What to eat when breastfeeding

When you're pregnant, you're likely to be flooded with advice on what to eat, which foods to avoid, and which supplements to take. Unfortunately, once you've given birth, that direction generally fades. So, what are the greatest meals for new mothers to stock up on?

If you're nursing, the overall recommendation is to eat a healthy, balanced diet. However, some vitamins and minerals have been found to aid recovery and improve the nutritional content of breast milk. So it's critical that you receive enough of them.

Calcium

After delivery, your body begins to create milk, which requires a significant amount of 'calcium' from your body. To ensure that there is still enough for you and your baby's milk, it is advised that you ingest an additional 550 mg of the mineral every day (1250 mg in total). If calcium requirements are not satisfied, bones weaken, increasing your chance of having a bone condition such as osteoporosis later in life.

Good sources

● 200 ml of milk: 240 mg calcium.

● One 40 g slice of calcium-fortified bread: 191 mg calcium.

● 75 g serving of spring greens: 56 mg calcium.

● 1 medium (120 g) orange: 75 mg calcium. Total: 562 mg of calcium.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption in the body. That is, you require it to ensure that the calcium you consume is absorbed into your system. When pregnant or nursing, it is suggested that you take a 10 microgram (g) dose of vitamin D3 regardless of the time of year to ensure you are not deficient.

Good sources

By far the richest source of vitamin D is oily fish, with a 140 g dish of baked salmon giving 10.2 g and a 140 g serving of grilled mackerel fillet providing 11.9 g.

Non-fish sources include eggs (two scrambled eggs have 3.4 g) and fortified foods like cereal, which can contain up to 1.4 g per serving.

Iron

Iron is in great demand during pregnancy since it is essential for the development of the baby. This, along with the fact that you might bleed for up to six weeks after birth, implies that iron deficiency is a typical condition after having a baby.

In general, there is no need to exceed the 14.8 mg per day recommendation for women aged 19 to 50. However, it is recommended that you consume iron-rich meals two to three times each day to ensure that any lost iron is replaced. Lack of iron can cause weariness, which is the last thing you need during the first few weeks of child care.

Good sources

● 225 g beef rump steak: 8.1 mg iron.

● 30 g of dried figs: 1.2 mg iron.

● Half a tin of baked beans: 2.9 mg iron.

● Two slices of wholemeal bread: 1.8 mg iron.

● 30 g of hazelnuts: 1.3 mg iron.

Omega-3

A proper intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids has been proven in studies to lessen levels of depression in women following birth. However, one research discovered that a woman's omega-3 levels might drop by 50% during pregnancy and typically do not return to normal for six months after birth. As a result, it is important to consume rich dietary sources on a regular basis and maybe take a supplement throughout pregnancy and after giving birth.

As a general guideline, you should consume at least two meals of fish each week (at least one of which should be oily), as well as various non-fish sources of omega-3. This increases your chances of getting enough of these essential fatty acids from your diet.

Salmon, mackerel, fresh or frozen tuna, and sardines are the greatest seafood sources.

Postnatal meal plans

Make ahead Make and freeze several nutritious meals in the later months of pregnancy, maybe while on maternity leave, to have on hand once the baby is delivered.

● Chilli (vegetable or meat)

● Soups

● Lasagne

● Shepherd's pie

● Stews

● Ratatouille

Get organised

A favourite shopping list may now be saved online at many supermarkets. If you can pre-select this, all you'll have to do each week is reorder your groceries and have them delivered to your door, eliminating the need to attend the supermarket or browse the endless lists of items on the supermarket's website. Why not add omega-3-rich salmon to your shopping list and try our sticky soy salmon recipe? It's the ideal post-birth meal since it's nutritious, fast, and simple to prepare and enjoy.

If you don't have time to prepare food ahead of time but still want to cook, there are a few firms that can help. Simply go online, choose your meals for the week, and they will give you precisely what you need to prepare each dish - it's that simple! It is worth mentioning that, while handy, this choice is not very cost-effective at a time when your new family's expenditure is already high.

Keep healthy snacks within easy reach When caring for a newborn infant, your typical sleeping routines and eating habits might be thrown out the window. To avoid going for the biscuit pan, stock up on healthful, easy-to-eat snacks that you can nibble on whenever you want:

● Nuts and nut butters

● Crispbreads

● Yoghurts

● Crudités and hummus

● Fruit

● Tinned fish