What is best to eat while breastfeeding. What can you eat while breastfeeding and what can you not? What is allowed and prohibited to eat while breastfeeding

” №8/2007 03.12.12

The baby was born, and now your main task is to provide him with full-fledged breast milk.

The diet of a nursing mother must be complete. Not only does a woman need to regain her strength and health after pregnancy and childbirth. The quality of her milk depends entirely on nutrition during breastfeeding. The daily routine is also very important: it is advisable that breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner always take place at the same time.

Nutrition during breastfeeding. What can a nursing mother do?

If you breastfeed your baby exclusively for several months, it means you are producing a huge amount of milk - about 1 liter per day. This takes away 10 g of protein, 70 g of lactose, 40 g of fat, 800 kilocalories. In order for milk to continue to be produced in the required quantities, such costs of the body must be immediately compensated with the help of nutrition during breastfeeding. Therefore, you should eat, and most importantly, drink more than usual. Especially do not forget that it is important for you to receive an increased amount of any liquid - this could be tea, juice, water.

Your food should be tasty and varied. Make sure that your daily menu includes dishes prepared from products of all groups. These are dairy, meat, fish products, cereals, fruits, vegetables, sweets.

You also need to ensure that your body gets dietary fiber through nutrition during breastfeeding– coarse bread, prunes, raw vegetables. They are very useful because during lactation you may have a tendency to constipation, so you need to help cleanse your intestines.

You should also take vitamins while breastfeeding. But watch how the child reacts to them. If he doesn't get a rash or a tummy ache, be sure to continue drinking them. The usual recommended vitamin complexes, as well as special vitamin and mineral complexes for pregnant and lactating women, are suitable for you.

What should a nursing mother not do?

A nursing mother should definitely limit the consumption of foods that can harm the baby's health. Their list, unfortunately, is quite long.

You need to exclude from your diet the entire group of allergenic foods: peanuts, citrus fruits, tropical fruits, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, mackerel, crayfish, shrimp, chocolate, chocolate candies.

You should also avoid anything that irritates the gastric mucosa, since nutrition during breastfeeding easily pass into the blood, and from there into milk. These are products containing significant amounts of extractives (fish and meat broths); containing large amounts of organic acids (sour apples, cherries, cranberries, pickled and pickled vegetables and fruits); containing essential oils in large quantities (garlic and onion); products high in sugar, salt, food colorings and food additives (sweet curd cheeses, curd pastes, sweet soft drinks, smoked sausage, salted and smoked fish, pickles).

Kefir, milk, yoghurts are recommended only “pure”, that is, not containing fruit additives. As a last resort, choose those supplemented with neutral fruits - an apple or a pear. After all, it is unknown how your child will react to yogurt, say, with passion fruit. Maybe everything will go fine, or maybe he will develop digestive problems or a rash.

Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed while breastfeeding.

Drugs that increase lactation

It is useful for a nursing mother to use special lactation stimulants. These are teas made from cumin, anise, and fennel. Homeopathic preparations are also produced that increase the level of prolactin in the blood, the main hormone that regulates milk production in the female body.

There are also special nutrition during breastfeeding, which increases lactation, made from cow's milk, as well as goat's milk with the addition of vitamins and minerals. It is produced both here, in Russia, and abroad.

Increasing the amount of milk and maintaining lactation is facilitated by acupressure of the breast, a warm shower, and especially by the “on demand” feeding regime established by the child himself.

How to maintain lactation

In order for your body to produce full-fledged milk, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, ensure proper sleep and a good mood, good nutrition during breastfeeding. A calm and friendly atmosphere in the family and the help of loved ones are very important.

But the most important thing is your positive attitude: you must, both during pregnancy and after childbirth, constantly convince yourself that you are capable of feeding your baby with your own milk, that this is both pleasant and useful for both mother and baby. Scientists know that the percentage of congenital hypogalactia (lack of milk) is only 4-5 percent. It turns out that almost all women can breastfeed!

A loving mother always cares about the health of her child. What is most important for a newborn? One of the important points is to solve the problem of what a nursing mother can eat while breastfeeding, because along with milk she will transfer to the baby both useful components of her diet and not so much.

