Nutrition For All Series- Blog Number- 4 GUIDELINES

 

Nutrition For All

-GUIDELINES-

Practical Guidelines for All New Moms

Let us first start with the infancy period when your baby will be needing breast milk. So, for mothers who are in the lactation period need many micro-nutrients along with the properly balanced meal. To meet the baby's demand mothers need to take a diet which includes whole grains, pulses/lean meat/fish/dairy products along with seasonal colorful veggies and fruits. What must be taken care of is fat? Right now, while breastfeeding mothers need a good amount of healthy fats. Yes, healthy fats come from nuts and oil-seeds.

 

Along with the supplements suggested by Gynac, one must incorporate a variety of foods in the meals to get proper nutrition. Following are some tips to improve the quality and the quantity of breast milk.

 

Foods which are known to improve breast milk production are known as Galactagogues.

These foods are as follows-

1. Fenugreek seeds
2. Garden cress seeds
3. Oats
4. Ragi
5. Fennel seeds
6. Garlic
7. Almonds
8. Papaya
9. Chickpeas
10. Green leafy vegetables

There are many ways to include these foods in your daily diet to improve the production of breast milk.
As simple as soaking the fenugreek seeds for overnight and having it in the morning with water.
Yes! Just a teaspoon of soaked fenugreek seeds per day is enough.
Fenugreek also has benefits for GDM mothers. Fenugreek helps to control the blood sugar levels.
Include these foods in your diet on daily basis.  

INFANTS AND TODDLERS: 

Now, some brief description regarding which foods you should start off with. For complementary feeding, one must choose food items wisely. The type of food item, consistency, nutrition value is important.
 
1. Start with liquid to a thick consistency smooth puree or porridge. And then mashed foods. This includes carrot, potato, yam, etc. or rice water, dal water, lentils or split dals, mashed banana, cooked apple and pear, etc.
Do not forget to add any green leafy, red meat, beans, iron-fortified breakfast cereals to incorporate iron.

2. Move on to the mashed family foods with some soft lumps, soft finger foods. Mashed lentils, milk products like yogurt, custard, etc., soft cooked veggies like cauliflower, green beans, carrot sticks, potato, sweet potatoes, etc. Include fruits like melons, banana, soft ripe pear, cooked apple, papaya, kiwi, etc. Cheese cubs can also be given.

3. Now in this step, hard finger foods or minced and chopped family food can be given. Include rice, oats, bread, breakfast cereals, ragi, along with the fruits and vegetables. Include milk products like full-fat yogurt, cheese, use milk for making porridge. Mashed eggs, meat, fish, lentils, dals.
 

 

Points to remember: 

1. Taste and texture matters when you think about complementary foods
2. include a variety of foods starting from grains, fruits ad seasonal vegetables. 
3. Remember it must be age specific as described above and in the last blog
4. Breastfeeding moms should include all above mentioned foods to improve the breast milk production.

Follow, share and like to know more recipes: 

Breastfeeding Week: Galactogogues Rich Foods Recipe Series : .https://www.facebook.com/discoveringwellnessbyAnuja