Oh, boy! What do I know? Is this one of those jokes like “tips to drive your man wild” from Cosmo written by bored females editors?
I actually know nothing other than what my wife experienced and told me, the lactation consultations she took and what I want to discuss today: nutrition. Yup, because that falls under training, and while I am not a registered dietician, I am happy to relay some tips we received from our doula for our second child. These are very important things to know and wish we knew for our first child, which may have avoided colic or other G.I. troubles. No guarantee, but this at least makes sense and can indirectly contribute to having things go easier for everyone. If baby is happy, mommy and daddy are happy too (and this is an expansion of a topic of my next ebook, Fitness Tips for Busy Dads)!
To make up for blood loss during delivery, and because breast milk is derived from the same substrate as blood, breastfeeding is sort of like blood loss! Bone broth is one thing to add to the breastfeeding mom’s diet.
Seaweed soup, from Korea, is another good staple for postpartum recovery and rejuvenation because of its richness in nutrients.
Another tip, more general, is to avoid certain foods which, while friends and family offer from the kindness of their heart, may not be kind to the belly 🙁 Certain foods take away from producing milk because of the extra effort placed on the digestive tract. Less than optimal milk can cause baby to get colicky, gassy and have troubles sleeping and even develop thrush! New parents are already sleep deprived, let’s not stack the odds against them!
So, get your friends and yourselves ready for some breastfeeding education by focusing on foods that are moist, oily, warm and well-spiced! I mentioned the two soups above, but here are more good ideas:
– Potassium broth.
– Oily vegetable soups.
– Cream of wheat with dates.
Foods to AVOID:
– Lasagnas.
– Baked goods like muffins.
– Breads.
– Ice creams.
– Caffeine.
– Refined sugars and flours.
– Dairy (other than raw).
Those above listed foods are hard to digest and extract nutrients. Frozen foods and leftovers also fall in that category, compromising the delicate nature of digestion in postpartum mommies. Avoid ice or iced cold drinks, keep the fluids warm! Eat everything warmer than room temp, spice foods to make them warmer, sip hot water between meals, avoid nut-based meals or desserts and add avocados and coconut as your primary fats and add ginger to your fresh juices!
How’s that for some breastfeeding tips!