Gingerbread cookies during breastfeeding

Almost all women love sweets - such food helps improve their mood, gives them energy and pleases their taste buds.

However, after giving birth, it is sweet foods that often fall into the category of prohibited foods, and therefore many young mothers have a lot of questions, for example, is it possible to eat gingerbread while breastfeeding. In our article we will figure out how safe this delicacy is, and also teach you how to choose the right and healthy product for both mom and baby.

Can a nursing mother have gingerbread cookies?

Such a delicacy as gingerbread is considered the real pride of our national cuisine. These sweet soft cookies are distinguished by their incredible aroma and memorable, incomparable taste.

These qualities are directly related to the recipe for making gingerbread - they contain cinnamon and honey, which is how they get their characteristic color and smell. However, it is these and other products that become the reason why pediatricians prohibit eating gingerbread in the first months after childbirth.

For example, honey is a strong allergen, which very often leads to a strong negative reaction in an infant. In addition, there are a huge number of other components for gingerbread that can harm the baby’s health. For example, these cookies are often topped with fruit, mint or nuts.

The baby may have an allergy to each of these products, and it will be simply impossible to establish its cause, since the production of gingerbread cookies uses a lot of ingredients that could potentially cause it.

Therefore, pediatricians recommend treating such treats with caution. No, gingerbread cookies are not strictly prohibited, just before eating them you need to carefully study the composition and familiarize yourself with the list of possible harmful effects that they can cause.

Possible harm from eating gingerbread during breastfeeding

The main danger of gingerbread for nursing mothers and infants, as mentioned above, is allergies. In the first year of life, the child’s body is not yet sufficiently adapted, and therefore absolutely any product can cause a negative reaction.

Symptoms of this condition include hives, red spots on the skin, itching, cough and difficulty breathing, and nasal discharge.

• Also, a negative reaction can affect the baby’s digestive system. This is usually expressed as a change in stool consistency, colic, diarrhea or constipation.
• The abundance of sugar in gingerbread cookies and the presence of sweet glaze on them can cause increased gas formation in infants. In addition, such conditions are usually accompanied by nervousness of the baby and tummy pain.
• Excessive consumption of gingerbread should be avoided by women who have gained extra pounds during childbirth. Such baked goods are rich in fast carbohydrates, which are stored as fat deposits.
• Store-bought products that contain any filling can cause severe food poisoning. This condition is dangerous even for a child, since during intoxication, harmful substances enter the blood and then into breast milk.

Rules of use

In the first months after the birth of the baby, it is better to avoid eating gingerbread cookies. The fact is that the baby's digestive system is imperfect. Sweet baked goods can cause increased gas formation, allergies, and colic in infants.

Gingerbread should be introduced into the diet only after the baby reaches three months of age. During this time, the child’s digestive system will become stronger and will produce most of the enzymes for digesting food. Then the risk of a pathological reaction to the new product will be minimal.

When introducing gingerbread into the menu, a nursing woman should adhere to the following rules:

• start with a minimal portion. In the morning you should eat a small piece of gingerbread and observe the child’s condition for a couple of days. If allergies or flatulence do not occur, then the single serving can be gradually increased;
• Start introducing only one product into your diet. Otherwise, it will be unclear what provoked the negative reaction;
• introduce gingerbread into the menu when the baby is healthy and feeling well.

It is important not to overindulge in sweets during lactation. Experts advise eating no more than three gingerbread cookies at a time. You can eat about 10 pieces of flour per week.

Those suffering from excess weight should avoid sweet pastries. This problem is typical for many women after childbirth. Gingerbread cookies are also not recommended for diabetes.

Which gingerbreads should you not eat while breastfeeding?

In order to minimize the risk of the listed side effects from eating gingerbread, you need to wisely approach the issue of their choice. There are both relatively safe varieties of this treat, and those gingerbreads that you should avoid while breastfeeding.

