How to feed mothers while breastfeeding. All mothers in the world want to give the best to their child from the first days of his life. While during pregnancy, the proper nutrition of the mother is of primary importance to obtain the essential nutrients from the fetus, after birth the issue of the nursing mother’s nutrition becomes even more relevant. The aspects after birth become two – how, through healthy nutrition, the mother can ensure both the quantity and the quality of breast milk for her baby. A woman’s body stores fat during pregnancy.

After birth, breast milk is produced both from these reserves and from the food the mother takes. During the breastfeeding period, a woman needs an additional 450-500 calories per day to provide her baby with nutritious breast milk. Additional calorie needs are highest during the first four to six months while the baby is exclusively breastfed. When the baby starts eating solid food, these extra calories may fall away.

The concept of nutritional breast milk

The composition of breast milk is unique to each mother and varies not only according to individual characteristics, but is different even in individual parts of the day. Each mother’s milk is suitable for her child, but sometimes due to exhaustion of the body during pregnancy or other reasons, breast milk may not be sufficiently complete to provide all the important substances necessary for the proper growth of the newborn.

The balanced nutrition of the nursing mother is what favorably affects both the quantity and the quality of the breast milk, so that it is truly nutritious and meets the needs that an intense growth, such as that in the initial months, requires from the mother. Often already during pregnancy, a woman finds out which foods are good for her. At the same time, there are proven effective foods for stimulating breast milk production. Here are some food recommendations.

Recommendations for feeding during breastfeeding

– At least one-third of the daily protein intake should come from foods of animal origin, such as fish, meat, milk and eggs. Meat also satisfies the high needs of vitamin B, iron and zinc;

– Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the development of the baby’s brain and eyes. Fatty sea fish 2-3 times a week is suitable. Good sources of healthy fatty acids are also olive oil and pumpkin oil, flax, sesame and pumpkin seeds;

– Calcium is important for the proper development of the baby’s bones and is mainly contained in milk and milk products, sardines, tofu, sesame paste;

– Getting vitamin C is important. Fresh fruits and vegetables are suitable for the purpose, and for vitamin B you can rely on whole grain cereals and meat;

– Iodine is very important for babies, so consuming foods seasoned with iodized table salt will provide these needs; – During breastfeeding, the need for vitamins D, E and A also increases. Good nutrition during pregnancy is enough for most of them, and for vitamin D you can rely on the sun;

– Predominance should be given to freshly cooked food. Fried, processed and smoked meat, as well as undercooked meat, should be avoided.