5 tips for a healthy diet while breastfeeding

1. Are you already breastfeeding or would you like to breastfeed? By eating the right foods, you can feed your baby with good quality milk and even increase your milk production. Read five tips from Alicia C. Simpson's book "Boost Your Breastfeeding" here.

1. As long as a woman is breastfeeding, her energy expenditure is significantly higher than women who are not breastfeeding. For example, a woman can burn 380 to even 600 calories a day with breastfeeding alone. You can compare this to running at a moderate pace for an hour. It is therefore important to get good nutrients that give you and your baby enough energy.

2. As long as a woman is breastfeeding, her energy expenditure is significantly higher than women who are not breastfeeding. For example, a woman can burn 380 to even 600 calories per day with breastfeeding alone. You can compare this to running at a moderate pace for an hour. It is therefore important to get good nutrients that give you and your baby enough energy.

1. Provide balanced meals

1. This advice actually applies to everyone: ensure a healthy, balanced meal in which the four main ingredients are present. These constituents are lean protein sources (this includes beans, nuts and seeds), vegetables, fruits and whole grains. For dinner, fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter of your plate with protein products and a quarter of your plate with whole grains or starchy vegetables.

2. Eat all macronutrients

1. Macronutrients are nutrients we need to stay alive. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are macronutrients. They are essential for your health and milk production and for the health of your child. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for your brain. They can be found in fruits, vegetables, whole grain and dairy products It is important to eat good fats for a functioning heart. Here omega-3 fatty acids (including salmon, linseed and walnuts), omega-6 fatty acids (including poultry, sunflower oil and mayonnaise), monounsaturated fatty acids (including olive oil, sesame oil and avocado) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (among others other fatty fish, walnuts and soybeans). A Proteins should certainly not be missing from your diet. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have the same protein requirement; about 25 grams of extra protein per day. This equates to an average of about 71 grams of protein per day for a woman with a healthy pre-pregnancy BMI. (This can differ per person, so it is wise to get advice from a specialized dietician.)

2. Macronutrients are nutrients that we need to stay alive. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are macronutrients. They are essential for your health and milk production and for the health of your child. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for your brain. They can be found in fruits, vegetables, whole grain and dairy products It is important to eat good fats for a functioning heart. Here omega-3 fatty acids (including salmon, linseed and walnuts), omega-6 fatty acids (including poultry, sunflower oil and mayonnaise), monounsaturated fatty acids (including olive oil, sesame oil and avocado) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (among others other fatty fish, walnuts and soybeans). A Proteins should certainly not be missing from your diet. Pregnant and breastfeeding women have the same protein requirement; about 25 grams of extra protein per day. This equates to an average of about 71 grams of protein per day for a woman with a healthy pre-pregnancy BMI. (This can differ per person, so it is wise to get advice from a specialized dietician.)

3. Also take micronutrients into account

1. Besides macronutrients, we also need micronutrients. By this we mainly mean vitamins and minerals. In general, breastfeeding women only have a higher RDA (recommended daily amount) for vitamin A (1300 mcg), vitamin C (120 mg), chromium (45 mcg), copper (1.3 mg) and iodine. She needs almost twice as much of these vitamins and minerals as a woman who is not breastfeeding. You do not have to take any supplements for this; you can simply get more of this through your diet Iron is an exception: although pregnant women need a lot of iron (27 mg) daily, breastfeeding women, on the other hand, need much less (only 9 mg). Incidentally, the calcium requirement of a pregnant or breastfeeding woman with 1000 mg per day is the same as that of a non-pregnant or non-breastfeeding woman. A

2. Besides macronutrients, we also need micronutrients. By this we mainly mean vitamins and minerals. In general, breastfeeding women only have a higher RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin A (1300 mcg), vitamin C (120 mg), chromium (45 mcg), copper (1.3 mg) and iodine. She needs almost twice as much of these vitamins and minerals as a woman who is not breastfeeding. You do not have to take any supplements for this; you can simply get more of this through your diet Iron is an exception: although pregnant women need a lot of iron (27 mg) daily, breastfeeding women, on the other hand, need much less (only 9 mg). Incidentally, the calcium requirement of a pregnant or breast-feeding woman with 1000 mg per day is the same as that of a non-pregnant or non-breast-feeding woman. A

4. Take lactogenic foods

1. Lactogenic foods - mainly edible plants and herbs - can increase breast milk production. These foods have traditionally been used by breastfeeding mothers to promote a healthy and powerful milk supply. The following foods have been scientifically proven to have a lactogenic effect: whole grains (barley, oats, wheat, brown rice) fenugreek milk thistle moringa papaya shatavari five-in-one herb fennel Handle herbal supplements with care. Although herbs are natural, they - like medicines - can have side effects. Note: if you have a small milk supply, this can have many causes. Therefore make an appointment with an IBCLC lactation consultant to determine the specific causes if they are not immediately clear.

5. Avoid (as much as possible) anti-lactogenic foods Just as there are milk stimulating foods, there are also foods that actually reduce the milk supply. This can happen gradually (for example with alcohol and parsley), but also within a few hours. Therefore, to be on the safe side, avoid the following foods during breastfeeding: alcohol sage parsley peppermint menthol monk pepperberry In addition, some medications adversely affect breastfeeding, such as pseudoephedrine (an ingredient in some cold remedies), methylergometrine (often used to treat severe uterine bleeding after delivery) and bromocriptine (used treatment of Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes) This article is based on information from Alicia C. Simpson's book "Boost Your Breastfeeding." She is an IBCLC lactation consultant and certified dietitian specializing in mother and child nutrition. Don't miss anything anymore?

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