A newborn baby is especially closely connected to his mother, because he receives all the necessary nutrients from her milk. In terms of benefits, no formula can compare with breastfeeding and you should feed your baby breast milk if possible. There are rules that a nursing mother must follow. Failure to comply with the special menu immediately affects the child’s health, especially the proper functioning of his digestive system. The child may suffer from severe colic, indigestion, diathesis and other diseases.
The food of a nursing mother during such a period should be balanced and contain all useful substances in sufficient quantities. Usually the menu is specially followed for several months after the birth of the child. It is better to give preference to homemade food, boiled or steamed. The quality of food, portion size and number of meals included in your diet are important. But each body is individual, and before creating a diet, you need to consult a doctor.
No time to read? menu for a nursing mother during breastfeeding
Rules for creating a menu for a nursing mother
Doctors highlight several rules for creating a menu for a nursing mother. This menu contains taboo foods, the consumption of which should be limited or excluded.
- Products containing preservatives and dyes.
- Fast food and other fatty and salty foods.
- Any flour products (for example, pasta, baked goods, etc.).
- Aggressive drugs.
By eliminating all of these foods from your diet, you reduce the risk of health problems for your child.
Particular attention should be paid to vitamins that should enter the mother's body: B2 or riboflavin (cabbage, rose hips, legumes), K (carrots, strawberries, spinach), B6 or pyridoxine (lemon, cherries, potatoes), H or biotin (liver, beets, mushrooms), A or retinol (cottage cheese, pepper, sea buckthorn), B or thiamine (cereals, cereals, onions), B5 or pantothenic acid (legumes, asparagus, dairy products), B3 or nicotinic acid (meat, eggs, cereals ) and others.
Drawing up and subsequently following the correct menu is one of the main tasks of a young mother
Myths about lactation.
- A nursing mother needs to drink as much water as possible.
A nursing mother's milk consists of 88% water. Taking into account the losses, the mother needs to drink about 2-3 liters of water per day.
When calculating the water balance of a nursing mother, it should be remembered that, in addition to water, a woman’s diet includes juices, first courses, and tea. Consumption of excess fluid can lead to excess lactation, mastitis and other inflammations of the mammary glands.
- Drinking cow's milk increases lactation.
Surely your relatives strongly advise you to introduce cow's milk into your diet from the first days of life. However, currently the attitude towards this product has changed. Very often, drinking cow's milk in the first month after birth causes allergies in the baby.
- There is an opinion that breastfeeding is a strict diet , in which you cannot eat anything other than buckwheat and kefir.
The menu of a nursing mother should be healthy and varied. She loses about 500-600 kcal per day and you can’t gain them back with kefir and buckwheat. You shouldn’t judge by your friend: “I ate chocolate and sausage in the first month after giving birth” or your mother-in-law: “watch your diet carefully, be sure to drink carrot juice after giving birth!” Each organism is special and individual : everyone has its own rhythm, including the rhythm of assimilation of foods eaten the day before. There is a “risk group” of products, the use of which in excessive doses can cause various reactions in infants: allergies, diarrhea, dry skin, colic. To prevent this, introduce these products into your diet carefully , one at a time and in small quantities. Our table will help you navigate a little in creating the menu for GW.
Read the article: Nutrition for breastfeeding mothers.
Features of the menu for colic in a child
If the newborn does develop colic, the diet needs to be made even stricter. It is necessary to exclude any allergens and foods that are difficult to digest, for example, citrus fruits, sweets, fried, spicy and others.
Be sure to review your menu if your baby has allergies.
Sample menu for the week
Below is an approximate menu for breastfeeding a newborn . You can choose any option for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
| Breakfast | Dinner | Afternoon snack | Dinner | |
| Monday | Omelette with cheese, slice of grain bread | Chicken broth with breadcrumbs, vinaigrette, steamed cutlets | Cheesecakes with low-fat sour cream | Baked fish and potatoes |
| Tuesday | Oatmeal in water with a piece of butter | Cabbage soup without frying, vitamin salad, casserole with minced meat and potatoes | Fruit salad (peaches), natural yogurt | Buckwheat with meatballs |
| Wednesday | Cottage cheese casserole with dried fruits, toast | Vegetable soup, steamed fish cutlet | Bread toast with cheese, baked apple | Chicken fillet, cheesecakes with low-fat sour cream |
| Thursday | Buckwheat porridge on water with a piece of butter | Meatball soup, croutons from the oven, boiled potatoes, boiled chicken fillet | Fruit salad (pears), natural yogurt | Steamed meatballs with broccoli baked with cheese |
| Friday | Omelette with cheese, slice of grain bread | Chicken noodle soup, steamed vegetables with chicken fillet | Bread toast with cheese, half an apple | “Lazy” dumplings with sour cream |
| Saturday | Rice porridge with milk and butter | Vegetable soup, steam cutlet with potatoes | Oatmeal with natural yoghurt added | Cod baked with vegetables in foil |
| Sunday | “Lazy” dumplings with sour cream | Chicken broth with croutons, chicken fillet with buckwheat | Fruit salad (banana), natural yogurt | Meat soufflé, baked apple with dried fruits |
WHO recommends closely monitoring nutrition during lactation. The main thing is that the energy value of the diet is high (from 2000 Kcal).
