Food

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Updated on Mar 26, 2015
Hello all, can anyone tell what kind intake should be there for a new mother as few people say eat this dont eat that as it goes to baby through milk..


| Mar 28, 2015
pragathi, I am not too sure whether this is a myth or a fact that what a mother eats gets passed to a feeding baby, but what I know is that you should be eating light and nutritionally healhty food. avoid foods that are gassy (beans, gobi, channa) or acidic (very spicy) or make you feel uncomfortable as any indgestion will stop you from feeding properly. also, consume lots of water and liquids as that helps in let down of the milk.

| Mar 28, 2015
pragathi, To help you with your query, we've spoken to parentune paediatrician, Dr Vaneet Parmar and this is what he has to say:"A mother's diet does not affect the baby's digestion, but a mother should avoid eating very spicy food, foods from the cabbage family, and also excessive tea and coffee for her own well-being," says Dr Parmar. I hope your question is answered satisfactorily now. Do let me know if we can help you in any other way.

| Mar 29, 2015
Foods traditionally believed to increase milk supply Though there isn't any scientific research to back the following foods, many mothers swear by them and say they were helpful in increasing breastmilk supply: Cumin seeds (jeera): As well as stimulating milk supply, cumin seeds are said to improve digestion and provide relief from constipation, acidity and bloating. They are also a source of iron to help you gain strength after birth. Cumin seeds are an integral part of many Indian dishes. You can roast them and add them even to snacks, raitas and chutneys or drink cumin water (jeere ka pani) Black sesame seeds (til): Black sesame seeds are an excellent source of calcium and are believed to help increase milk supply. These seeds contain many other beneficial nutrients like copper. You can try til ke ladoos and use black sesame seeds in foods like pooris, khichri, biryani and lentil dishes. Some also prefer to use white sesame seeds in gajak or revdi, Holy basil (tulsi): Tulsi has been traditionally used to help cure a number of ailments. It's a great source of vitamin K. In addition to improving your milk supply, it is believed to have a calming effect, improve bowel movement and promote a healthy appetite. Add the leaves to cooked vegetables and soups. Or you can make a hot drink out of them by boiling them in water and drinking the tulsi tea (tulsi ki chai) with honey. Dill seeds (suwa): Dill is a good source of iron, manganese and calcium. It is believed to improve milk supply, digestion and sleep. Dill is a mild diuretic and should be consumed in moderation. You can use dill seeds whole or ground in many foods such as pickles, salads, cheese spreads and curries. Dill tea (suwa ki chai) is a popular postnatal drink. Carom seeds (ajwain):Carom seeds are believed to help in cleansing the stomach and aiding digestion. Carom seeds can be used while cooking vegetables, in raitas, stuffed pooris and paranthas or making ajwain ka pani. A drink made of carom and fennel seeds (saunf aur ajwain ka pani) is believed to increase lactation and improve digestion. Green and gourd vegetables: Vegetables from the gourd family like bottle gourd (lauki), apple gourd (tinda) and sponge gourd (tori) are a traditional foods that may help improve milk supply. Not only are these vegetables nutritious, they are also easy to digest. Green vegetables like beans (frans been), spinach (paalak), fenugreek (methi ka saag) and asparagus (soot mooli) are an excellent source of minerals and vitamins as well as phytoestrogen which is believed to enhance lactation. Cook these vegetables with spices or make snacks like thepla, vegetable poha or idlis. Pulses or lentils (dals) : Pulses, especially red lentils or masoor dal are not only believed to improve milk supply but are also high in iron and fibre. Use a pressure cooker to prepare them to save time and add spices and condiments of your choice. Red vegetables: Carrots (gajar), sweet potatoes (shakarkandi) and beetroot (chukandar) for example are high in beta-carotene, which is beneficial for your baby if you are breastfeeding. Beets and sweet potatoes are high in iron and help to maintain the liver. Carrot seeds have been known to improve milk supply. You can include them in salads, soups, porridge, meat dishes or desserts like gajjar ka halwa. Nuts and dried fruits (meva): Almonds (badaam) and cashews (kaju) are believed to boost breastmilk production. They make an excellent snack and easily available or you could blend them with milk to make delicious badaam milk or kaju milk. You can also add them to sweet and savoury dishes to boost their flavour. Some dried fruits and nuts are also used to make traditional foods such as panjiri, laddoos and halwa for breastfeeding mums. Oats and porridge (daliya): Oats are a great source of iron, calcium and fibre and are popular with nursing mums. Broken wheat (daliya) is another nutritious option. They are commonly eaten as porridge and you may choose to add nuts, milk, spices or fruits to improve the nutritional value. Oils and butter: Certain fats from oils and butter are healthy. Oils like olive oil, flaxseed oil and sesame oil are healthier oils believed to aid breastfeeding. Butter, coconut oil and ghee, when consumed in moderation, can boost energy. Use them to cook or just drizzle some over chappatis. Is there anything else I need to do to increase milk supply? Yes. In addition to eating the right food, be sure to: Drink 10-12 glasses of water - breastmilk is liquid after all so you need the regular intake of fluids to produce it. A good way to keep up your liquid intake is to drink a glass of water every time you feel thirsty. Like most breastfeeding mums, you will soon find that you get thirsty with every feeding session. This is because as you feed, your body secretes a hormone that makes you thirsty. Breastfeed your baby regularly - your body adapts milk production to the amount being demanded. So if you start supplementing your milk with formula or other supplements, your milk supply will go down. The more you feed your baby, the more milk your body will produce. You may find that milk production is best when you develop a feeding routine for your baby and feed at regular intervals. This gives your body the time to produce the needed amount again. Get enough rest - if you are too tired, your body will not have the energy to produce milk properly. So try to catch up on your sleep and rest during the day if you are up a lot at night. Try to relax - getting used to your new life as a mum can be stressful at times. Stress is known to affect the let-down reflex that secretes milk and even milk production. So for your and your baby's sake, its a good idea to try to relax. Try to arrange for help in the house whether it is from family membe


| Sep 02, 2015
Hi Pragati.. I am pretty new to this forum.. however feeling quite excited to see a lot of concerned parents like me... One thing i would recommend is to go Organic and Natural.. A healthy diet is important for you and the baby. It requires more than simply cutting out junk food. Good food is extremly important here and there are a lot of options now. By going organic, you can drastically reduce the risk of exposing the baby to harmful pesticides and growth boosting chemicals. You can easily buy organic groceries online at sites like www. myrightbuy. com. Give this a shot... I am sure you will enjoy this.