Tips for easy breastfeeding

Dos and Don’t about breastfeeding:

Up till 4 to 6 months breast milk is the only source of nutrition for the baby. So it is very important to take proper care of new mom’s diet. Here are some do’s and don’t that I have collected from my experience and internet. Please suggest any changes if you feel so…

 Dos

Semi liquid Diet

• Diet of breastfeeding (BF) moms should be semi liquid because of which enough amount of milk is produced.

•  Drink as much fluid as you can. While feeding, keep a glass of water or juice by your side, it makes milk flow easily.

Shatavari herb powder

•  If milk supply is not sufficient shatavari herb powder (Indian herb) should be taken 2-3 times a day by adding a spoonful of this herb in a glass of milk. (once first thing in the morning, if tea/coffee can be avoided and once before going to bed.)

 
 

No to laddoo's

• Traditionally dry-fruit sweets are given to BF to increase milk supply but eating too much of them may hamper with baby’s digestive system. 
• Sabudana kheer (sabudana boiled in pressure cooker), alive kheer, daliya and khichadi should be included in daily diet.

 Rest

 

• New mom must take enough amount of rest, if mom doesn’t get enough rest milk supply may become less.

Enriched diet

• BF mom’s diet must include green leafy veggies (especially fenugreek leafs), pulses and fruits (non-citrus) for baby to get proper nutrition. Mom’s diet should include protein, vitamin & iron. 

  No to Bottle

• If breast milk is not sufficient and formula milk is needed to be given, resist using bottle to feed it. Getting milk from bottle is much easy as compared to sucking it from breast, if bottle is given in very early time babies don’t like breast milk and stop taking it. As breast milk works on demand & supply, milk supply will start to decrease. Rather feed formula milk using spoon or dropper.

 step by step plan change in diet

• During initial week of feeding, any change in mother’s diet has deep impact on infant’s health, mother should be very careful about any change in diet. Mother should not make drastic change in her diet. After only when baby is 4-5 week old, every mother should follow a step by step plan to introduce new thing in her diet by changing only one food item at a time. Then observe for some time, if some allergic symptoms appear do not repeat that food and consult your pediatrician.  

Surplus milk

 

• Sometimes if milk is in surplus amount then it may form lump in the breast, it is better to remove it manually or using breast pump. Keeping hot water bag on breast before removing surplus milk becomes easy.

Don’t

• Do not include those food items which can cause gas like cauliflower, cabbage, brinjal, potao, junk food etc….
• Do not eat curd, cold drink, ice cream etc… baby may get cold from this.
• Consuming mint reduces milk production.
• Consumption of alcohol should be avoided, it hampers baby’s overall development.
• In a day do not drink more than two cups of coffee.
• Avoid spicy food.