Download the food list (what you can eat and what you can’t eat) —

What you can and cannot eat while breastfeeding

First of all, you should prepare - even the strictest diet will not help you in the first month of breastfeeding - the baby adapts to the outside world, to eating through the stomach, and not the umbilical cord, so sometimes he may have gas, intestinal colic or diarrhea. You shouldn’t be afraid of this - the baby will very quickly get used to the new conditions, and then it will be possible to gradually introduce new products into the mother’s diet.

To track your child's reaction to any food, you can keep a food diary. Every day, write down the foods you eat and your child's behavior.

Brief list of permitted products

1. Vegetables. Be sure to cook them; at first, refrain from eating them raw. Bake, boil, stew. Freshly squeezed juices are possible after one month. After three, add fresh vegetables to the menu. >>>
2. Fruits. Avoid grapes, citrus fruits, mangoes, papaya, avocados, strawberries and raspberries. Apples are only baked, try to peel them. You can eat bananas without fear. Freshly squeezed juices are possible after one month. After three, you can introduce one new fruit every two days, monitor the baby’s reaction. >>>
3. You can eat almost all porridges, they aid digestion, plus they are filling and contain many nutrients. Except instant porridges.
4. Variety of soups in vegetable broth.
5. Meat We eat separately from all foods and only lean foods.
6. Cheese.
7. Poultry meat.
8. Dairy products You can introduce kefir, fermented baked milk (it’s better to use it, it’s softer than kefir), cottage cheese, yogurt, yogurt in a week.
9. Boil fish (sea, river), bake with vegetables. ()
10. Eggs You can also eat it, but remember that it is an allergen.
11. Bread can be eaten in small quantities with additives - for example, bran.
12. You shouldn't indulge in sweets, however, you can eat dried fruits, biscuits, biscuits, and bagels.
13. Butter and vegetable oil.
14. Dry crackers, cookies, marmalade, marshmallows, marshmallows (without chocolate).
15. Weak green and black teas, weak coffee, fruit drinks, compote, herbal teas with mint, thyme and oregano, still mineral water.
16. After a month you can gradually introduce it into the menu borscht, sour cream, nuts, fruit drink, jam.

After six months you can eat honey, various herbal seasonings, legumes, seafood. You can also eat during this period macaroni, cheese, seasonal fruits and vegetables(this is important, only for the season!).

Note to moms!

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In addition, you need to know about stop products, the use of which is strictly prohibited for all nursing mothers. First of all, this:

1. Alcohol.
2. Chocolate, some sweet foods - baked goods, especially with the addition of various dyes and substitutes.
3. Coffee and tea, refrain from this at least for the first six months. Subsequently, you can use them, but only high-quality ones, coffee - well brewed, tea - brewed, not in bags. ATTENTION! The exception is special teas, the so-called, which contain fennel, cumin, lemon balm, anise - such breast milk teas.
4. You must refrain from semi-finished products, products with artificial preservatives and dyes; you can only eat high-quality and fresh products.
5. You should also avoid carbonated drinks - they will not bring any benefit to either the baby or the mother.
6. Garlic, onions and other spicy foods.
7. From smoked meat, sausage, fish.
8. From fatty meat and lard.
9. From legumes and black bread.
10. From sauerkraut, radishes, radishes, fermented cheeses (suluguni, feta cheese, Adyghe), sausages, ham.
11. From exotic fruits.

The diet of a woman who has chosen breastfeeding for herself and her child requires special attention. After all, the foods that a nursing mother can eat affect the condition of her baby. With milk, the baby’s body receives all the elements and vitamins necessary for growth and development. An incorrectly designed menu can lead to stomach upsets, allergic reactions and many other unpleasant consequences.

Guide to healthy eating

Food influences the entire lactation process. Some foods increase the amount of milk produced, while others can reduce it. At the same time, they affect the taste of breast milk in such a way that the baby may refuse to breastfeed altogether. A high-quality menu ensures the production of the required volume of milk and the full development of the child.

