Seasonal berries, fruits and vegetables are a natural source of vitamins and other substances necessary for the health of mothers and breastfed babies. These products include cherries, which grow over a large area of our country.
To answer the question of how cherries will affect the body of mother and baby during breastfeeding, we should consider in detail the features of this aromatic and tasty berry.
Can a nursing mother eat cherries?
Cherry is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals that are very necessary for a woman to restore strength after pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, it must be present in the diet of a young mother. Moreover, unlike other red fruits that are considered allergens, cherries are not prone to cause allergic reactions.
Did you know? Sakura
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a type of cherry, but not edible.
It is valued by the Japanese because its abundant flowering heralds a good rice harvest. Some of their manifestations are possible if there is an individual intolerance to the berry - both in the nursing mother and in the newborn. For this reason, you need to introduce it into the diet gradually and carefully monitor the baby’s reaction.
Dumplings with cherries, benefits for women during lactation
Delicious dumplings with cherries will become a young mother’s favorite dish, and once you get acquainted with their beneficial properties, you will not want to exchange this dish for any other.
The benefit of dumplings with cherries lies precisely in the beneficial effect of cherries on the human body, since this berry:
- When consumed regularly, it helps the body resist viruses.
- Has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Used as a medicine in the fight against E. coli and dysentery.
- Normalizes the functioning of the gallbladder and pancreas.
- Has an expectorant effect.
- Stimulates the production of serotonin, improves mood.
As you can see from all of the above, cherry dumplings are not only tasty, but also incredibly healthy.
Beneficial and harmful properties of cherries
The rich composition of the berry provides a number of beneficial properties for both mother and newborn.
For mother
- Useful properties of the berry:
- Some substances in the composition are able to remove free radicals from the body.
- Plant pigments strengthen blood vessels.
- Lowers blood pressure.
- Reduces the risk of developing inflammatory processes, relieves swelling, and eliminates pain in the joints.
- Has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Stimulates the production of serotonin.
- Vitamin B9 has a calming effect on the nervous system.
- Coumarins are responsible for blood clotting, thinning it, and prevent the formation of cholesterol plaques.
- Acts as a mild laxative.
- Rich in iodine, which is necessary for the functioning of the thyroid gland.
- Increases hemoglobin.
- Normalizes sleep, improves brain function and psycho-emotional state in general.
- Cleanses the body of fat accumulations formed during pregnancy, waste, and toxins.
- Able to remove sand from the kidneys.
For babies
- Benefits for a newborn:
- The berry is rich in substances such as iron, cobalt, magnesium, copper, and includes a number of vitamins that prevent the development of anemia.
- Pectin and dietary fiber are responsible for normal digestive processes in infants and stimulate the formation of beneficial intestinal microflora.
- Potassium, magnesium, plant glycosides ensure normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.
- Vitamins C and PP strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
- Tannins eliminate inflammatory processes in the mucous membranes of the digestive organs.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Pectins reduce the likelihood of bloating.
Benefits of cherries
The pulp of cherry fruits contains vitamins A, C, PP, and folic acid. It is also rich in minerals and microelements. It is worth noting Fe, Cu, Ca, K, Mg, P, I. Organic acids are also present - malic, citric, etc., enzymes, sugars, pectins, tannins, etc.
Eating cherries helps to tone and strengthen our blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and prevent heart attacks. Folic acid is necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system. And natural organic compounds coumarins thin the blood and prevent the formation of blood clots. Iodine is important for the functioning of the thyroid gland. Fiber helps to effectively solve problems with stool retention.
It is not recommended to consume cherries for people with high stomach acidity due to the rather high content of acids that irritate the mucous membrane.
This berry, despite its bright color, very rarely causes allergic reactions. But the kernels of its seeds should absolutely not be eaten. The fact is that they, like the seeds of many other fruits, contain a special substance - amygdalin glycoside. In our digestive tract it breaks down, releasing the most life-threatening hydrocyanic acid.
Consumption of cherries during breastfeeding periods
Cherries have their own rules for use during breastfeeding, depending on the age of the baby.
You will also be interested to learn about the peculiarities of using plum, melon and watermelon during breastfeeding.
In the first month
Any product other than breast milk can be present in a newborn’s diet only a month after birth. Until the baby is one month old, mothers are strictly forbidden to introduce berries into their diet, even in the amount of 1-2 pieces.
