Butter while breastfeeding: can a nursing mother eat it?

People who monitor their diet, as well as some nutritionists, divide all foods into two large groups - healthy foods, rich in vitamins and microelements, and foods that do more harm than good.

Quite often, butter is included in the second group; when breastfeeding, some mothers even completely abandon it. Is this fair or is this product actually not that harmful and can be included in your diet during lactation? We’ll find out in the article below.

What's good about butter?

The product is obtained by processing cream and milk. Natural butter has a number of beneficial properties due to its content of vitamins E, C, A, D. These include:

normalization of mucous membranes;
strengthening the nervous system;
fight against fatigue;
improvement of the condition of skin, nails, hair;
regulation of hormonal levels;
cleansing the body;
normalization of the thyroid gland;
protection against cancer.

In addition, the natural product without additives is easily absorbed by the body. High-quality butter contains milk fat. If we compare vegetable fats, milk is completely absorbed by the body. It contains the components necessary for cell renewal.

In addition, it contains phosphatides, as well as unsaturated fats.

Can a nursing mother of a newborn eat butter and what are its benefits?

First, let's decide whether butter is a prohibited product during lactation, or whether occasionally young mothers can still indulge themselves with it.

Essentially, butter is regular cow's milk. Cream is extracted from it, then it is whipped and excess liquid is separated. As a result, we get that butter is nothing more than milk fat, only in a higher concentration than it is found in milk.

The latter, as you know, is not only not prohibited during breastfeeding, but is even recommended, since it has a lot of useful properties. This makes it clear that butter, along with milk, is completely acceptable for nursing mothers to include in their diet, however, with some reservations, which we will discuss below.

Now let's look at the main benefits of butter, which few people know about.

The creamy mass contains a significant list of vitamins, but most of all it contains vitamins A, D and E. These compounds are incredibly important for the body, as they ensure the health of several systems in the body and improve the condition of tissues.

Since after childbirth a woman’s body is quite depleted, and reserves of nutrients go into breast milk, eating such fortified foods is simply vital.
It is widely believed that butter has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, but this is not entirely true. When consumed in reasonable quantities, this product reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and increases the level of good cholesterol. Thanks to this, the risk of developing thrombosis is reduced, and the walls of blood vessels become more elastic.
The oil also contains fatty acids , which also have a positive effect on the health of the heart muscle.
selenium and lecithin in butter makes it incredibly beneficial for skin health. Many mothers after childbirth notice that the skin loses its elasticity, begins to sag and becomes more flabby. Regular consumption of butter helps prevent further deterioration of the situation, and also helps improve the condition of the skin.

The grass that cows eat contains a special plant acid . Recent research has shown that this substance has antioxidant properties, meaning that it helps cells in the body repair themselves more actively and also protects them from further damage.

Antioxidants are known to protect the body from the development of cancer.

Butter contains a rather specific vitamin - K2 , which is rarely found in other foods. This compound has several beneficial properties, but especially noteworthy is the beneficial effect on bone tissue. This property will be useful for both mother and baby - the bones will become stronger and their growth will increase.
This oil also contains butyric acid . This substance helps improve digestion because it helps the body digest food better. In addition, the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of this acid help to disinfect hostile microflora in the intestines, which also has a positive effect on digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Surprisingly, butter can really help young mothers in the fight against excess weight . The fact is that the plant acids in it help the body’s metabolism to naturally accelerate. The body begins to use fat reserves for nutrition, due to which the extra pounds gradually disappear.

Benefits during breastfeeding

Due to the content of vitamins and fatty acids, the product is recommended for nursing mothers. In small doses there is no effect on the newborn; such a volume will only bring benefits. There is no need to worry that the oil will cause colic and lead to an allergic reaction in the baby.

Important! If you are allergic to cow protein, exclude all dairy products, including butter, from the diet.

If the baby is not allergic to milk protein, butter is indicated in the diet of a nursing mother. The product contains a unique substance that prevents the development of arthritis. Lecithin is necessary for normalizing the functioning of nerve cells, and lauric acid helps the immune system.

The creamy product does not affect the fat content of milk, but it affects the woman’s mood. Scientists have proven that unsaturated fatty acids, present in sufficient quantities in the processing of cream and milk, participate in the normalization of the emotional state.

Summarize

Butter in the diet of lactating women is a benefit regulated by moderation. It can and even should be eaten during lactation. In reasonable quantities, it does not lead to extra pounds and excess cholesterol in the blood. Useful components will help keep mom healthy, have a blooming appearance, give her energy and protect her from disease.