To select the right products you need:

• Choose your food wisely, do not overeat, because... excess nutrition entails gastric discomfort not only in the nursing mother, but also in the child;
• choose hypoallergenic products in the first 4 weeks after birth to protect the newborn from allergies;
• start experimenting with variety in the menu no earlier than the second month, new food is consumed in small portions and the reaction of the child’s body is assessed within 2-3 days;
• drink a lot of liquid, preferably warm, this will stimulate the formation of milk and at the same time cleanse the female body;
• treat products containing animal protein with caution (eggs, milk);
• take into account the saturation of the food consumed with essential nutrients and minerals; their deficiency slows down the growth and development of the infant;
• Avoid fried and spicy foods; it is better if they are steamed, stewed or baked in the oven;
• limit yourself to flour and butter delicacies, as well as various sweets;
• completely remove alcohol and soda from your drink list;
• do not consume canned products;
• Avoid mushrooms and homemade pickles; salt and acetic acid can cause poisoning, and mushroom dishes are difficult to digest;
• Do not improve the taste of food by adding seasonings and spices, and also avoid mayonnaise and various sauces.

What products are allowed and in what quantities?

The following table tells you what a nursing mother can eat and what not:

Fermented milk products and milk

Whole milk

Taking cow's milk does not affect the quality of breast milk, but the protein it contains is an allergen and can harm the baby.

Doctors do not advise drinking milk until five months, but if the child does not have a tendency to allergies, it is allowed to start drinking it earlier.

The list of permitted products includes baked milk, because... has better digestibility and does not affect the quality of lactation. Goat's milk is suitable during breastfeeding, but not everyone can drink it due to its specific taste. First, all cereals are boiled in water; porridge can be cooked in milk starting from the fourth month.

Cottage cheese

Eating cottage cheese is a must when breastfeeding. Without it, the formation of the bone skeleton will be difficult. It is also an excellent stimulant for brain activity and mental processes. It is important that the cottage cheese contains no impurities or additives, and it is even better if it is homemade.

Kefir

Some nursing mothers doubt that they can continue breastfeeding after taking kefir, because it contains a small amount of alcohol. But its quantity is negligible and insignificant, which absolutely does not threaten any unpleasant consequences for the baby.

However, pediatricians suggest including it in the diet no earlier than the child is six months old. Kefir has a positive effect on the intestinal microflora, improves the condition of hair and nails, but you should not include it in the menu more than three times a week.

Cheese

The list of products for breastfeeding contains cheeses. When the baby turns 2 months old, hard varieties are introduced into the permitted foods during breastfeeding, and then feta cheese or other soft and pickled varieties are added to them. As for processed cheeses, it is advisable to avoid them.

Sour cream

Sour cream for nursing mothers is indicated with a low fat content; it is added to cottage cheese, salad or soup. Dairy products such as fermented baked milk or yogurt also do no harm during guards. Products purchased by nursing mothers must be fresh, so it is necessary to additionally check their production date when purchasing.

Which fruits to choose?

1. The list of foods allowed during lactation includes some fruits. It is impossible to imagine a balanced diet without including these tasty and healthy fruits. In order to choose a fruit that will not cause harm in the form of allergies, stool disorders or other troubles, you should:
2. choose fruits whose color is not bright, the only exceptions being those fruits that are easily removed from the red or orange peel;
3. do not overuse citrus fruits;

Before consumption, clarify the degree of influence of the desired fruit on the state of the intestinal microflora.

Apples

In the first month after giving birth, you can eat apples. First, you need to remove the skin from green fruits. These fruits are very beneficial for blood composition and hemoglobin levels. When consumed regularly, apples reduce the risk of constipation.

Pears

Pears are also permitted foods. They promote hematopoiesis, stabilize the heart and digestion. Even though pears are sweeter than apples, they have less sugar content. You need to remember that you can’t eat pears on an empty stomach, and you need to peel them before eating.

Bananas are an acceptable food for breastfeeding. If eaten between meals, they are a great snack, and mashed bananas are good for breakfast. Bananas relieve insomnia, improve mood and stimulate the immune system.