In the second month
At 2 months, you can gradually introduce berries into the menu. It is advisable to first eat 1-2 cherries in the morning and observe the baby’s reaction. If there are no skin rashes or other manifestations, you can gradually increase the dose to 100 grams of berries per day.
Important! If you notice redness of the skin, rash, colic, or stomach upset in your newborn, stop eating cherries and consult a doctor.
In the third and fourth month
Many pediatricians believe that it is better to introduce cherries into the diet of a nursing woman when her baby is three months old. During this age period, the amount of berries on the menu can be gradually increased to 200–300 g per day.
What type of treat should I choose?
Can a nursing mother have jam? High-quality jam, which contains only fruits and sugar, can perfectly diversify the diet of a nursing mother.
Experts do not recommend overusing sweets during breastfeeding, but jam is included in the limited list of permitted foods. Of course, you need to approach your diet wisely.
It is important to choose and dose any product correctly, then it will definitely not harm the newborn baby.
Jam cannot be called a healthy product. Yes, some varieties contain pectin and some heat-resistant vitamins, but their amounts are not very large.
The only benefit of the delicacy is that it tastes good and lifts your spirits, which is also important.
But if used carelessly, this product can cause quite a lot of harm, such as allergic reactions, constipation, colic, and diathesis in a newborn.
When answering the question about what kind of jam a nursing mother can use, you need to first of all pay attention to the raw materials. Whether or not you can eat this or that type of jam depends on how dangerous fruits or berries are in terms of allergies.
The safest jam from the point of view of allergic reactions is apple and plum. These varieties can be tried from the third month of the baby’s life
As your child gets older, you can try to introduce raspberry jam into the diet. It is very useful, as it has antipyretic and tonic properties.
Varieties of berries and fruits such as gooseberries, cherries, apricots, and peaches are also not considered highly allergenic foods. You can try jam from them already in the fourth month of breastfeeding.
Strawberry, blueberry, currant, and citrus jam should not be included in the menu before 6-7 months of a child’s life. These fruits are highly allergenic, so they should be introduced into the diet of a nursing mother with great caution when the baby’s body is strong enough.
Allergies in infants can manifest as skin rashes, swelling, or disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract (constipation, diarrhea, colic, gas). At the slightest sign of such phenomena, the product is strictly excluded for several months or until the end of the GW.
How to choose quality jam
When breastfeeding, it is very important to eat only high-quality foods. Moms don’t always have the opportunity to make jam themselves, so they often have to buy a ready-made product in the store. There are several tips to help you choose truly high-quality jam:
We recommend reading: Can a nursing mother eat beets?
- You need to read labels carefully. The composition should include only fruits or berries and sugar.
- Be sure to pay attention to expiration dates. You can often find expired goods on the shelves.
- You cannot buy multi-component varieties of jams and preserves. If the composition includes several berries or fruits, it will be difficult to determine what exactly the child is allergic to, if any.
- It is imperative to buy only heat-treated and sterilized products. Berries simply mashed with sugar are not suitable for a nursing woman, as there is a high risk of the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. This advice can also be applied to homemade preparations.
- It is better to purchase jam in glass containers - it is safer than plastic.
- The lid should fit tightly to the jar. You should not buy a product with a swollen lid.
- When opening the jar, a characteristic pop should be heard - this indicates that the jam is packaged correctly and no air has entered the container.
- If we are talking about homemade preparations, then you need to avoid those varieties of preserves and jams that are cooked for less than 20 minutes. A short cooking time is not able to completely kill harmful bacteria.
- If mold has already appeared on the surface of the treat or there is a suspicion that the product has fermented, then such a treat should absolutely not be consumed!
It is important to store jam correctly. It should be kept in a cool, dark place in a glass jar with a tightly closed lid. Opened jar should be stored in the refrigerator
How to properly introduce jam into the diet during breastfeeding
There are several rules that will help you enjoy your favorite jam without fear for your baby’s health:
- You should not eat jam in the first month of breastfeeding. At this time, the baby’s body is just beginning to get acquainted with new food, so even harmless foods can cause allergic reactions and tummy problems. During this period, the mother’s diet should be as safe as possible.
- The first type of jam you can try is apple jam.
- The first time you can eat a teaspoon of the product. It is advisable to do this in the morning so that you can track the baby’s reaction. If everything went well, then you can gradually increase the dose.
- It is better not to eat jam or jam on an empty stomach.
