all these conditions lead to the fact that the normal barrier function of the intestine changes, and some antigens (substances that cause an allergic reaction), which are normal are excreted from the body, absorbed into the blood and, accordingly, penetrate into breast milk.

Taking into account all the above considerations, nutritional recommendations for nursing mothers are drawn up.

What can't be done?

All women breastfeeding, regardless of health status, allergies, etc., Not recommended:

drink alcohol (including beer), smoke (alcohol and nicotine have toxic effect per child);

there are foods with a “notorious reputation” for allergens, and these include: chocolate, crabs, crayfish, mackerel;

drink strong tea and coffee, which have a stimulating effect on the child’s nervous system;

eat onions and garlic (the child may not like the strong specific smell of these products).

Besides, healthy women should limit , and for women suffering from allergic diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and those who have suffered late gestosis - exclude from your diet while breastfeeding following products:

citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, tropical fruits(mango, avocado, papaya, etc.), milk, eggs, honey,

nuts and sugar, delicacy fish (these products, consumed in large quantities, can cause allergies in a child);

smoked meats, canned snack foods, mayonnaise;

brown bread, legumes and grapes (can lead to increased gas formation in a child’s intestines, especially in the first three months of his life);

lard and fatty varieties meat (these products contain a large number of so-called saturated fatty acids, which are harmful to health and are poorly digested in the gastrointestinal tract).

What is possible?

We hasten to reassure those who are frightened by the “severe” restrictions listed above: despite all these prohibitions, there remains a fairly large selection of products that a nursing mother can and should include in her diet. Nursing mothers can eat:

Dairy products:

fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt, bifidokefir, yoghurts without fruit additives) - up to 600-800 ml per day;

milk - no more than 200 ml per day (it is better to use it for cooking various dishes- porridge, puree, etc.);

cottage cheese and mild cheese.

Meat and fish:

lean beef varieties;

lean pork;

fish - any types of river and sea ​​fish, except those mentioned in the first list.

butter;

creamy varieties of margarine (limited);

vegetable oils (all types).

Any cereals, bread - better with bran.

Confectionery products - dry cookies, crackers, marshmallows, marshmallows, marmalade.

Vegetables and fruits, with the exception of those mentioned in the first list.

tea (weak black and green)

herbal teas with oregano, mint, thyme (these herbs stimulate milk production);

weak coffee;

table still mineral water.

The total amount of fluid drunk should be 1.5-2 liters per day (in the first three days after birth - the period of lactation - it is recommended to limit the amount of fluid drunk to 1 liter per day).

What should you add to your diet?

Exist specialized products for nursing mothers . These include:

drinks and juices for pregnant women and nursing mothers;

teas for pregnant and lactating women;

instant porridge for pregnant and lactating women;

dry protein-vitamin-mineral complexes for nursing mothers;

vitamins for pregnant and lactating women.

All these products increase lactation, replenish vitamin deficiencies and minerals, and some are squirrels.

The baby is growing

Should a nursing mother's diet change depending on the age of the child? We have already mentioned that in the first three days after birth it is advisable to limit the amount of fluid consumed. At the same time, a dairy-vegetable diet is recommended. Then, until three months, while the baby is especially susceptible to colic, you should abstain from foods that cause flatulence (see above).

Quality and quantity of breast milk

The question often arises about quality breast milk. It must be said that it is unambiguous to decide whether mother’s milk contains enough necessary for the child essential nutrients, vitamins and microelements, can only be carried out chemical analysis milk. Content squirrel in breast milk practically does not depend on the amount of protein eaten by the mother, but the content fat, vitamins and minerals may indeed fluctuate depending on maternal diet. That is why you should avoid low-fat and especially fatty foods and be sure to take multivitamin-mineral complexes.

Quantity breast milk is determined more by genetic predisposition than by diet. However, if there is a shortage of breast milk, you should first of all pay attention to the amount of fluid consumed (it may simply not be enough), and also include in your diet specialized products for nursing mothers that increase lactation. They are quite effective and help cope with hypogalactia (lack of milk). At excess quantity It is recommended to limit liquid intake of milk, and if this does not help and there is too much milk, it is best to consult a doctor.

How to avoid trouble?

While breastfeeding, especially if the mother suffers from allergies or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is useful to keep a “food diary”, noting the appearance of new foods in the diet. New products should be introduced one at a time and in small quantities. If the child does not appear within three days skin rashes, not noted disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, does not change sleep and behavior(that is, the baby does not have a tummy ache), which means that the child normally tolerates the innovation in the mother’s diet. And vice versa: if a child has rash, bowel movements, anxiety(usually associated with intestinal colic), you should think about whether any of the foods that the nursing mother ate in the last three days could be allergens.