Peaches

3 months after giving birth, you can try peach and nectarine. You should eat them carefully when breastfeeding due to the presence of an allergen in them. In general, peaches protect against stress and depression, relieve swelling, and improve mood.

Plums

It is better to pre-cook plums and drink plum compote; it increases the amount of milk produced, strengthens the skeletal system and normalizes blood circulation.

Fresh fruits and berries grown during their ripening season, rather than greenhouse hybrids, are well suited for feeding a nursing mother.

So white and yellow cherries can be eaten in the period May-August, nectarines and peaches - mid-July-September, figs - from June to the end of September, ripen in October-December persimmon, and useful pomegranates will be in stores from September to December.

Until the child is 3 months old, it is better if the fruit is eaten dried or baked. This will reduce the content of allergens in them.

Which vegetables to choose?

Tomatoes

All vegetables that are red in color should be treated with caution; in addition to beneficial elements, they contain pectin, which can cause severe skin rashes. But it’s absolutely impossible to do without them.

If we talk about tomatoes, then, in general, they have a positive effect on the body. They increase stress resistance and fight the formation of cancer cells, and have immunostimulating properties. To make sure that they are completely harmless, you must first experiment with fruits of yellow shades and eat them without the skin.

Broccoli, cabbage

Everyone knows about the benefits of broccoli and cauliflower. Their use cannot harm an infant; on the contrary, vitamin C will help improve mood and strengthen the baby’s immune system, fighting viral infections and stress. The same cannot be said about white cabbage. It is difficult to digest and threatens the child with digestive disorders.

Zucchini

Allowed for feeding nursing mothers from the first days after childbirth. They contain a large amount of vitamins and nutrients, they help cleanse the body and cope with excess weight, lower blood pressure and normalize the activity of the nervous system.

cucumbers

It must be used very carefully to avoid unpleasant manifestations from the pancreas. During lactation, preference should be given only to fresh young cucumbers with the highest content of vitamin C. This vegetable helps eliminate excess fluids and cleanse the kidneys, improves the condition of the heart muscle and increases resistance to stressful situations.

Nursing mothers are prohibited from using cucumbers in pickles and marinades with cucumbers. They retain fluid and lead to poisoning. But in pickle, after heat treatment, pickled cucumbers lose this property, therefore, during the war, after six months, it is completely permissible to use it.

Carrot

Carrots, which improve visual functions and skin, should be introduced into food with care during breastfeeding, because may cause allergic reactions.

Eggplant

The list of foods that should be eaten with caution during the period includes eggplants. They are not prohibited, but are allowed to be eaten after 3 months of a baby’s life in moderate quantities. Eggplants improve metabolic processes in the body, stimulate the kidneys, liver, and digestive system. Eating eggplant will help your baby cope with constipation.

Beet

Another natural remedy for constipation is beets. The main thing is not to overdo it. It should be present in the diet in small quantities to improve digestion, development and strengthening of the skeleton.

Vegetables that can be eaten by a nursing mother must be properly prepared, steamed, boiled, baked or stewed. To consume the fruits fresh, they must be washed well.

What drinks are preferable?

The list of foods and drinks allowed during breastfeeding increases by month. During the first four weeks of a child's life, it is not advisable to drink anything other than plain water and green tea.

Pure still water must be drunk throughout the entire period when the baby is attached to the mother's breast. Green tea has a tonic effect, which is important for coffee lovers, which is included in the list of prohibited foods for a nursing mother. In addition, this drink promotes milk production.

During the second month, black tea, freshly squeezed apple and carrot juice are excluded from the “prohibited products” register. It is important that the strength of the tea is not strong, and that water is added to the juices, diluting them twice. Gradually the volume of water is reduced. Juice from tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits and exotic fruits remains prohibited.

Berry compotes perfectly quench thirst and replenish vitamin reserves. Fresh fruits are also suitable for making compotes: apples, pears, plums, dried apricots, prunes and raisins. It is better not to use all possible brightly colored berries for making a drink. Currants, strawberries or wild strawberries can cause allergies in a child.