- The daily dose of treats should not exceed 4-5 teaspoons.
- If mommy ate jam, then other sweets should be excluded that day.
- If a child has a tendency to rashes and food allergies, then the mother should be doubly careful when introducing foods with berries and fruits into the diet. It is better to wait until the baby is 6-7 months old. In difficult cases, you will have to wait until the end of the GW.
Experts do not advise nursing mothers to overuse sweets, even if the child tolerates them well.
If there is a lot of sugar in the diet, breast milk will be too sweet, and in the future it will be more difficult to introduce the baby to unsweetened complementary foods.
Not all women can deny themselves sweets while breastfeeding. There is no need to do this. A few spoons of jam will not harm the baby if you choose it correctly and approach the matter with a sense of proportion.
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What kind of jam can you use while breastfeeding: when to start introducing it into your diet
In general, currant or raspberry jam is not prohibited during breastfeeding, but since nursing mothers cannot indulge in sweets, the question involuntarily arises: how much of it can be?
Breastfeeding is a responsible process, and therefore mothers often ask the question before consuming almost any product: is it possible? You need to find out what types of this delicacy you can eat.
Features of eating cherries
As mentioned earlier, cherries should be consumed with caution and in limited quantities.
Norm per day
First, as a test, a young mother can eat 2-3 berries in the morning and monitor the baby’s condition all day. If skin manifestations of allergies do not appear and there are no changes in the functioning of the digestive system, then the next day you can add a few more berries.
So, gradually, day by day, monitoring the reaction of the child’s body, you need to increase the number of berries, bringing up to 100 g per day if the baby is already more than a month old, and up to 200-300 g per day if the child is 3-4 months old.
It is possible to observe a slight laxative effect, then you should replace the berries with a compote made from them, adding other fruits (cherries, currants). You can prepare jelly or fruit drink.
Method for preparing cherries
Nursing mothers can safely eat cherries not only fresh, but also prepare drinks and other dishes from them. Berry compote is very refreshing, quenches thirst and saturates the body with essential elements. In addition, it improves lactation.
Young mothers should not eat sweets while they are breastfeeding, but cherry jam is an exception. It contains fewer nutrients than fresh berries, but they are still present, which makes the product an excellent alternative to such desirable but forbidden sweets.
Important! Only home-produced cherry juice is healthy. Store-bought analogues can hardly be called natural, so they may do more harm than good.
Cherry juice is also beneficial due to its high vitamin C content, which is essential for strengthening the immune system.
Cherry juice is a good remedy for anemia. You can also eat frozen berries only if the freezing was carried out according to all the rules: the berries were washed, dried, and separated from the pit.
Correct combination with other products
Sour and semi-sour cherries go well with lactic acid products and fruits of the same acidity. An acceptable combination of berries with non-starchy vegetables. Cherries, like other sour berries, should not be combined with semi-starchy and starchy vegetables, as they together cause bloating. It is best to eat berries during fruit snacks as an independent dish.
How to choose and store cherries correctly?
When choosing berries, you need to pay attention to what color they are.
The richer it is, the tastier and healthier they will be. If the berries are unnaturally soft and sticky, then you should not take them. This indicates that the cherries are overripe.
In order for it to be stored for a long time, it must have green cuttings. With them, the berries can be stored in a cool place for 2-3 days. As a rule, this is the maximum period.
You can increase the shelf life of the product by freezing. You need to take fresh cherries, remove the cuttings and seeds from them. Place the pulp in food-grade plastic containers and place it in the freezer. They can be consumed on their own if they are sprinkled with sugar before freezing or cooked in pies and dumplings. You can also add frozen cherries to fresh juices or cook compotes.
Can I have strawberries while breastfeeding?
Possible contraindications and side effects
- Even the most sour cherries contain a large amount of sugar, so they are not recommended for use for the following diseases and problems:
- gastritis with high acidity;
- overweight, obesity;
- diabetes of any type;
- ulcer;
- pancreatitis;
- inflammation of the duodenum;
- acute gastroenteritis;
- skin diseases.
After eating the berries, you must rinse your mouth, as the acid it contains corrodes tooth enamel.
Did you know? You can be poisoned by cherries if you eat them with the pits: they contain a substance that is converted in the body into hydrocyanic acid.
As you can see, lactating women are not only allowed, but also need to eat cherries. The main thing is to know when to stop and carefully monitor the child’s condition, and if there is the slightest change, go to the doctor.
