Nursing mothers, stay away from these foods ‘to keep your milk production levels up and ensure baby is happy, healthy’
It needs no retelling that breastfeeding, for at least six months, is extremely essential for a newborn as it imparts immunity and nutrition to them. As such, it is essential for a woman to eat nutritious foods to ensure the good health of the baby as well as themselves, and avoid certain items that can hinder the production of breast milk during this phase. “While there may not be a strict list of breastfeeding foods to avoid completely, there are a few things you may want to cut back on while nursing to keep your milk production levels up and ensure the baby is happy and healthy,” Lovneet Batra, a nutritionist, wrote on Instagram.
Agreed Dr Rachna Agarwal, a nutritionist, and said, “Mothers need to eat a balanced diet during the breastfeeding phase. Women who go on weight loss diets often become malnourished, and their milk production is hindered. Also, it must be known that a poor diet can lead to the mother losing important nutrients which can be very difficult to replenish.”
She further shared that foods like “garlic, guar gums, nuts and seeds, makhane, dalia and moong split dal, ghee munnaka and anjeer” are good to consume during this phase. “Any kind of abuse of alcohol, drugs, or junk food can hinder milk production,” she told indianexpress.com.
Lovneet Batra also listed the food items mothers should avoid!
Coffee: Babies have a hard time breaking down and getting rid of caffeine. As a result, large amounts of caffeine, over time, could accumulate in your baby’s system, causing irritability and trouble sleeping.
Peppermint: It is said that some herbs reduce milk supply. These are called anti-galactagogues, and peppermint is one of them.
Alcohol: Women must abstaining from alcohol during breastfeeding. Alcohol inhibits your milk ejection (let down) reflex, making it harder for the baby to get milk. Moreover, alcohol consumption can decrease the infant’s milk intake by 20 to 23 per cent and cause infant agitation and poor sleep patterns.
Consumption of unpasteurized milk is the potential for the mother to suffer from food poisoning where bacteria might reach the breast milk and infect the baby(Source: Pixabay)
Unpasteurised milk products: Any raw food can be a source of infection, and drinking unpasteurised milk is a risk for acquiring C. jejuni (bacteria) infections. So, consumption of unpasteurised milk is the potential for the mother to suffer from food poisoning where bacteria might reach the breast milk and infect the baby.
Artificial sweeteners: It’s better to include 10-15grams of jaggery than artificial sweeteners.
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