Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Awareness Month

Posted on August 8, 2016September 27, 2016 by admin

We all know that August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month, but have people really understood the importance of breastfeeding a baby? Women today consider breastfeeding as unimportant and are starting to opt for the artificial option of bottle feeding instead.

Here are a few benefits of Breastfeeding your baby, which every mother should know –

1] Healthier Baby –

Mothers should breastfeed their baby as it leads to lesser chances of him/her getting pneumonia, cold and viruses. Certainly, it has been proven that breastfeeding your baby may reduce his/her chances of getting chronic conditions like type I diabetes, celiac disease and chronic disease. Breastfed babies also develop stronger bones in the future.

2] Decreased rate of Cancers –

It has been scientifically proven that women who breastfeed their babies have a lower risk of developing breast cancer and it also helps mothers from shedding their post pregnancy weight quickly along with avoiding postpartum depression.

3] Baby Mother Bonding –

Breastfeeding your baby helps develop a stronger bond between the mother and the baby. The baby gets more familiar with his mother and it helps the baby in developing various tastes from the beginning. Apart from that, it’s also empowering for a mother to see her baby grow and thrive on her breastmilk.

4] Expert Advice – Experts in the medical industry have recommended and emphasized to every new mother the importance of breastfeeding her baby for atleast the first 6 months. Dr. Madhavi Latha, Lactation Specialist, suggests that new mothers who have a full-time job and don’t have enough time to breastfeed their baby should consider a breastfeeding pump to pump and store their milk, refrigerate it and then which can be consumed within 8 days.

Apart from that, Dr. Raghuram Malliah, says that pain is a part and parcel of motherhood. Mothers should know the trick of handling their baby with care while breastfeeding. Taking a day’s break can negatively impact the milk flow, instead of this they can restore the milk and feed later because mother’s milk digests sooner.

Dr. Shobha Venkat even suggests that mothers, in order to keep themselves hydrated, should drink enough water before breastfeeding the baby.

The bond between a mother and baby is sacred and cannot be destroyed easily. Make sure all you mothers secure this bond forever.

Healthy Diet for a Breastfeeding Mom

Posted on January 21, 2016April 7, 2016 by admin

Being a mother is a beautiful experience, but it comes with a lot of responsibility- not only towards your child, but towards your own health.

Your baby’s health depends on your breast milk and its nutrients. However, every woman’s breast milk is composed differently to suit her child, hence it is important for every woman to pay special attention to her diet. Here are some tips you could use when you are pregnant.

Maintaining a well-balanced diet

Enough nutrition during pregnancy is necessary for your baby to grow and develop. Vomiting and nausea are pretty common during the first few months of pregnancy, and can make this difficult. Try to have a well-balanced diet and take prenatal vitamins to assist with this.

Lactating mothers feel hungrier, which makes sense since your body is working extra to produce milk for your baby. Consuming small meals along with healthy snacks in between is an excellent way to keep your hunger pangs at bay and your energy levels on the higher side.

Stop counting the number of calories!

Mothers who are Breastfeeding require 500 calories more than regular moms. That is 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day.

You should listen to your body and eat what it demands. That is usually all the calories your body actually needs. Counting calories does not help unless you are trying to watch your weight. Too much dieting can decrease the milk supply to the milk ducts. However, if you are well planned and diet sensibly, it should not pose any problems.

Go for slow and steady weight loss

Many new moms discover that the weight they gain is very hard to lose; while others feel that it is easily lost. But the truth about weight loss remains that it depends largely on your body’s metabolism rate, how much physical activity you are getting in a day and the type of food you prefer to eat. Therefore one must always remember to lose the pregnancy weight very gradually. Ideally, take a year to get back to your pre-pregnancy self.

Never try to lose weight by dieting until at least two months after your baby is born. A reduced calorie intake in these first couple of months could leave you feeling a loss of energy and can possibly reduce/ diminish your milk supply.

But if you are way above your average/ideal weight, you could start shedding those extra pounds earlier. Remember to take your doctor’s advice before starting the weight loss process; and remember to drink plenty of water, to always stay hydrated!

Avoid alcohol

In general alcohol should not be consumed while a mother is breastfeeding as it enters the milk and alters its composition. Having a small amount of alcohol will also affect your milk letdown reflex.

Stay hydrated and cut down on your caffeine

16 cups of fluid is required by your body when you are breastfeeding and this includes the fluid from the food you consume. But there’s no need for you to keep track of the amount of water you consume a day. Your urine colour is also an indicator of how well hydrated your body is (light yellow or clear urine is a good sign).

It’s totally fine to have your morning cup of tea/ coffee but remember not to overdo it. Small traces of this caffeine will end up in your breast milk and your baby’s body is not fully equipped to break it down and expel it out.