It has been scientifically proven that the fat content of hind milk largely depends on the mother’s mood while feeding the baby. Thanks to its ability to balance a woman’s emotional background, butter improves the quality of breast milk.

The amount of butter that can be safely included in the daily diet of an adult is from 10 to 30 g. During breastfeeding, it is slightly “cut down” to 15-20 g.

As you can see, with the birth of a child it is not necessary to give up your usual morning sandwich or porridge with the addition of this healthy source of animal fats.

Possible harm

Despite its beneficial properties, butter can be harmful during breastfeeding. The reason is frequent use in large quantities. The established product norm is 30 grams per day. This quantity is enough to obtain the necessary elements. Regular consumption in amounts exceeding the norm can lead to the following consequences:

increased blood sugar;
gaining extra pounds;
bowel dysfunction in a newborn.

What about cholesterol? Is it possible to consume butter while breastfeeding, since 100 grams of the product contains about 200 grams of cholesterol?

Today it has been proven that the body produces some of its cholesterol on its own. The other part comes from the outside and is involved in the synthesis of vitamin D and normalization of digestion. Cholesterol is essential for breastfeeding women after childbirth. It is responsible for mood, emotional state, and reduces irritability. Without cholesterol, brain cells cannot produce the “joy hormone” - serotonin.

You should not completely give up creamy products because of cholesterol. The harm it causes is a myth.

Possible harm from eating butter while breastfeeding

We mentioned above that a product such as butter requires maximum caution when consumed by a nursing mother. The fact is that with all its advantages, this oil also has a number of negative properties, which are especially dangerous if we are talking about the period of breastfeeding.

Butter can cause allergies in your baby. The fact is that, like milk, it contains milk protein, which is quite difficult to digest. The baby’s digestive system cannot react normally to such a substance, which is why characteristic symptoms appear: rash, redness of the skin, cough, difficulty breathing, and so on.
The content of butyric acid in butter in rare cases can lead to infants having digestive problems. It enters the baby’s digestive system through milk and irritates it, which can cause the baby to suffer from colic, flatulence, diarrhea, or, conversely, constipation.
Butter is quite high in calories, and therefore, if consumed in excess, it can lead to excess weight gain in the mother and problems with metabolism.
Also, exceeding the permissible daily norm can cause the development of diseases associated with the cardiovascular system. Instead of lowering cholesterol levels, they increase them.

How to use it correctly

Breastfeeding women should receive a balanced diet. Butter should not be eaten in large quantities. It is added to porridge, pasta, and boiled potatoes.

A good option during lactation is a sandwich with butter for breakfast. The bread chosen is rye or with bran. If desired, a piece of butter can be added to various vegetable dishes.

It is not recommended to use the product for frying. Dishes become very greasy, which affects the well-being of mother and baby.

Important! In the first months after childbirth, it is advisable to exclude fried foods from your diet. Such food contributes to the gain of extra pounds, which may cause problems with the baby’s intestines. A suitable cooking method is stewing. For this, use olive, sesame or linseed oil.

You can introduce oil into your diet immediately after childbirth. First, try 3-4 grams and monitor the baby’s reaction. If there are no contraindications, then the amount is gradually increased to the required daily norm. An important rule is compliance with the measure.

About the importance of proper nutrition

Why should a lactating woman pay special attention to her own nutrition? First of all, because childbirth is a serious burden, a test for the female body. In the postpartum period, he needs to replenish the substances used to bear the child.

The baby, once born, continues to depend on the mother’s body, that is, on breast milk. Its components are produced by the cells of the mammary glands and at the same time those nutrients that are in the woman’s blood are used. They come there from the intestines. Accordingly, the products that make up the mother’s diet are present in modified form in breast milk. This means they must be of high quality, safe and nutritious. These are the ones that ensure the healthy development of the baby.

Another reason that forces nursing mothers to be attentive to their diet is the trend towards an increase in the number of allergic diseases and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. They also arise in connection with gestosis of pregnancy, leading to a change in the barrier function of the intestine and the penetration of allergens into breast milk.

How to choose quality oil

Natural butter has a fat content of 82.2. Everything below often contains not only cream and cow's milk, but also additives harmful to children. Consumption of such a product is harmful because it contains few beneficial nutrients.

