Your baby will be most happy with these 7 habits!
7 BASIC HABITS THAT INCREASE BREAST MILK
Every drop of breast milk is a miracle… During the first six months, the baby can meet all the protein, fat, carbohydrates, water and minerals that it needs on its own. Moreover, this rich and healthy content positively affects the health of the baby in the coming years. In order to ensure that babies receive only breast milk for the first six months and breast milk for 2 years after 6 months, along with complementary foods, every year, 1-7 October, within the scope of Breastfeeding Week, is wanted to be engraved in the memory of the whole society, especially women. Acıbadem International Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu offers various suggestions to new mothers who want to feed their babies with breast milk: “You need to have a balanced, varied and adequate diet in order to increase your milk supply. However, you should not forget the importance of your mood. “As long as you’re happy, you can feed your baby better,” she says. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu collects habits that increase the quality of breast milk under 7 headings.
1- Eat healthy
Stating that the body needs an extra 500 calories to produce breast milk, Elif Gizem Arıburnu said, “For this reason, breastfeeding mothers should first meet their own energy needs, not starve, and follow a nutrition program that will support milk formation. In order not to have a sudden drop in blood sugar, they should also take care to eat 3 main meals and 3 snacks. The extra 500 calories needed for milk formation can be met by consuming one boiled egg, 2 slices of whole wheat bread, two glasses of milk or yogurt, one serving of raw or cooked vegetables and two servings of fruit during the day, in addition to a healthy diet.
2 – Drink more water
About 90 percent of your breast milk consists of water. Emphasizing that sufficient water and fluid intake are essential for milk production, Elif Gizem Arıburnu also recommends consuming foods rich in water such as cucumber, zucchini, celery, and belly salad. The formula for determining the daily water requirement is also simple; kg x 35 ml, that is, if you are 60 kg, you need to drink at least 2.1 liters of water.
3 – Limit your caffeine intake
About 1 percent of the amount of caffeine consumed while breastfeeding passes into breast milk. Although this amount may seem small, babies are not able to digest caffeine as quickly as adults. While a healthy adult can remove caffeine from their body in three to seven hours, caffeine can stay in an infant’s body for 65-130 hours because their liver and kidneys are not fully developed. Stating that the consumption of approximately 2 cups of coffee or 3 cups of tea per day is a reliable limit, Elif Gizem Arıburnu warns that when these limits are exceeded, the baby may experience sleep problems, and the mother may experience problems such as restlessness, anxiety, dizziness and palpitations.
4- Choose good fats
Docosa hexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid essential for eye retina and brain development. Studies show that children whose mothers consume foods high in DHA are better able to adapt to environmental changes, have higher attention scores, and better memory skills. Acıbadem International Hospital Nutrition and Diet Specialist Elif Gizem Arıburnu says that mothers who want to support the brain development of their babies can add foods such as avocados, olives, salmon and raw nuts with high DHA content to their diets.
5- Consume quality protein
Our body needs protein to build and repair tissues and organs. If you want to protect your own tissues and organs and to support your baby’s growing body in the best way, it is important to consume quality protein regularly. Eggs, lean red meat, yogurt, cheese and oilseeds are among the quality protein sources.
6- Diversify fruit and vegetables
Noting that fruits and vegetables are our best sources of vitamins and minerals, Elif Gizem Arıburnu says, “You should consume 3 servings of fruit and vegetables every day during breastfeeding, and you should choose different fruits and vegetables each time.” Moreover, the mother’s eating a variety of fruits and vegetables during breastfeeding also allows babies to try and accept different foods more easily during the transition to complementary foods. However, foods such as cabbage, beans, broccoli that can cause gas problems and make babies uneasy should be avoided.
7 – Get calcium
Calcium is one of the most important minerals that growing babies need to build strong bones and teeth. Elif Gizem Arıburnu pointed out that breastfeeding mothers need 1,000 mg of calcium a day to protect themselves from bone loss and to feed their babies with a good level of calcium. In addition, almonds, beans, dark leafy vegetables can also be added to the diet.