Dairy products can be consumed with great caution; it is better not to introduce them into the diet earlier than 6 months after birth. There is also a ban on coffee for six months. It has an exciting effect on the baby's nervous system and increases anxiety. For those who feel uncomfortable without coffee, a drink made from chicory is suitable.

It is strictly forbidden to drink alcoholic and carbonated drinks while breastfeeding. They certainly harm the woman’s body, and cause irreparable damage to the baby’s health.

What to eat to enhance lactation?

The amount of milk produced depends on the measures taken by the mother to maintain and increase lactation. To do this, you need to regularly put the baby to the breast, choose the right position for feeding, monitor the condition of the breasts and nipples, wear special bras, and give breastfeeding to the baby at his request, especially at night.

An increased drinking regime is very important for lactation; warm drinks are especially good at stimulating the production of breast milk.

A number of foods that are allowed during breastfeeding can also contribute to this process.

• You can improve lactation with:
• lean meat, chicken, turkey and rabbit are suitable;
• broths and soups cooked with the same lean meat;
• some cereals (rolled buckwheat);
• a small amount of nuts (walnuts);
• herbal teas specially designed for lactation;
• infusions of cumin and fennel;
• feta cheese;
• cottage cheese;
• bread with the addition of bran and caraway seeds;
• carrots;
• ginger and tea with it;

gooseberries, white and red currants.

Products allowed for breastfeeding women should not be very hot or cold. This can be harmful; it is better to take all foods slightly cooled or slightly warmed up.

In addition, poor nutrition can deprive a mother of the strength and energy that is so necessary to care for a newborn.

Now let's look at this in more detail.

A nutritious diet for a nursing woman is a nutritious diet for a child. Proper organization of a diet of hypoallergenic and healthy foods for a nursing mother is especially important in the first months, when the volume of milk produced reaches its maximum.

List of low-allergenic foods for nursing mothers

In order to find out what foods a nursing mother can and cannot eat, you need to understand that the nutrition of a nursing mother consists of three important principles:

• safety;
• diversity;
• correct drinking regime.

Safety

The daily diet should not contain foods containing dyes, preservatives, or harmful compounds. In addition, it is unsafe to consume tobacco products, alcohol, coffee, and strong tea.

Potentially dangerous and even prohibited foods for a nursing mother include radishes, cabbage, melons, broccoli, brown bread, garlic, and cucumbers, as they can cause severe painful colic in a newborn. However, the list of such products can be expanded or narrowed independently, depending on the individual reactions of the child.

Correct drinking regime

A woman feeding her baby with breast milk should drink at least one and a half liters of clean still water per day.

The rest of the drink consists of weakly brewed teas, juices, fruit drinks, and jelly.

Diversity

It is a mistake to believe that a young mother’s diet is poor. With its proper organization, you can receive not only all the useful substances, but also taste pleasure.

The mother herself should not limit herself in taking permitted food, wanting to get rid of excess body weight. The very nature of nutrition will help you get back to your previous shape without compromising the health of the baby.

List of approved products for nursing mothers

On a note!
List of products that have a laxative effect:

• Beetroot, beetroot juice
• Pineapple juice
• Cabbage, cabbage juice
• Grapes, light grape juice
• Plum, prunes
• Dried apricots
• Pumpkin
• Oatmeal
• Quail eggs

Cooking technique

It is advisable to cook any dishes either steamed or boiled or baked. It is recommended to completely avoid frying food during breastfeeding.

Food for a nursing mother should be freshly prepared.