How do you know that the oil is of good quality and is being eaten while breastfeeding? A good product lays softly on bread, does not crumble and does not leave greasy marks. If you put a piece of butter in very hot water, the quality product will dissolve evenly. When margarine gets into water, it breaks down into separate particles.

Another way to check is to leave a piece of butter on the table. Drops of water indicate that the product contains a lot of additives - this is a regular spread. The natural piece defrosts very slowly after being frozen, but the spread melts quickly.

How to prepare butter for a nursing mother at home

In order to obtain good oil, you need high-quality raw materials. You cannot make butter from regular store-bought milk at home. More precisely, it is possible, but you will need too much milk, and the process will be very labor-intensive and long. When you are responsible for caring for a small child, you should not burden yourself with additional work. Therefore, we will look at the simplest and fastest method, which allows you to get ready-made oil in 2-3 hours.

First think: how much oil do you want to get? If it's around 300-400 grams, you'll need 1 liter of country cream. If you don’t need that much butter, buy full-fat milk and leave it in a jar for a day. Then skim off the cream - this will be your raw material. The amount of butter depends not only on the volume of cream, but also on its fat content. If it is impossible to purchase homemade milk, you can buy cream in the store. But in this case, there is a risk that they will not produce oil due to additives and preservatives, as well as long-term storage of the product.

So, let's prepare everything we need:

cream 1 liter;
plastic or glass mixing bowls with a volume three to four times larger;
mixer;
colander;
gauze.

Let's start preparing the oil.

Pre-cool the cream to a temperature of 15–160C. Then start beating at low speed until the cream is smooth and fluffy.
Increase the mixer speed to maximum. You need to beat for a long time until the lumps of whipped fat separate.
When the liquid begins to separate from the pieces, you need to put the mixture on cheesecloth in a colander and squeeze it out.
Then you need to beat this mass even longer until the liquid is completely separated. We squeeze again.
The resulting liquid is skim milk. It's called buttermilk and is used to make pancakes or buttermilk. The remaining mass in the colander is our resulting oil. It needs to be rinsed under cold water and squeezed out again.
For the last time, put the butter in the bowl and beat again for homogeneity. If desired, add salt or cocoa with sugar.
Place the oil in a suitable container and place it in the refrigerator. It is stored for about a month at a temperature of +1+40C.

Now you have a delicious and natural product for breakfast or preparing other dishes.

I prepare it this way: the cream from cow's milk must be separator, beat with a mixer at low speed for 15–20 minutes until a very thick cream, that is, butter, is formed, and at the same time the whey is separated. Then take a bowl of very cold water, you can put it in the refrigerator for a while. The butter, in grains or pieces, depending on the quality of the cream itself, is washed in cold water. You can glue the butter into a ball or a block, whatever you want, wrap it in cling film and put it in the freezer.
nata_lie
https://sovet.kidstaff.com.ua/question-4068

I stew potatoes with chicken or turkey and make it thin. For milk, I also rub a little milk into the carrot and eat it. Tea with milk and toast with cheese and butter. My husband baked Kiev cutlets and ate them with buckwheat. Today I ate charlotte, they advised me that I could eat it too, let’s see the reaction. Quail eggs with broth on chicken or turkey breast. I eat half a banana a day... So far everything is calm with us
dane4ca
https://www.babyplan.ru/forums/topic/60529-pitanie-pri-gv/

And if you eat fried foods, then you won’t find anything better than clarified butter for frying. In vegetable oil, when heated above 1000C, carcinogens and trans fats are formed, and butter loses its beneficial properties, leaving you with only cholesterol. There is no cholesterol in melted butter! However, during lactation you should not get carried away with fried foods; this food is not particularly beneficial for you and your baby. But sometimes you can! This video will help you - how to easily prepare ghee.

Rules for choosing a good product

A wide variety on store shelves allows customers to choose quality products. There are rules to help you find good natural oil.

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the name. It should say "Oil". Any other name change indicates a counterfeit or spread. For example, “Breakfast butter”, “Traditional butter”. Next you need to pay attention to fat content. For a good product it will be 72.5%, 80%, 82.5%. Natural oil cannot have other indicators.

The package must indicate sour-butter or sweet-butter. Sour cream contains fermented milk cultures, sweet cream is made only from cream.

The main indicator of quality is compliance with GOST. For butter it is GOST 32261 2013. You can find another one, but for margarine it is GOST 52100 - 2003. The price of a good product cannot be low. It takes at least 20 liters of milk to make a kilogram of butter. For this reason, a cheap product is of low quality.

