Breastfeeding is the most appropriate feeding method for the healthy growth and development of the baby. It has a biological and psychological effect on the health of the mother and baby. The need for energy and nutrients during breastfeeding is higher than during pregnancy.
What are the Tips for Maternal Nutrition During Breastfeeding?
The energy required for milk production during lactation is provided from two sources:
Tips:
- Mothers should not rush to return to their old weight. This process should be carried out under the control of a dietitian. Weight loss diet should not be applied in postpartum women. However, care should be taken not to overeat floury, fatty and sugary foods.
- The diet or exercise of the breastfeeding mother does not affect the quality and quantity of milk, provided that she continues to take pre-pregnancy vitamins and minerals and takes an additional 25 grams of protein per day.
- It is important for the mother to be well fed, stress-free and sufficiently rested, and to breastfeed her baby frequently in order for the milk to be discharged during breastfeeding. Breast milk rich in lactic acid is produced.
- Listen to music while breastfeeding, read good books if you can. A warm shower before breastfeeding helps open the milk ducts.
- Take short naps during the day while your baby sleeps. Remember; Breastfeeding is a physiological event. We did not block it happens automatically.
- After birth, more liquid food should be taken while breastfeeding the baby compared to the pre-pregnancy period. Fluid intake should be approximately 3 liters (10-12 glasses) per day and should be preferred in the form of light natural drinks such as water, teas such as linden, mint, chamomile, nettle, unsweetened compote, freshly squeezed fruit juices, lemonade and milk.
- Food groups such as milk, eggs and cheese, which are rich in calcium, must be included in the daily nutrition program.
- Foods containing additives such as salami, sausage, sausage should be avoided as much as possible.
- Vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins and minerals should be included in every meal.
- Dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard, kale), carrots, beets, which are rich in minerals, vitamins and phytoestrogens that contribute to milk production. It is recommended to add salmon, legumes, sesame (tahini), apricots, figs and dates, which provide protein support, to the diet by paying attention to calorie intake. can change the taste of breast milk. While this situation creates discomfort in some babies (such as gas formation, refusal to suck), some babies may not have any problems at all.
- Mothers can determine which foods to exclude from their diets according to their babies' reaction.
- Iron deficiency during breastfeeding is a common problem. Consumption of red meat and green leafy vegetables should be increased to prevent iron deficiency anemia. Iron, which is passed to the baby through breast milk, is also important in terms of filling the baby's iron stores and using it in blood production.
- Foods rich in iron; meat, chicken, fish, eggs, offal, nuts (such as walnuts, almonds), dried fruits (such as grapes, apricots, plums, fruit pulp), legumes (such as dried beans, chickpeas, lentils), molasses and green leafy vegetables. Attention should be paid to the consumption of these foods.
- Because pesticides are used on agricultural products, vegetables and fruits should be washed thoroughly.
- Fish consumption should be important in the mother's diet. Omega-3, DHA, EPA, which are found in fish and will pass to the baby with breast milk, are important for the baby's mental development.
- Iodized salt should be used. . Because iodine is effective in the baby's intelligence development and cannot be taken with natural foods.
- Tea, coffee, cola should not be consumed as much as possible. Tea should be consumed 1-2 hours after a meal, open and with lemon. Thus, it is possible to prevent the loss of vitamins and minerals.
- No foodstuffs of unknown content should be consumed. Undesirable situations may be encountered by passing additives from breast milk to the baby.
- Smoking and alcohol, artificial sweeteners should not be used because they pass into breast milk.
Initiating Breastfeeding and Appropriate Gripping Position What Should Happen?
The mother should be in a comfortable position during breastfeeding. Especially in the first weeks, since you will be sitting in this position for hours, a comfortable seat, support under the feet, and a pillow can be placed under the arm. The moment of breastfeeding should be considered as a special time period between mother and baby. Appropriate environment and conditions should be provided for the mother to enjoy this special time.
You can find detailed information about the importance of breast milk and correct breastfeeding techniques at the address Importance of Breast Milk and Benefits of Breastfeeding.
Suggestions for proper conception for mothers:
- Breastfeeding should definitely start within the first hours after birth.
- Place your baby in contact with the navel, with his whole body facing you, not just his head. Proper position is the secret to successful breastfeeding.
- Support your chest with four fingers from the bottom, thumb up. Your fingers should not touch the areola (the brown part).
- Touch your baby's upper lip and corner of the mouth to open his mouth to seek it out. Keep touching her lip with your nipple until she opens her mouth wide.
- The nipple and most of its area (areola) should be in the baby's mouth. Even if there is some pain at the first grip, you should feel the grip but not pain after you switch to rhythmic sucking.
- If it continues to hurt, there is an error in the grasping position, we must separate the baby from the breast and ensure that the baby is grasped correctly again in order to avoid cracks. Most babies suck for 10-20 minutes. It is the baby that determines the duration of breastfeeding, but it should not be long. Prolonged breastfeeding, if 20 min.� If it is more than �, there will be infection and cracks in the nipple.
- When you want the baby to separate from the breast, insert your finger from the side of the mouth to the palate, and when the lips relax, slowly separate from the breast.
- Make sure to burp your baby at the end of breastfeeding and when changing breasts.
- Breastfed babies may not produce as much gas as those fed with a bottle in the first days, and they will start to produce more gas when your milk becomes abundant.
- Start breastfeeding with a different breast each time and feed on both breasts.
- Feed whenever the baby wants. In the first month, if the baby sleeps longer than four hours, you can wake him up and breastfeed.
- The baby's sucking intervals may be irregular. After the milk is plentiful, babies usually suckle 8-10 times a day at 2-3 hour intervals.
- For the first four weeks, giving your baby only breast milk is very important for adequate milk secretion.
- Milk secretion will be abundant after 4-6 weeks. During this period, it is best not to use a bottle or pacifier at all.
- To take care of your breasts, take a shower every day and wash your breasts with only water without soap.
- Wear a bra that supports your breasts day and night and does not tighten.
Keep in mind
The only reliable indicator that your baby is getting enough nutrition is weight gain. A well-nourished baby who has lived through the first 48 hours will usually wet the diaper 4-6 times a day. She poops at least twice a day, sometimes during each breastfeeding, and gains weight regularly after the second week.
How to Increase Breast Milk?
If the breast milk is not enough for the baby for a few days during the periods of rapid growth, if the baby's desire to suck continues despite the emptying of the breasts, the baby will try to increase the milk secretion by sucking frequently.
In this case, the mother;
- She should empty her breast at frequent intervals,
- She should take care of fluid intake and nutrition,
- She should rest enough. When these are done, milk secretion increases in a short time.
- Baby, each breastfeed for 10-20 minutes.
- It should be breastfed 9-12 times a day and 2-3 hours apart.
- If the baby stops sucking before fully emptying the breast, the secretion can be stimulated by stroking the baby's head or body or by massaging the breast.
- within 3 days If the milk secretion does not increase, each breast 5-10 minutes after each feeding.
How to Express and Store Breast Milk?
If the mother is working, she can express her milk and leave it to her baby. For this:
- The hands, udder and the materials to be used for expressing must be clean before starting the milking process.
- A date label must be attached to the storage container of the milked milk.
- The milk is at room temperature. It can be stored for 4 hours, 3 days in the refrigerator, 3 months in the freezer.
- Frozen/chilled milk can be combined in meal portions, but fresh milk is not added to previously frozen milk. After the meal, leftover milk is discarded.
- Chilled milk is heated by immersion in warm water, microwave is not used. When the milk freezes, the fat layer rises to the top, after heating it, it is mixed by shaking it gently.
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