Dairy products to increase the lactation of a nursing mother

• Porridge with cream. Porridge on water with the addition of 10% cream; after eating such cereals, the breasts become abundantly filled with milk;
• Teas. Warm herbal teas. It is useful to drink green tea with a teaspoon of honey, a weak drink with milk half an hour before feeding;
• Decoctions. Warm decoction of dried fruits. This drink is rich in vitamins and nutrients, helps improve the quality of lactation;
• Nuts. The product not only enhances milk production, but also increases its fat content;
• Halva. It is recommended to consume halva in small quantities; it has a beneficial effect on the fat content of milk. This is especially true when there is enough milk, but the baby does not get enough and often asks to breastfeed;
• Water. Still, clean water is a prerequisite for successful breastfeeding. You need to drink from one to one and a half liters per day;
• Soups. Dietary soups and broths. The dish is very useful for the mother herself. If it is cooked using poultry meat, it is advisable to use secondary broth. The milk produced is nutritious and tasty;
• Cheeses. Hard cheeses. The tasty product is very useful for stabilizing lactation;
• Carrot. Carrots and carrot juice. The vegetable stimulates the flow of milk into the breast, but consumption should be dosed;
• Dried fruits. Oatmeal with dried fruits and dried apricots. For a mother during breastfeeding, this dish can be an ideal breakfast;
• Watermelon. The juicy, sweet berry significantly increases lactation.

The influence of products on the baby's health

Everything a woman consumes affects the baby’s health.

The impact can be both negative and positive.

• Milk added to tea - no more than 150 ml,
• Fermented milk drinks - 500 ml,
• Water - at least 2 liters,
• Cereals - about 100 g,
• Cheeses - 20-30 g,
• Sour cream - approximately 20 g,
• Cottage cheese - 100-150 g,
• Egg - 1 piece,
• Fruits - 200-300 g,
• Vegetables - 500-600 g,
• Low-fat varieties of fish and meat - 200-300 g each,
• Vegetable oil - 15 g,
• Butter - 30 g,
• Bread with bran - 200 g.

Herbs

Ginger, chamomile, echinacea

If a woman takes these plants in the form of tea, it is recommended to strictly follow their dosage.

High concentrations of herbal teas can be dangerous, especially if they contain goldenseal, which is traditionally added to.

Borage, anise, ground fenugreek, raspberry leaf, nettle, fennel, dill, verbena

Not all of them have been recognized by science as safe and effective.

Tansy

This cannot be said that the herb is completely safe for the health of a baby during breastfeeding. This herb can also be classified as a laxative product for a nursing mother.

The plant is often used to treat migraines and has healing properties, but it is of no use to a baby.

Do you know what can? Use the help of a consultant and make yourself and your baby happy!

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Foods to Avoid

• canned food (dairy, fish, meat);
• semi-finished products;
• mayonnaise sauce and ketchups;
• hot sauces based on chili peppers;
• processed cheeses, blue cheeses;
• legumes;
• grape;
• sausages.

Alcohol, caffeine, tobacco

The baby should be protected from exposure to such substances not only during pregnancy, but also during breastfeeding.

If a woman follows all the recommendations presented, she will feed the baby with mature milk containing anti-infective protection factors and growth factors that are unique.

Mother's milk, provided the woman is properly nourished, contains essential amino acids such as cystine, a lipase enzyme with a full range of essential amino acids, which are easily absorbed even by a newborn baby.

A young mother has so many worries that it is simply impossible to keep all the information in her head. Therefore, a special food diary will be useful, which will indicate the date of the meal, the foods that were eaten, the nature of the child’s stool and his general condition.

Based on your own notes, you can create a unique nutrition plan that will be the most painless and beneficial for the baby and enjoyable for the mother.

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

Firstly , pregnancy and childbirth are a serious test for a 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 of the required quality to ensure the normal growth and development of the baby.

Third , in our time, mothers very often suffer from various kinds of 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 normally excreted from the body, are 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 you do?

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

drink alcohol (including beer), smoke (alcohol and nicotine have a toxic effect on the 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).

In addition, 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 the 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 meats (these products contain large amounts 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 preparing 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 the deficiency of vitamins and minerals, and some - protein.

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 possible to definitely decide whether mother’s milk contains enough basic nutrients, vitamins and microelements necessary for the child, only by conducting a chemical analysis of the 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). If there is an excess amount of milk, it is recommended to limit fluid intake, 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 a life principle for you that you do not want to compromise under any circumstances, then during breastfeeding you need to very carefully monitor the intake of iron and vitamin B12. Be sure to consult your doctor - he will recommend a suitable diet and the 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 of the highest category, Ph.D.