How to Maintain Good Health and Nutrition During Breastfeeding

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants should be breastfed during their first year of life. Breastfeeding brings many benefits to both mother and their newborns. Maintaining good health and nutrition during breastfeeding is extremely important. This article provides a few tips on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle during breastfeeding.

Instructions

1

Reduce or eliminate alcohol intake. Alcohol gets into your breast milk within one hour after drinking. Alcohol also disturbs the production of milk and may even stop the milk production completely. Furthermore, the presence of alcohol changes how breast milk tastes. Consequently, your baby may refuse to be fed. Quit smoking. Smoking also affects milk production. Milk from smokers has fewer nutrients. Smoking also affects baby's health directly, and increases the risk that of developing asthma. Avoid illicit drugs. Infants might become addicted through breast milk. Consult your doctor about medication.Drink coffee moderately, only one or two cups a day.

2

Eat nutrient-rich food such as whole-grain breads, cereals, rice, beans, pasta, vegetables and fruits. These foods are good sources of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Breastfeeding mothers need an additional 500 calories everyday. Calculate the nutrients in your food to make sure that you get enough calories. Eat a wide variety of foods to make sure that you have all the nutrients that you need. Try to maintain a low-fat diet. Follow FDA recommendation regarding consumption of fish to minimize exposure to mercury.

3

Avoid garlic and onion. Garlic and onion affect how the breast milk tastes. Your baby may refuse to be fed. Pay attention to what you eat and see whether there is a connection between your food and your baby's illness. For instance, colic has been linked to diary products, caffeine, and onion in the mother's diet for some babies.

4

Exercise moderately. Studies show that combination of healthy diet and regular exercise will help breastfeeding mothers to lose weight faster during the first few months right after labor.

5

Get enough sleep and rest. In the first two months, you need to wake up several times at night to feed your baby. Try to take a nap when your baby is asleep. Sleep deprivation can have devastating consequences and slow down your recovery. Enroll your partner to feed the baby at night. Hire a night nurse if necessary.