Nowadays, many courses on preparation for childbirth, “ traditional healers”, and even, alas, some “smart” books advise completely avoiding eating meat during pregnancy and breastfeeding. We would like to emphasize that this can lead to the development of anemia in the child - that is, his organs and tissues begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen, which means that he grows worse and lags behind in development. Refusal of meat - one of the staple foods and the main sources of protein, iron and vitamin B12 - will negatively affect the health of a nursing (and pregnant!) woman, and therefore, the health of the child. Therefore, blindly following such recommendations is unacceptable. If vegetarianism is for you - life principle, which you do not want to compromise under any circumstances, then during the period of breastfeeding you need to very carefully monitor the intake of iron and vitamin B12. Be sure to consult your doctor - he will recommend suitable diet and necessary vitamin complexes.

In conclusion, I would like to say: constant nervousness and increased suspiciousness of a nursing mother can be a factor much more harmful than “wrong” food. If your baby is not yet a month old, the problems that arise during breastfeeding are most likely associated not so much with the gastronomic “crimes” of the mother, but with the objective difficulties of the adaptation period. Up to three months, babies are often tormented by intestinal colic, which is also most often a consequence of the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract, and not an incorrectly selected menu. Listen to the advice of specialists and... to your “inner voice” - a mother’s instinct rarely fails.

Igor Kon

Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Baby Nutrition

State Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences

Maria Gmoshinskaya

Department of Baby Nutrition, State Research Institute of Nutrition, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, pediatrician highest category, Ph.D.

The first month of a child’s life is one of the most crucial moments for every mother. Completely immersed in caring for the baby, women often forget about themselves, not paying due attention to their rest and nutrition. But proper nutrition a nursing mother needs to be established immediately after the birth of the child in order to avoid many problems in the future.

Are we breastfeeding? Of course yes!

Breast milk is the ideal food for a baby, in which nature itself contains the best combination of nutrients and beneficial substances. Fortunately, now we don’t have to convince responsible parents of the need natural feeding. I will not repeat well-known information and describe in detail the benefits of breastfeeding; I will only recall the main points. Breastfeeding is:

• strong immunity, healthy digestion and minimal risk allergic reactions for your child;
• good uterine contraction and rapid normalization of weight in postpartum period, reducing your chance of developing breast cancer;
• comfortable and cheap way feeding compared to any other.

Well, if you plan to breastfeed, you should take care of your diet.

The importance of nutrition during lactation

Proper nutrition during lactation helps solve several problems at once:

1. Prevent hypogalactia and prolong breastfeeding as much as possible.
2. Provide yourself and your child with the necessities nutrients, vitamins, micro- and macroelements.
3. Prevent intestinal colic and constipation in babies.
4. Avoid diathesis in your baby.

In addition, nutrition can influence taste qualities milk.

Why the first month?

During the first month of lactation, a woman’s diet has a number of characteristic features, in connection with which it is advisable to separate the mother’s diet during this period from general dietary recommendations during breastfeeding. Firstly, the diet is quite strict at first; “new” products are introduced gradually and carefully so that it is possible to assess the baby’s tolerance of their components. However, the menu should remain complete and balanced in terms of the main components - proteins, fats, carbohydrates, calories, vitamin and mineral composition, and contain dietary fiber.

In addition, in the first weeks of breastfeeding, lactation is just establishing - it happens that the baby does not have enough milk. Therefore, the mother’s diet must be enriched with foods that can stimulate the production of breast milk, and she must drink plenty of fluids.

First of all, don’t go to extremes

In the diet of nursing mothers, you can often find two extreme opposites: some women begin to “lean” heavily on food, trying to provide the baby with everything necessary, while others, on the contrary, deny themselves the most familiar food, fearing that the baby will have allergies. Neither approach is correct.

Overeating and eating all foods indiscriminately can provoke intestinal colic or diathesis even in children who are not prone to allergies. On the other hand, too little diet reduces the nutritional value of breast milk, and also impoverishes its taste. If the baby is healthy and has no allergic reactions, experts do not recommend following strict diet, against the background of which the mother herself will not receive enough valuable nutrients and will not be able to pass them on to the child. The food should be varied and tasty, but some basic rules must still be followed.

Eating right: what and how to eat

In the first week of breastfeeding, dietary requirements are the most stringent. The following products and dishes are allowed:

• dairy and dairy-free porridges;
• boiled and stewed vegetables - potatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, in small quantities - white cabbage, carrots and onions;
• lean meat (beef, veal, rabbit, lean pork) – stewed, boiled or steamed;
• chicken - boiled or stewed, without skin;
• vegetarian soups or with “second” meat broth without frying;
• fermented milk products – cottage cheese, cheese, kefir, white natural yogurt, fermented baked milk (without dyes, flavors, flavorings, fruit and berry fillers);
• wheat, bran, rye-wheat bread, dry biscuits.

