Proper Diet In Breastfeeding

I came across an article from WebMD on "Your Nutritional Needs While Breastfeeding". Here is a snippet of what it saids:

During pregnancy, your appetite can soar. Your growing baby is drawing from your nutritional stores. But you're also hungry because your body is hard at work helping to prepare your milk supply.

After you give birth, good nutrition is even more important than during your pregnancy. It can make a difference in the quality of your breast milk and affect how quickly your body rebounds from childbirth.

Though doctors once routinely recommended an additional 500 calories a day for breastfeeding moms, today, experts say what you eat matters far more than your caloric intake.

"Beyond a doubt, the nutritious quality of the foods you eat is of major importance during breastfeeding. Simply adding empty calories, like those found in sugary snacks or junk food, is not going to help you or your baby," says Linda M. Hanna, IBCLC, program coordinator for Lactation and Prenatal Education Services at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

In fact, she says, if a mother isn't feeding herself with enough nutritious foods, the number of "dirty diapers" goes down, a sign that your baby may not be getting enough to eat.

"In the end we are talking about eating a balanced diet, with complex carbohydrates, protein, and fats, and with as little sugar and sugary snacks as possible," says Hanna.

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I remembered a scenario that happens when my friend (MS) asked for advice.

MS said : JJ finishes Pediasure but does not finish breast milk.
MS said : He finished the breast milk mixed with Pediasure.

Before I can answered

MS said : Are you thinking to ask me to stop breastfeeding?
Keit said : I am actually want to ask about your diet.
MS said : What about my diet?
Keit said : You know. If you are eating rubbish, how does u expect your milk quality to be good?
MS said : Huh!! Nowadays I do not eat regular and eating junk (like pizza, McDonald).
Keit said : WHAT??!! (When I heard that, I nearly drop-off from my chair.)

I asked her to taste her own milk. She told me not nice at all. Then I asked her, how you expect JJ to drink your milk. Of course, Pediasure is nicer compare to your breast milk. I told her to change her diet to healthy and proper.

After 2 weeks, she happily informed me that JJ finished her breast milk.

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For me, I will think twice before I consumed anything because I knew whatever I consumed it will affect my son. I love chocolate very much and I knew chocolate can cause colic in babies so I really restrict myself from having it at all.

I remembered one scenario back at my mom’s place. My sister brought some chocolates and I stared at them and wish I can consume them but I did not for my son’s sake. Then mom said “I told you to gave up breastfeeding but you refused, see now so much things you cannot eat.” I replied, after my son reaches 12 months, I have my whole life to munch on them”.

For me, everything was worth even though I need to restrict myself on this and that. After all, breast milks are the best for them and it is priceless; even you have the money – you just cannot buy breast milk.