Contraindications
The question of whether a nursing mother can eat cherries is usually associated with the risk of allergies in the baby. If the mother and child do not have individual intolerance to the product, and the baby’s digestion has already improved, then the berries will not cause harm.
A contraindication to including cherries in a woman’s menu during lactation is increased stomach acidity. This is due to the fact that the berry contains a high content of organic acids that can irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive organs.
Speaking about contraindications, one cannot fail to mention the danger of cherry pits. Their nucleoli contain poisonous hydrocyanic acid, so their use is strictly prohibited.
Nursing mothers are not recommended to drink home-canned compote made from berries with seeds if the jar has been standing for more than 1.5 years, since there is a risk that the concentration of hydrocyanic acid in the liquid has increased to levels dangerous for the baby. The same principle applies to cherry jam with pits.
What fruits and berries can a nursing mother eat, including during the first month of breastfeeding?
During the period of breastfeeding, the mother’s body must provide the necessary level of energy and nutrients not only to herself, but also to her infant. This means that a young mother must take care of regularly receiving sufficient amounts of vitamins, macro- and microelements, as well as minerals.
The optimal situation is when all these substances enter the body from the natural environment - along with food, and not through the use of synthetic vitamins.
Let's consider how and when various fruits and berries can be introduced into a mother's diet, as well as in what doses eating an assortment of fruits and berries can be most beneficial and safe for the mother and child.
The benefits of eating fruits and berries while breastfeeding
Berries and fruits are products recommended for mandatory consumption by women while breastfeeding.
A growing child’s body is not only saturated with vitamins, but also gradually becomes acquainted with a variety of fruits and berries, learning them through a “filter” - mother’s milk.
When introducing fruits and berries into the diet, you just need to take into account the characteristics of some fruits, due to which the use of these products is postponed until the baby grows up.
When eating fruits and berries during the lactation period, you must follow simple rules to avoid the development of allergic reactions in your baby.
Berries and fruits are optimal for replenishing the supply of vitamins and microelements in the body of a woman who is breastfeeding her baby. However, you shouldn’t get too carried away with them either.
With regular moderate consumption, berries and fruits can:
- increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood due to iron content;
- support the skeletal system with calcium;
- stimulate brain function and improve blood circulation due to the presence of vitamin B9 and folic acid;
- prevent the occurrence of cramps and improve the activity of the body’s muscular system due to the presence of magnesium;
- support heart function with potassium;
- lower blood cholesterol levels and take care of metabolism thanks to the presence of pectin;
- regulate the functioning of the digestive system due to the high fiber content in fresh berries and fruits;
- improve vision and strengthen the skeletal system with phosphorus;
- strengthen the overall immune system thanks to beta-carotene.
When is it recommended to introduce fruits and berries into a nursing mother’s diet and how to do it correctly
Any new foods, including berries and fruits, should be introduced into the mother’s diet gradually.
A child’s body, which receives beneficial nutritional components from breast milk, is most vulnerable in the first weeks of life, which is why during this period the mother should pay special attention to the correct choice of food products.
Thus, fruits that cause bloating (for example, plums) are recommended to be slowly added to maternal nutrition only after the first month of breastfeeding..
All fruits that have red or orange colors and shades in their skin color include pomegranates, cherries, sea buckthorn, grapefruits, tangerines, and so on are also at risk for a baby. These fruits and berries can also be introduced after four weeks of feeding, while not forgetting to carefully record the occurrence or absence of any reactions to the new product in the baby.
In the first days after the birth of a child, a breastfeeding mother is recommended to:
- green apples (help improve intestinal function thanks to pectin, satisfy hunger and improve mood);
- pears (remove toxic substances from the body due to the large amount of fiber);
- peaches (help quench thirst and activate lactation processes in the mother’s body).
It is important to note that fruits and berries are useful to eat not only fresh.
Moreover, some experts believe that during lactation it is much more beneficial to eat fruits that have undergone heat treatment, in order to avoid problems with the gastrointestinal tract in the baby.
Some of these delicious and healing dishes include, for example, the following:
- green apples baked in the oven;
- marmalade, marshmallows and other sweets made from fresh fruits without added sugar;
- mousses, casseroles, purees prepared with the addition of cottage cheese;
- homemade jam and marmalade (in limited quantities);
- homemade freshly squeezed and freshly brewed compotes, juices and fruit drinks.
