Dietary Guidelines for Breast Feeding Mothers

Breast feeding, for an interval of 1 month, cuts down the risk of developing pre-diabetes, a condition that could result in advanced diabetes and cardiovascular disorders later on.

Results of the clinical trial revealed that mothers who had breast fed their babies, demonstrated favorable levels of glucose and cholesterol, than those mothers who bottle fed their babies.

Gunderson, of Kaiser Permanente Care Organization, California, states that, breast feeding unquestionably helps. It reduces the incidence of breast cancer among mothers. However, it is still indistinct how breast feeding provides a shield against diabetes and cardio-vascular disorders to the child.

Nutritional requirements and diet for a Breast feeding woman

• The intake of energy-rich foods for a breast feeding mother should be right. In addition to the quantity of energy required to meet the daily demands, energy is needed for metabolic activities involved in the production of milk.
• Make sure that the diet is rich in proteins. Dietary protein is transformed in to milk protein. Consequently, a diet deficient in proteins, results in decreased production of milk.
• The need for linoleic acid, increases during breast feeding, thus, step up its intake.
• The diet should meet the daily pre-requisite of calcium. 
• Increasing the consumption of liquids is advocated for sufficient milk production. Enhance the consumption of water and other fluids.

Other dietary guidelines for a Breast feeding woman

1. The nutritional requirement for a breast feeding woman is greater than the requirement by a woman during any other phase of life.
2. The diet should supply adequate lactagogues, i.e. foods that encourage the synthesis of breast milk. Include garlic, onions, milk, nuts, and garden cress seeds in the diet, they are wonderful lactagogues. 
3. Check unnecessary and undue weight gain. 
4. Take care to avert constipation. A fiber rich diet improves bowel motility.
5. Certain foods cause stress to the baby, and hence, should be avoided. The baby may demonstrate signs of abdominal distress to particular foods. Watch out for them.

Precautions while Breast feeding:

Stay away from caffeine, for; it gets absorbed in the human milk. The metabolism of caffeine in the baby, takes longer, in contrast to its metabolism in adults. This could cause in bad temper and irritability in the baby. Additionally, caffeine holds back the ‘milk let-down reflex’ in lactating women.

Chocolate also contains caffeine in small amounts. What’s more, chocolate contains theobromide, a stimulant, similar to caffeine, which is also known to amplify irritability in babies.