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Mother's Breastfeeding Diet Facts and Myths
Table of Contents
1. The importance of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is the best method of feeding a newborn not only because of the safety of breast milk but also because of its many health benefits. More and more research is proving that it can prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia or cardiovascular disease. However, it also improves the development of cognitive functions, and infants fed milk have a lower obesity rate (C. Binns, M. Lee, W. Low, 2016).2. The effect of a breastfeeding mother's diet on her baby
Human milk has a relatively constant composition, which is largely unchanged by the mother's diet. There are many myths, however, that women who breastfeed are under enormous pressure. Carbohydrates, proteins, calcium or iron content do not change significantly, even when these ingredients appear in small amounts on the breast milk menu.3. Mother's diet and allergies in the baby
While there are reports that malnutrition on the menu may contribute to hypersensitivity and atopy in infants, there is no confirmation that avoiding certain foods reduces the likelihood of allergic reactions. According to the latest guidelines, it is not recommended to introduce a nutritional diet during lactation to prevent allergies (H. Szajewska and Y. H. 2021). These studies do not prove to eliminate allergies because of their long-term effects (J. Hetting, P. P. M. Middleton, M. N. Makrid, etc.).4. The mother's diet and the baby's diets
Studies do not confirm the widespread claim that baby bumps are directly related to what the mother eats (M. Kidd et al. 2019). They result from the immaturity of the infant's nervous and digestive systems, so they also appear in mixed-feeding children.5. Coffee while breastfeeding
Although women are usually concerned about drinking coffee because of its potential negative effects on their babies, current recommendations do not prohibit drinking it at all. However, it is important to remember not to exceed 300 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to 3 cups of coffee or 6 cups (M. Nehring-Gugulska 2017).6. Calorie content of the mother's diet
It is widely believed that both during pregnancy and during breastfeeding, a mother should eat for two. However, it is more appropriate to say that she should eat to two. This means that her diet should be focused on providing vitamins, minerals and nutrients. It is true that during feeding, the calorie intake of the menu should be slightly higher by about 500 kcal of total energy consumption in the first 6 months, and then by 400 kcal in the next six months. But it cannot be exaggerated, since even then it is easy to gain weight, which increases the risk of overweight and obesity (Morska B. Korna, 2013).7. Is this what a breastfeeding mother's diet should look like?
There are many myths about breastfeeding that make it difficult for young mothers to implement a proper diet of cereal, rice, fish and poultry. However, according to current medical standards, it is important to limit the consumption of processed foods by women during lactation as well, as it does not have to meet special criteria other than to increase calorie intake. In addition, a diet based on good nutrition for healthy people is good. It should be based on vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, grains, beef, wheat, fish, and chickpeas. It is also necessary to limit processed food intake as well because of the lack of nutritional nutrients from fish as well as from unprocessed carbohydrates.