• The composition of gingerbread cookies should be as simple as possible - it should not contain honey, chocolate and nuts, since these products are very likely to lead to allergies in a child.
• It’s better to avoid store-bought gingerbread altogether. Only by preparing the treat yourself can you be sure of its safety and natural composition.
• If you did purchase sweets in a store, be sure to pay attention to the list of products used to prepare it. Gingerbread cookies should not contain dyes, sweeteners or other artificial additives.
• When preparing or purchasing gingerbread cookies with filling, give preference to products with apple jam. Apples are allowed already in the first month after birth, and therefore this filling will be safe for the baby.
• Sweet glaze greatly increases the calorie content of gingerbread, and therefore it is best to choose a delicacy without it.
• For the first tasting, the best option would be gingerbreads that do not contain milk or eggs. These products contain difficult-to-digest proteins, which very often cause digestive problems or allergies in infants.

Composition of gingerbread cookies, their benefits and possible harm

The main components of classic gingerbread are rye flour, egg yolk, natural honey, water and milk.

Various spicy spices can also be added to this delicacy: vanilla, lemon zest, nutmeg, anise, ginger, allspice, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon. These ingredients affect the taste of the flour product.

Today, gingerbread cookies with various fillings are on sale: condensed milk, jam, jam, marmalade. Marmalade and dried fruits are sometimes used as filling. The calorie content of store-bought gingerbread varies from 280 to 440 kcal.

For example, in glazed varieties there are 279 kcal, in chocolate - 340, and in oatmeal - 437 kcal. The calorie content of flour products with apple jam is 355 kcal. This product contains no more than 5 g of protein per 100 g of weight. This is a fairly carbohydrate-rich treat. Gingerbread cannot be classified as a dietary product.

Nevertheless, such a flour product is quite useful. Its properties directly depend on its composition.

For example, honey, included in the recipe for classic gingerbread, helps strengthen the immune system, produce endorphins, has a bactericidal effect, improves metabolic and digestive processes, slows down aging, and prevents the development of sclerosis. Rye flour is considered healthier than wheat flour.

It normalizes the functioning of the digestive system and cleanses the intestines. Berry and fruit fillings are a source of many vitamins and minerals, have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous and immune systems, and improve the condition of blood vessels and myocardium.

Ginger stimulates brain function, reduces nervous tension, prevents the formation of blood clots, and removes toxic compounds from the body. Cinnamon has a beneficial effect on the condition of the kidneys, liver, skin, heart, and arterioles. This spice reduces the level of bad cholesterol. When combined with honey, the beneficial properties of cinnamon are enhanced significantly.

Unfortunately, store-bought gingerbread today cannot be called a healthy product. Many manufacturers use low-quality ingredients, sugar substitutes, and dyes to reduce the cost of goods and improve taste.

This can provoke the development of an allergic reaction and disruption of the digestive tract. Therefore, if you want to enjoy gingerbread with health benefits, you should prepare them yourself.

The only drawback of natural gingerbread is their high calorie content. But with moderate consumption, you can avoid harming your figure.

The history of gingerbread is quite long. The first mentions of such a delicacy date back to the 3rd-4th centuries BC. e. The prototype of modern products during the heyday of Ancient Egypt were honey cakes, which were used as offerings to the gods. In Rus', gingerbread appeared long before baptism: they were made in the shape of animals, fish, plants, and mythical characters.

How to properly introduce gingerbread into a nursing mother’s diet and is it possible to do this in the first month?

In addition to choosing relatively safe gingerbreads, it is also necessary to correctly carry out the procedure for introducing them into the menu of a nursing mother. This approach allows you to avoid a strong negative reaction, even if the child is predisposed to it.

Pediatricians allow the first tasting of gingerbread to be carried out no earlier than the baby is three months old. By this time, he should already be familiar with many of the products on his mother’s menu, and therefore there should be no problems with the absorption of substances from gingerbread cookies.

For the first time, a young mother should eat a very small piece of gingerbread, approximately 20-30 grams.

This amount will be enough to identify an allergy or any other negative reaction.

If after this the baby has no symptoms within two days, then the nursing mother can eat the whole gingerbread. You are allowed to eat no more than 2-3 medium-sized products per day. In case of allergies, the introduction of gingerbread is postponed for a month.

Gingerbread cookies during breastfeeding: is it possible or not?

Lactation is a complex process that is important not only for the child, but also for the woman.

This phenomenon allows a nursing mother to quickly lose excess weight, and the baby to receive all the nutrients necessary for normal development and growth.

However, with breastfeeding, it is necessary to give up certain foods and follow a strict diet. Can a nursing mother have gingerbread?

Is the product useful for breastfeeding?