Table: optimal mode of introducing fruits and berries into the diet of a nursing mother
Child's age | Allowed fruits/berries | Daily norm |
Source: https://orebenke.info/posle-rodov/pitanie-kormyashhej-mamy/kakie-fruktyi-mozhno-kormyashhey-mame.html
Introducing cherries to the menu
Like any new product, you should try it little by little (limit yourself to two or three berries), preferably after finishing your morning feeding. In this case, if the baby has digestive problems, they will occur during the daytime or evening hours, and not at night.
If within two days the baby behaves as usual and no allergy symptoms appear, you can gradually increase the portion of cherries. There are no strict restrictions, but you should not get carried away with the berry, as it has a laxative effect.
A relative of the cherry, the sweet cherry is no less useful, although it has a slightly different set of properties. It is included in the diet of a nursing mother according to the same principles.
Cherry pie - tasty and healthy
It is not recommended to eat yeast-based treats while breastfeeding. To prepare a delicious dessert you will need the following ingredients:
- premium flour – 220 grams;
- six fresh chicken eggs;
- butter – 200 grams;
- half a kilogram of cherries;
- 280 grams of sugar.
Stages of preparing the pie:
- Using a special tool or manually, the yolks are separated from the whites.
- The cherries must be previously defrosted and washed.
- In a special container, mix butter, sugar and yolks.
- The ingredients are whipped until a stable foam appears.
- Only the whites are beaten in a separate container.
- Add flour and egg whites to container number one. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- The dough is poured into a mold that has been greased in advance.
- The mold is placed in the oven at 180 degrees for three minutes.
- After this, cherries are laid on top of the dough, and baking continues for another half hour.
The recipe is incredibly simple. It is guaranteed to please the mother and will not harm the baby’s body.
In the article we discuss cherries during breastfeeding. We tell you whether it can be eaten in the first month, as well as at 2, 3 and 4 months. You will learn about the beneficial properties of cherries during lactation, in what cases you should not eat them, and whether you can drink cherry compote during breastfeeding.
Choosing a product
If you are going to enjoy fresh cherries, pay attention to the quality of the product:
- the berry should be ripe, but not overripe;
- There should be no smell of fermentation, traces of mold or other signs of staleness.
Be sure to thoroughly wash the berries and rinse with boiled water to avoid intestinal infections. Indigestion will not have the best effect on breastfeeding and the health of the baby.
Let's consider what cherry preparations and dishes can be added to the diet of a nursing mother. Allowed:
- baking from non-yeast dough with the addition of berries (in small quantities so as not to provoke excess weight gain);
- freshly brewed compotes and jelly with a small sugar content;
- herbal teas brewed with the addition of dry cherries.
As mentioned above, homemade preparations from fruits with seeds that have stood for a long time should be avoided. At the same time, seedless jam and cherry compote will become a pleasant and healthy addition to the usual menu during breastfeeding. The same goes for homemade cherry juice.
Since homemade preparations contain a lot of sugar, which is harmful for the baby, limit the amount you eat. However, treats with cherries are healthier and safer than chocolate, candies and other sweets.
As for store-bought juices and fruit drinks, you should categorically refuse them. Packaged juices contain practically no useful substances, but they add flavorings and preservatives that are dangerous to the health of the baby.
Beneficial properties of cherries for mother during breastfeeding
Cherry is such a common summer delicacy that we don’t even think about the beneficial properties of its juicy red-black fruits, which ripen in the second half of summer.
First of all, let us note the importance of the most important minerals for maintaining our health, which are found in cherry fruits.
- Thanks to the content of magnesium, iron and cobalt in combination with vitamins B1 (thiamine), B6 (pyridoxine) and C (ascorbic acid), as well as pigments, cherries help cope with iron deficiency anemia.
- Coumarin contained in the fruit reduces blood clotting, and therefore cherries prevent blood clots.
In addition, cherry juice:
- Helps quench thirst and improve appetite;
- Useful for arthritis;
- Helps activate intestinal motility;
- “Works” as an expectorant, which means it will be useful for colds accompanied by cough.
But that is not all! Scientists have found that cherry fruits contain ellagic acid, which prevents the proliferation of cancer cells. In addition, cherries help strengthen blood vessels, lower blood pressure and increase the body's resistance to various adverse factors.
It will be useful for nursing women to know that eating cherries helps reduce uric acid levels, which means it prevents the development of gout, helping to prolong youth and beauty.