Breastfeeding diet -

Breastfeeding diet

Exercise regularly

Your breastfeeding diet should focus on retaining the nutrient stores as it has an influence on the quality and quantity of breast milk.

Nutritional requirements are maximum during lactation, Hence, the diet should be wisely chosen and balanced. It is important to gradually lose weight, gained during pregnancy. Use a combination of healthy balanced diet and moderate physical activity to do so.

Dietary guidelines

Eat small meals frequently, preferably every three hours.
At every meal, fill half your plate with a variety of colourful fruits and/or vegetables.
Make at least half the grains you eat whole-grains, such as whole-wheat rotis, brown rice, whole grain cereal or meal items from jowar, bajra, cats or corn.
Intake of toned milk and milk products (up to 500 ml) every day is recommended for calcium requirement.
Add at least one serving of dark green leafy vegetables and a serving of fresh vegetable salad every day. Do not cut and wash or soak fruits and vegetables until you are ready to eat them.
Take good quality protein foods like eggs, fish, and chicken. Vegetarians can opt for soya nuggets, tofu, paneer and low-fat cheese. Prefer whole grams or beans like chana, rajma, peas, moong, lobia at least one serving a day.
Use oil in moderation. Prefer cooking oils such as groundnut oil /ricebran oil/soya bean oil.
Include nuts, oil seeds and dry fruits in limited quantities every day. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, flaxseeds and dried fruits such as dates, figs, prunes, raisins are some of the options.
Fluids: Ensure optimal fluid intake every day. Apart from safe drinking water, fresh soups, buttermilk, and coconut water, are the healthier options.

FOODS TO BE LIMITED

Beverages like tea and coffee bind dietary iron and make it unavailable. Hence they should be avoided before, during or soon after a meal

Pickles, heavily salted foods like chips, pappads as they inhibit iron, calcium absorption

Foods that are high in sugar and oil like sweets, soft drinks, chocolates, ghee and baked items

ENSURE EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING FOR 6 MONTHS

Initial milk (colostrum) is produced in small quantities, but is sufficient for the baby. This is followed by transition milk and then by mature milk

Ensure that one breast is completely emptied before offering the other during each feeding session, as the initial (fore) milk satisfies the baby’s thirst and the later (hind) milk satisfies the baby’s hunger

Size of the baby’s stomach: Day 1: is 5-7 ml (size of a cherry), Day 3:22-27 ml (size of a walnut), 1 week: 45-60 ml (size of an apricot), 1 month: 80-150 ml (size of a large egg)

Milk supply is helped by frequent breastfeeds including night feeds, being relaxed and skin to skin contact

A balanced diet is the best way to improve the quality of milk Mothers who exclusively breastfeed for at least 6 months may return to pre- pregnancy weight more easily than

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Exercise regularly and be physically active. Include 45 to 60 minutes per day of exercise in short spans.

Sample diet plan for postnatal women* (2200 Kcal approx)

Early morning: Milk-1 cup/tea/coffee

Breakfast: idly (3)/Pessarattu (2)/Veg upma (1.5 cups) +chutney (2 tbsp)+ 1 cup sambar OR Chapatti (2) vegetable curry OR Whole grain breakfast cereal (40g) with milk (200ml)+ Egg (1)/Paneer (30g)

Mid-morning: Soya milk/Ragi malt 150ml + Fruits (1 cup)

Lunch: Vegetable salad (1 cup) + phulka (2) + Brown rice (1/2 cups) + Non veg Proteins – Lean meat or Chicken (50 grams)/Veg Proteins meal maker/Paneer (30 grams) + green leafy vegetables (1 cup) other vegetables (1 cup) curd (100 ml)

3.00 pm: Fruit (1) + Soya milk (150 ml)/Milk (150ml)/buttermilk-200 ml

Evening: Oats (2 tbsp)/Ragi malt (2 tbsp) + Boiled Sprouts (1/2 cup)

7.00 pm: Veg. soup (1 bowl)

Dinner: Phulkas/bajra roti/jowar roti (80g flour) + green leafy vegetables (1 cup) + other vegetables (1 cup) + non veg proteins minced meat/fish (50 grams)/veg Proteins – soya granules (1/2 cup)/dal (1/2 cup) + curd (100 ml)

Bed-time: Milk (1 cup) + Nuts (8-10 nos.)

Note: 1 cup = 200ml. Use 30g of fats or oil and <5g salt during preparation of meal per day.

Balanced diet - 2200kcal approx

MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS (DAIRY):

FRUITS:

Prefer fresh cut fruits rather than juices. 2 portions (1 portion-100 gms)

FRUITS:

Prefer fresh cut fruits rather than juices. 2 portions (1 portion-100 gms)

PROTEIN-RICH FOODS:

Go lean with protein. Fish, pulses, beans and lean meat and poultry are great sources. 4 portions (1 portion = 30 gms)

VEGETABLES:

4 portions (1 portion = 100 gms) Vegetables and green leafy vegetables:

3 portions 100 gms. Roots and Tubers: 1 portion 100gms

FATS/OIL AND SUGAR:

Limit use of this food group: Oil 6 portions (1 portion = 5 gms)

Sugar: 4 portions (1 portion = 5 gms)

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