I am the only one in my mothers group still breastfeeding. When I was talking to the other mothers about the reasons they quit, the majority was due to returning to work or low supply. However one mum told me her diet was so bad that she thought formula must be better. She then made me question how good my breastmilk is. Im not a complete junk food addict but nor would I call my diet extremely healthy. I have a Velcro baby so really just eat whatever I can grab whenever I get a spare minute. Ive done some reading and from what Ive read there are divided answers on how much what you eat affects your breastmilk. So am I right in thinking that even with a less than perfect diet , breast is still the best option nutrient wise for my baby? The mum who quit was told by her GP that the lack of veggies in her diet probably caused her childs constipation which is the reason she switched to formula. Pinky says: Congratulations on keeping breastfeeding in such an unsupportive environment. How sad that these mums have quit and what rubbish from the GP. Please relax about the nutrients in your milk. Whatever your diet, your baby will get first dibs on the nutrients so if your own diet isnt great, you are the one getting depleted, not the baby. Yes you can boost nutrition in your milk by eating healthy and adding some supplements - e.g. boosting omega 3 for instance as this is reflected in your breast milk (oily fish such as salmon, tuna , sardines or flaxseed). However, generally a diet that includes a wide variety of natural foods will be all you need to do to ensure you and baby are healthy. Your breastmilk is the perfect food for your baby - it provides enzymes and immune factors that cannot be duplicated , its raw and natural, so even without a perfect diet it is still the best nutrition for your baby. If your diet isnt great, consider some simple boosts with on the run foods you can eat with one hand e.g. boiled eggs, an avocado on whole grain toast, raw vegetables with hommus, canned salmon in a sandwich or eaten on its own, or make a smoothie. Its so much better to eat healthy yourself to maintain your own energy levels than wean your baby. Its important to add healthy foods into your own diet because you are doing a big job recovering from birth and taking care of your baby - however you are feeding your baby.
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 06:30:00 +0000
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