Drinking regimen of a nursing mother
For a nursing mother, not only food is important, but also the liquid that enters her body. Already when planning a pregnancy, you should give up any alcohol.
The best drink for mom during breastfeeding is water. Other drinks are also acceptable if they do not contain preservatives or other harmful substances. But water should still prevail in the drinking diet. Not all water can be drunk during this period. Avoid drinking raw water. Bottled water fortified with vitamins and minerals is best.
The main rule in fluid consumption is moderation. You need to drink exactly as much as your body asks for. It is already overloaded with various processes at such a time, so excess load on the kidneys can lead to unpleasant consequences.
The best drink for a young mother is clean drinking water
Diet in the first month of life
After discharge from the maternity hospital, the diet of a nursing mother becomes completely different; many familiar foods are strictly prohibited. The nutrition of a new mother must meet the following requirements:
- Rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients;
- Thermal processing of products occurs by steaming, without frying;
- All products containing dyes and flavors, all canned food are excluded;
- It is necessary to eat food often, but little by little, so that you never feel hungry.
To avoid confusion, you can make a list of healthy and unhealthy foods, hang it in a visible place in your home, and refer to it while cooking.
Healthy foods
The list of healthy foods includes lean meat, sea fish, seasonal vegetables and fruits, cereals and dairy products. They do not cause allergies. To increase lactation, you can drink homemade compotes and fruit drinks. Drinking milk daily also helps.
Harmful products
After the birth of a baby, all canned foods and industrially produced synthetic sweets are prohibited. Of course, young mothers should not drink alcohol and should give up smoking. Also forget about allergenic foods.
Products that enhance lactation
Lactation is an important process in the formation of milk in a mother. It occurs with the production of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin, and their production is influenced by diet and emotional state. For normal hormone production, a nursing mother should not be stressed and experience only positive emotions.
Typically, lactation occurs 3 months after the baby is born. Lactation can be prolonged by following a diet and daily routine. If you want to continue breastfeeding your baby, then your diet must include the following products:
- Dill;
- Caraway;
- Tea with lemon balm;
- Anise, fennel, oregano and some other herbs.
From these products you need to make infusions and drinks. It is necessary to constantly maintain lactation, since the child needs to be weaned off the breast gradually. Breastfeeding should be completely excluded from the diet of a one and a half year old baby.
Products that increase lactation must be included in the diet of a young mother
Recipes.
On our website you will find many interesting step-by-step recipes with photographs of first and second courses, pastries and salads for a nursing mother. Enjoy the moments of motherhood and breastfeeding, pamper yourself with goodies, not paying attention to the “ridiculous stereotypes” of nutrition during lactation.
Read more in the article: Products that increase lactation levels.
Recipes during lactation, allowed in the first month after childbirth.
Chicken soup with vegetables during lactation.
This light soup is recommended for a nursing mother to consume in the first days after maternity hospital. The broth is easily digestible and gives strength and energy to the new mother. Take note of the recipe!
Ingredients: zucchini, carrots, onions, herbs, chicken meat.
For a detailed recipe for making chicken soup with vegetables during lactation, read here >>>
Rice casserole with minced meat during breastfeeding.
A hearty, tasty, easy-to-prepare casserole, a great way to diversify the menu of a nursing mother in the first month after giving birth.
Ingredients: rice, minced meat, onions, eggs, vegetable oil, salt.
For a detailed recipe for making rice casserole with minced meat, read here >>>
Meatballs with rice during the GW period.
A hearty and easy-to-prepare dish that is perfect for mothers during breastfeeding.
Minced hedgehogs with rice
out incredibly juicy and tender. Can be a separate dish. Let's cook!
