Caring For Your Newborn - A Guide For the Breastfeeding Mother
Things will never be the same after your newborn arrives, you just have to face it.
But along with the hardships and lack of sleep, come the enormous and life changing events that make being a parent a worthy investment.
One of the biggest of challenges is how to "take care of yourself" while you provide for the needs of your newborn and other possible family members.
Diet and getting the proper nutrition is as important now as it ever was, not only for the breast feeding baby but also for you own energy needs.
You will produce more and more breast milk as your child grows in size.
Usually about a pint at first and then about a quart as the baby grows and needs more.
It is good to maintain a healthy diet during this phase and provide the essential nutrients that will help both mother and child.
If these needs are not met they will be extracted from deeper stores the mother has in reserve, but this is not a good insurance plan for future health of bones, teeth and all organs.
It is best to try to meet these nutritional requirements through diet as they arise, so you don't spend all the "money in your savings account".
Top nutrients needed include: Calcium Zinc Magnesium B6 Folic acid Women who do not get enough calcium while breast-feeding tend to pull the reserves from their own bone supply, which can cause increased risk for osteoporosis later in life.
Nutrition Guide For Breast Feeding Mom's: - Eat a wide variety of foods that are nutrient dense from the 5 food groups.
- Consume high calcium foods and dairy products daily.
Sit in the morning sun for Vit D absorption.
- Eat 2-3 servings of protein daily, including meat.
- Eating dark leafy green vegetables and deep orange colored veggies like sweet potatoes.
- Eat whole foods as opposed to processed, refined foods.
Like whole cooked grains instead of breads and pastas.
- Drink plenty of water, tea and make fresh raw fruit and veggie juices.
- Refrain from caffeinated drinks.
- Some light walking or exercise is good.
- Get plenty of rest.
Weight Gain Sometimes during this postpartum phase many women gain more weight than they would like.
It is nature however to be a little heavier at this time to ensure you have enough milk for your baby and enough energy for you.
The weight will come off when your food requirements decrease, usually after breast-feeding.
On average most women gain two more additional pounds after each birth that stays on their body.
Once you get back into regular exercise routines and healthy lifestyle habits, you will notice significant changes in weight reduction.
When a woman is pregnant they tend to get into the habit of eating constantly, which although good at the time, it can become a bit of an issue when you no longer require this same amount of food intake as you did when you were pregnant or nursing.
But along with the hardships and lack of sleep, come the enormous and life changing events that make being a parent a worthy investment.
One of the biggest of challenges is how to "take care of yourself" while you provide for the needs of your newborn and other possible family members.
Diet and getting the proper nutrition is as important now as it ever was, not only for the breast feeding baby but also for you own energy needs.
You will produce more and more breast milk as your child grows in size.
Usually about a pint at first and then about a quart as the baby grows and needs more.
It is good to maintain a healthy diet during this phase and provide the essential nutrients that will help both mother and child.
If these needs are not met they will be extracted from deeper stores the mother has in reserve, but this is not a good insurance plan for future health of bones, teeth and all organs.
It is best to try to meet these nutritional requirements through diet as they arise, so you don't spend all the "money in your savings account".
Top nutrients needed include: Calcium Zinc Magnesium B6 Folic acid Women who do not get enough calcium while breast-feeding tend to pull the reserves from their own bone supply, which can cause increased risk for osteoporosis later in life.
Nutrition Guide For Breast Feeding Mom's: - Eat a wide variety of foods that are nutrient dense from the 5 food groups.
- Consume high calcium foods and dairy products daily.
Sit in the morning sun for Vit D absorption.
- Eat 2-3 servings of protein daily, including meat.
- Eating dark leafy green vegetables and deep orange colored veggies like sweet potatoes.
- Eat whole foods as opposed to processed, refined foods.
Like whole cooked grains instead of breads and pastas.
- Drink plenty of water, tea and make fresh raw fruit and veggie juices.
- Refrain from caffeinated drinks.
- Some light walking or exercise is good.
- Get plenty of rest.
Weight Gain Sometimes during this postpartum phase many women gain more weight than they would like.
It is nature however to be a little heavier at this time to ensure you have enough milk for your baby and enough energy for you.
The weight will come off when your food requirements decrease, usually after breast-feeding.
On average most women gain two more additional pounds after each birth that stays on their body.
Once you get back into regular exercise routines and healthy lifestyle habits, you will notice significant changes in weight reduction.
When a woman is pregnant they tend to get into the habit of eating constantly, which although good at the time, it can become a bit of an issue when you no longer require this same amount of food intake as you did when you were pregnant or nursing.
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