Do not forget that for full lactation you need to drink plenty of fluids: compotes from dried fruits or apples, special herbal teas for nursing mothers (based on fennel, dill, anise, cumin), weak tea, maybe with the addition of a small amount of milk, fermented baked milk, kefir, boiled water. You should not drink whole milk (it causes increased gas formation), carbonated drinks, lemonades and yoghurts with fruit and berry fillings (can cause allergies), coffee and strong tea (increase the child’s excitability), alcohol. Not recommended industrial production compotes and juices - they contain many preservatives and other harmful artificial additives.

In the following days, the diet should be gradually expanded, adding no more than one new product per day - this way you will have the opportunity to notice what exactly the child reacted to and remove this product from the diet. Nursing mothers can and should eat fresh fruits (pears, green and yellow-green apples, bananas), some berries (black currants, apricots, chokeberry, gooseberries, plums), fresh vegetables (not large quantities grated carrots, white cabbage, cucumbers), herbs (dill, parsley). In addition to vitamins and microelements, fresh vegetables and fruits provide you and your child with the dietary fiber necessary for healthy digestion And .

For adequate protein intake, fermented milk products and meat must be present in the diet every day. low-fat varieties, boiled eggs - 1-2 times a week. River and sea transport allowed lean fish(pike perch, cod) 1–2 times a week. Preference should be given to stewed, boiled and steamed dishes.

Try to formulate your menu primarily from products that grow in the region where you live. natural conditions. For example, in winter and early spring you should not buy exotic fruits, greenhouse cucumbers or imported berries.

The frequency of meals for a nursing mother should not be less than 5-6 times a day, preferably every 4-5 hours. A nursing mother should not constantly feel hungry! Even snacks at night are recommended: you can drink a glass of kefir or yogurt, hot weak tea with milk when you get up to feed the baby. To avoid overeating, consume portions of 300–400 grams per meal (including the liquid you drink).

If you need something sweet, add sugar to tea and milk porridge. If your child has normal tolerance, you can treat yourself to a couple of teaspoons of condensed milk or a piece of homemade biscuit without cream. Gradually, assessing the cleanliness skin in an infant, preserves and jams can be administered.

Strict restrictions or abrupt change The diet of a nursing mother is not needed at all - a woman’s diet during lactation should be tasty and familiar to her. The exception is some products, the consumption of which is not recommended due to the risk of developing allergic reaction or intestinal colic in infants.

As an additional source of vitamins and microelements to the diet of a nursing mother, especially if there is a tendency to hypogalactia (insufficient production of breast milk), experts recommend using the drug "Apilak Grindeks", which contains 10 mg of natural royal jelly, will provide the body with everything essential vitamins and macro- and microelements to maintain vitality and provide comprehensive assistance to the body. It contains the same valuable substances as breast milk: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, a group of vitamins (A, C, B1, B2 B3, B5 B6, B12, E, K, folic acid), macro and microelements (calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, sodium, potassium).
The drug Apilak Grindeks has clinically proven its effectiveness in the treatment of hypogalactia, gently stimulating milk secretion in women suffering from this problem.

Unwanted Products

Allergies are almost always caused by eating chocolate and cocoa, citrus fruits, red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries), melons, pineapples, smoked, fried foods and canned food. This also includes industrially produced products with the addition of large quantities of dyes, flavors and preservatives (including sausages), seafood and red fish, rich broths, honey, nuts (several consumption is allowed walnuts if well tolerated by the child).

It should be taken into account that increased sensitivity to food components can vary widely. In children prone to allergies, diathesis occurs to a variety of foods, which should be determined individually. Healthy children sometimes tolerate their mother’s consumption of nuts, cocoa and other potential allergens quite well.

To the baby's tummy bloating and intestinal colic cite whole milk, a large amount of carbohydrates in the diet, especially easily digestible ones (sugar, baked goods, pasta, other flour and confectionery products), coarse vegetable fiber(large quantities of cucumbers, fresh cabbage, apples, black bread, legumes, grapes).

In addition, some foods can change the taste of milk to the point that the baby refuses to breastfeed (this happens in very rare cases). These include:

• garlic, raw onions;
• hot, bitter and spicy seasonings;
• excess sweet or salty.

An example of a menu on the 1st day after discharge from the hospital:

• 1st breakfast: oatmeal porridge with milk 200 g with a piece of butter, a glass of weak tea, dry cookies;
• 2nd breakfast: a glass of yogurt, dry biscuits or a sandwich with cheese;
• Lunch: vegetable soup (about 150 g), mashed potatoes(100 g) with cutlet (50 g), bread, a glass of dried fruit compote;
• Afternoon snack: cottage cheese with sour cream – 150 g, a glass of compote or dried fruit jelly;
• Dinner: stewed meat with vegetable side dish (about 200 g), herbal tea;
• Before bed: a glass of kefir or fermented baked milk, dry cookies.