Shelf life is 35 days if stored correctly. Some manufacturers increase the period to several months, citing new technologies and hermetic packaging. This has nothing to do with good oil; preservatives are simply added during production.

To prevent the product from spoiling, it is packaged in foil. If the packs have thawed and been frozen again, the packaging will be dented. High-quality butter freezes well in the freezer. In the store you need to press your finger on the pack. If it is soft, it means there is vegetable oil in the composition.

How to properly introduce it into the diet?

You should start adding a new product to the menu when the baby is in good health - when his tummy does not hurt, he is cheerful, and slept well. A nursing mother should try butter for the first time in the morning in order to be able to watch her baby all day. The size of the first serving is 3 g, the next day – 6 g, and so on.

It is better to use this product in its natural form, so it will bring more benefits. You can make sandwiches, add it to mashed potatoes, stewed vegetables, and porridge. But it is not recommended to fry with it; it burns and smokes at high temperatures and loses its beneficial qualities.

How they deceive us

Often in stores in our country you can find very inexpensive butter with a reduced amount of fat. Young mothers, trying to quickly lose weight after childbirth, believe that such oil is more useful and certainly will not harm them. However, these substitutes cause frequent side effects in the child. Moreover, such a product is not beneficial and in some cases can have a negative impact on your health.

What may be contained in low-quality oil:

Palm substitute
Peanut substitute
Coconut substitute
Marine animal fat
Volume enhancers
Flavor enhancers
Flavors
Preservatives

All these components can cause severe allergies in the baby.

For this reason, while breastfeeding, a young mother should refrain from consuming cheap butter substitutes.

However, unscrupulous manufacturers can sell a low-quality product at the price of real oil. When choosing a product, pay attention to the packaging. Give preference to well-known domestic brands and always look at the composition and expiration date of the product. Today you can find many branded stores where the products of one or another plant are sold. If there is such a store in your city, it is better to buy dairy products there.

In the third or fourth month

The menu of a nursing mother becomes a little richer at 3 months.
You can add nuts to it (walnuts, pine, almonds, peanuts and pistachios are not recommended), starting with a quarter of a kernel or one small grain. The daily norm is about 2-3 cores for. You need to be careful with them, as nuts often cause allergies. After 3 months, children usually go through a period of colic, so the mother can feel more free at the table, because her baby’s gastrointestinal tract has finally more or less adapted to the new life. Now his body is stronger, so reactions to new foods are likely to be much weaker.

The nutrition of a nursing mother at 3 months may look something like this:

You can include in the menu: freshly squeezed juices and fruit drinks (from pumpkin, apples, beets or carrots) - no more than a glass a day; pearl barley and wheat porridge; fresh onions in small quantities; tomatoes and cucumbers from your garden; boiled vegetables (beets, pumpkin, carrots).

with caution at three months add: meat broths; red and orange vegetables (preferably boiled) - eggplants, radishes, sweet peppers; fresh fruits and berries (apricots, cherries, plums, peaches), watermelons and melons;

the list of prohibited products generally remains the same.

At 4 months, the diet does not undergo significant changes. Mom continues to gradually introduce permitted foods:

You can add to the menu: fried meat - no more than once a week; corn, rice porridge; chicken meat; baked meat (the main thing is not to overdo it with browning); some spices – not the hottest and spicy ones; some mild dressings, for example, sour cream sauce, tomato for borscht;

With caution: the range of juices and compotes is expanding, also 1 glass per day, observing the child’s reaction; You can add blueberries and currants to the permitted berries.

The fourth month still does not allow the introduction of: chocolate, cocoa; citruses and other exotic products; strong tea and coffee; fatty meat and other foods previously prohibited.

If you really want something citrusy, your body may not have enough vitamin C. In this case, you can find a safe substitute for oranges and lemons, for example, rosehip infusion.

Nutritionist opinions

Probably each of us remembers that in childhood, in all medical and treatment-and-prophylactic institutions, as well as in schools and kindergartens, a piece of butter was always given for breakfast. This was done for a reason. It has been proven that consuming a small amount of butter in the morning stimulates the release of bile, which, in addition to other beneficial properties of this product, protects against the development of bile stagnation and the formation of cholelithiasis.

According to modern nutritionists, when breastfeeding, nutrition should be balanced and healthy. In their opinion, oil should be eaten, but in limited quantities. The daily dose for a healthy person is 25–30 grams of oil. The ban on the use of this product applies to people with excess weight and related diseases.