Now that you have become a mother, it's likely that your entire focus is on your newborn. It is however important that you focus on your own health as well! After all, only when you regain your own strength and energy can you breastfeed and focus on your child's health and development. Considering you are a nursing mommy, eating nutrient-rich food will ensure that your baby gets the right nutrition through your milk. On an average, a nursing mom needs about 500 additional calories a day. Even though breastfeeding helps burn calories, it also makes mothers very hungry.
Hence it's important that you focus on eating complex carbohydrates like whole grains, millets, pulses, legumes, fresh and seasonal fruits, and vegetables along with foods high in protein, calcium and iron. You will get a lot of well-meaning advice and suggestions with regards to your diet in the postnatal period but not all advice are worth taking!
(All read: A Guide For Healthy Eating During Pregnancy)
If you're aware of the facts about the postnatal diet, you can keep your baby healthy
5 Common Myths About Postnatal Diet
Here is busting some myths and confirming some facts to give you clarity...
Myth 1: Eating extra ghee helps recover faster, strengthens joints
Fact: Your body already has enough fat reserves that it gathered during the pregnancy. Increasing the intake of ghee will lead to weight gain in the postpartum period.
BabyChakra Tip: Instead of eating dry fruit laddoos or panjiri, drink a glass of milk with dry fruits in it. Alternatively, you can prepare porridge with milk and dry fruits to get the same benefit without extra calories.
Myth 2: You must eat bland foods like khichdi if you are breastfeeding
Fact: In most cases, what you eat doesn't affect the baby. What you eat has already digested by the time it reaches your baby through your milk.
BabyChakra Tip: It's best to watch your baby before making changes to your diet. If your baby seems fussy after you have eaten certain foods, maintain a food dairy and make changes in your diet accordingly.
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Myth 3: More milk you drink, more milk you will make
Fact: There is no scientific evidence stating this.
BabyChakra Tip: Instead of a balanced diet of foods rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins will help increase your breast milk supply.
Myth 4: Avoid eating spicy foods
Fact: Even though spicy food does flavour your breast milk slightly; unless your baby seems uncomfortable or fussy after a feed, it's ok to eat spicy food.
Myth 5: Drinking ajwain water helps in digestion and speeds up recovery
Fact: While there is no scientific evidence to this, traditionally eating ajwain or drinking boiled water with ajwain is considered to help in digestion for both mother and baby.
BabyChakra Tip: Even though there is no scientific evidence there is no harm in having it. Provided you have a nutritious diet along with this.
(Also read: Postpartum Diet - Best Foods To Eat After Having A Baby)
Add green veggies and fruits to your diet to stay healthy
Dos And Don'ts Of Postpartum Foods
It is important that you eat healthy foods that will give you energy.
Continue to eat at regular intervals throughout the day.
Drink enough water through the day
Avoid drinking alcohol, smoking or drugs.
Avoid too much caffeine especially colas.
Nutritious foods will keep you full longer and make you feel energetic enough to attend to your baby, in spite of lack of sufficient sleep.
Stay away from packaged foods. They seem convenient but remember they are loaded with sodium and or artificial sweeteners, flavours, and colours.
Prepare some foods in advance and refrigerate them like hummus, yogurt dips, chutneys, makana, salads like carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, whole wheat multigrain bread, parathas, dosa batter, soups, vegetable/meat cutlets, sweet potato fries (stir-fried).
Carry dry fruits and nuts, fruits in your purse, when you are travelling.
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