Ingredients: minced meat, onion, carrots, rice, sour cream.
For a detailed recipe for making meatballs with rice during breastfeeding, read here >>>
Baked zucchini boats with minced meat for mothers during breastfeeding.
Appetizing, juicy, aromatic zucchini boats with minced meat, baked in the oven, will not leave any mother indifferent during the breastfeeding period. This dish will be a good addition to any side dish. See the step-by-step recipe.
Ingredients: zucchini, minced meat, onion, sour cream, cheese, salt.
For a detailed recipe for making baked zucchini boats with minced meat, read here >>>
Cannelloni pasta in creamy sauce
Cannelloni is a large round pasta in the form of a tube, about 2 cm in diameter, which is a type of Italian pasta. I really love this dish, and most importantly, it is absolutely safe for breastfeeding mothers.
Ingredients: pasta, minced meat, cheese, onion, milk, flour, butter, salt.
For a detailed recipe for making Cannelloni pasta in creamy sauce, read here >>>
Meat balls with minced meat. Cooking recipe with step-by-step photos.
A nutritious and healthy dish cooked in the oven. This recipe for “balls” of minced meat will not leave any nursing mother indifferent.
Ingredients: minced meat, puff pastry, onion, chicken egg, vegetable oil, salt.
For a detailed recipe for meat balls with minced meat, read here >>>
Meatballs during lactation.
A delicious dietary dish for breastfed mothers in the first months after maternity hospital.
Ingredients: minced meat, onion, salt.
For a detailed recipe for making meatballs during lactation, read here >>>
Homemade chicken sausages for breastfeeding.
A very good and tasty replacement for store-bought sausages. Recommended for children of the second year of life.
Ingredients: minced meat, milk, onion, egg, salt.
For a detailed recipe for making homemade chicken sausages while breastfeeding (BF), read here >>>
Pasta with minced meat, baked in the oven, during lactation
Pasta with minced meat cooks very quickly, while dinner is in the oven, you can play with your beloved baby.
Ingredients: pasta, minced meat, broth, herbs, salt.
For a detailed recipe for oven-baked pasta with minced meat, read here >>>
Baked spaghetti nests with minced meat during breastfeeding
Spaghetti with minced meat will appeal to both children and adults and will not require much time to prepare! In addition, it will decorate any table. Try it!
Ingredients: spaghetti, minced meat, carrots, onions, bell peppers, vegetable oil, salt, cheese, herbs.
Principle 5: drink a lot and properly
Repeated scientific studies completely refute the opinion that by regularly drinking tea with milk you can increase lactation.
Immediately after giving birth in the first three to four days, when lactation is established, you should not drink much. This increases the mother's risk of developing mastitis. When lactation has already been established, you need to drink a lot. Drinks should be healthy. Pure filtered water, compotes and fruit drinks from fresh fruits, and freshly squeezed juices are allowed.
Thirst is not worth tolerating. During lactation, an increased amount of fluid intake is normal. You need to drink at least 8-10 glasses of liquid per day, and it is very useful to drink one glass immediately before feeding.
Principle 2: complete exclusion of allergens
Products with increased allergenic properties are prohibited for mothers and their use should be avoided. The list of the most “dangerous” foods for a newborn includes chocolate, peanuts, citrus fruits, honey, and shrimp.
Eggs can cause an acute allergic reaction in an infant, so the weekly intake of this product should not exceed 2-3 pieces.
The proteins contained in cow's milk are considered a powerful allergen. Quite often, a baby whose mother drinks a pure product develops colic. An excellent alternative to milk would be fermented milk products, such as fermented baked milk, kefir or yoghurts without fruit additives and sugar.
Principle 11: Promote the full development of the child
Regardless of what month of the baby’s life, in the first, second or fifth, a menu is drawn up for a nursing mother , the diet for each day should be thought out competently. It is in the first months that the baby grows and develops most intensively. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the small body is saturated with Omega-3 fatty acids. The baby needs them for the development of brain activity.
An excellent option for this would be baked or boiled fish at least once or twice a week. Flaxseed is enriched with Omega-3 elements and is very useful to add to salads or use flaxseed oil as a dressing.
Principles of maternal nutrition during breastfeeding
While breastfeeding, some women strictly limit themselves to the foods they eat, while others eat everything. Which one is right? What should be the menu for every day so as not to cause harm either to the child or to the nursing mother herself ? The following principles of nutrition and diet planning will help you understand this.