So, can a nursing mother eat gingerbread and what are their benefits? Experts say that a woman’s diet during breastfeeding should be balanced. Gingerbread cookies and cookies are sources of healthy carbohydrates.

However, it is recommended to consume homemade treats, as store-bought products may contain harmful additives.

Gingerbread cookies are not prohibited during breastfeeding. There are many recipes that allow you to prepare a dietary treat and diversify your diet. Gingerbread is a carbohydrate-rich food.

This dessert will be useful for a nursing mother. It promotes the production of serotonin. This hormone is responsible for maintaining the body in tone, eliminating the feeling of fatigue and insomnia, and also fights pain. A lack of sweets in the diet affects a woman’s mood. Read about the correct balance in nutrition in the article about the diet of a nursing mother>>>

Be careful

Gingerbread cookies for breastfeeding are allowed only if their use does not affect the child’s condition: it does not cause allergies, colic, bloating or constipation.

The number of gingerbread cookies eaten should be limited. Eating such baked goods in large quantities can lead to oversaturation of the body of a woman and baby with carbohydrates. And this puts a strain on almost all organs and systems. Remember, the diet must be balanced.

Can a nursing mother have chocolate or mint gingerbread? Yes, but in small quantities. However, the baked goods must be of high quality and fresh.

Basic Rules

When introducing such a dessert into your diet, you should follow several rules:

1. This treat is allowed if the baby is over 3 months old.
2. You should not try the product on an empty stomach, preferably in the first half of the day.
3. At the first tasting, a portion of one third of the product is allowed.
4. If, within a few days after trying the dessert, the baby does not develop allergies or disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, then the amount of baked goods can be gradually increased.
5. No more than three medium-sized gingerbread cookies are allowed per day. During the week, a woman can eat no more than 10 gingerbread cookies.
6. If a child develops diathesis in response to a store-bought treat, it is better to prepare it yourself. To diversify the diet during breastfeeding, a nursing mother should use only the classic recipe, which does not include spices and other additives.

Dietary option for breastfeeding

If possible, you should prepare this dessert yourself. This requires:

• 300 grams of sour cream or yogurt.
• 450 grams of granulated sugar.
• ½ tsp. soda
• A pinch of salt.
• 200 grams of water.
• 700 grams of flour, preferably wheat.

Cooking process

In a deep container, combine yogurt or sour cream with soda, 200 grams of granulated sugar and salt. Add flour to the resulting mass and mix thoroughly. Roll the finished dough into flagella and cut them into pieces.

The baking tray must be covered with baking paper and the pieces should be placed, preferably at a distance from each other. The baked goods rise well. Gingerbread cookies are baked in the oven at 200°C for half an hour.

While the delicacy is being prepared, make the syrup. To do this, pour water into the container and add the remaining granulated sugar. The composition needs to be boiled for 20 minutes.

Gingerbread cookies should be poured with the prepared syrup and mixed carefully, preferably with a wooden spoon. Such a dessert will allow a woman with breastfeeding to diversify her diet. If desired, the baked goods can be coated with mint glaze.

Now you know whether a nursing mother can have mint or chocolate gingerbreads, and how to prepare dietary gingerbreads.

A simple recipe for oatmeal gingerbread for a nursing mother

To prepare a safe treat for a nursing mother, you need to take into account a lot of nuances. This recipe uses only safe ingredients; adding an oat product to wheat flour makes these gingerbread cookies even more healthy.

Ingredients

• Granulated sugar – 4 tbsp;
• Chicken eggs – 3 pcs.;
• Butter – 100 g;

• Apple jam – 3 tbsp;
• Wheat flour – 150 g;
• Oatmeal flour – 150 g;
• Baking powder – 1 tsp.

How to make gingerbread for a nursing mother

• In a deep bowl, combine sugar, soft butter, baking powder and jam. Mix everything well.
• Separate the whites of the eggs from the yolks and put the latter into the dough.
• Add flour, mix everything well again until you get a very thick dough.
• Place the bowl in the refrigerator for half an hour.
• Place a baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200 degrees, onto which we place small balls of dough.
• Let it sit for half an hour, then take it out and let it cool.

As you can see, we figured out whether gingerbread is ok while breastfeeding and gave examples of safe treats for a nursing mother. As with many foods, you need to be careful with these treats to ensure your daily value is not exceeded.