Should breastfeeding mothers eat a lot? Why

Not only during pregnancy, mothers also have to pay attention to the nutrition they eat while breastfeeding. Why? Because the nutrition that the mother eats during breastfeeding affects the nutrition the baby gets and also affects the nutritional adequacy of the mother's own body. So, during breastfeeding, you also have to fulfill the baby's nutritional needs in addition to meeting your own nutritional needs. So, how important is it for breastfeeding mothers to eat a lot after giving birth?

Why should breastfeeding mothers eat so much?

After giving birth, many mothers think of reducing their food intake so that the excess weight gained during pregnancy begins to disappear. However, is it true that the postpartum diet is a good idea?

Maybe not, because it is precisely after giving birth that mothers still need additional energy and nutrition. This is because the mother still has to provide enough milk for her baby for 6 months.

The good thing, mothers must listen to the body's needs for energy and nutrition. After giving birth, the mother's appetite may increase. Just follow! Your body generates a response that is adjusted by your own body's needs. You may feel hungry quickly, this is the body's response so that you get the energy and nutrients your body needs.

Do not be afraid of fat if the breastfeeding mother eats a lot, because the energy that enters through food will also be used by the body to produce breast milk. So, the incoming energy does not accumulate in the body and cause weight gain.

In fact, limiting your food intake during breastfeeding can have a negative impact on both you and your baby. You can be deficient in certain nutrients and the production of breast milk can decrease so that the baby does not receive enough milk.

What foods should be eaten during breastfeeding?

It is better if breastfeeding mothers eat a lot. Because breastfeeding mothers may need additional calories around 400-500 calories per day. To get these additional calories, you can choose foods that are high in nutrients, such as bread, wheat, rice, eggs, milk, yogurt, bananas, apples, or other fruits.

Healthy food is needed to help encourage more milk production, so that the baby receives enough milk. Make sure there are food sources of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals on your plate every time you eat.

Carbohydrates are a good source of energy for the body. You can get carbohydrates from rice, noodles, pasta, bread, oats and wheat. In addition, protein is also important for building and repairing damaged cells. Examples of protein sources include chicken, meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, tempeh, tofu, and other nuts.

Eating a wide variety of vegetables and fruits is also necessary to get all the vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Every vegetable and fruit contains many different types of vitamins and minerals, so you need to eat lots of different types of vegetables and fruits to meet all of your body's vitamin and mineral needs.

Calcium-rich foods are needed when you are breastfeeding to maintain your health and bone density. Your body will take calcium from your bones if you don't eat enough calcium.

So, multiply the consumption of food sources of calcium during breastfeeding. You can get calcium from milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, nuts, and bony fish, such as anchovies and sardines.