Eating Right for Your Baby

Your baby’s nourishment is dependent on your nutrition

• Both quantity and quality of breast milk is affected by what you eat.
• It has been found that both quantity and quality of breast milk is affected in mothers with inadequate diet.
• Fat, water-soluble vitamins and vitamin A levels in breast milk are affected by mother’s diet.

So is there any special diet that you need to follow while you are breastfeeding?

No, there is no special diet as such. But yes there are some food facts that you need to keep in mind while breastfeeding.

Here are a Few Things that you should Consider:

Limit coffee intake as it contains caffeine. Too much of caffeine can make your baby fussy or not sleep well.

• Increase Special Nutrients- As a breast feeding mom, you need to increase intake of certain nutrients such as vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, vitamin B12, zinc, protein and off course calories.
• Variety in Foods - Include a variety of foods like whole grains, pulses, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. The flavor of your breast milk changes due to the different foods you eat. Your baby will be exposed to these different flavors and this would make him/her accept different tastes during complementary feeding.
• Go for Galactogogues - Galactogogues like methi ladoos are nutrient-packed and help maintain adequate milk supply in the mother.
• Fluid Facts - The need for fluids increases while you are breastfeeding. So drink enough water, but avoid too much of soft drinks or fruit juices which have 
  added sugars.
• Vegetarian Mothers - Make sure you include foods that provide vitamin B12, iron and calcium. Ask your doctor if you need to take supplements to meet 
  these nutritional requirements.
• Attention to Allergies - Sometimes your baby may show some allergic symptoms or may become fussy after you breastfeed. This is because he or she
  may be sensitive to something you have eaten. Observe and list down such foods and consult your doctor for suggestions.

Choose a variety of healthy foods to maintain the quality and quantity of your milk. Eat right for your baby’s health as well for your own health.

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