Healthy Postnatal Diet

Your breastfeeding diet should focus on retaining the nutrient stores as it has an influence on the quality and quantity of breast milk. Nutritional requirements are maximum during lactation, hence, the diet should be wisely chosen and balanced. It is important to gradually lose weight gained during pregnancy. Use a combination of healthy balanced diet and moderate physical activity to do so.

Dietary Guidelines

1. Eat small meals frequently, preferably every three hours.
2. At every meal, fill half your plate with a variety of colourful fruits and/or vegetables.
3. Make at least half the grains you eat whole-grains, such as whole-wheat rotis, brown rice, whole grain cereal or meal items from jowar, bajra, oats or corn.
4. Intake of toned milk and milk products (up to 500 ml) every day is recommended for calcium requirement.
5. Add at least one serving of dark green leafy vegetables and a serving of fresh vegetable salad every day. Do not cut and wash or soak fruits and vegetables until you are ready to eat them.
6. Take good quality protein foods like eggs, fish, and chicken. Vegetarians can opt for soya nuggets, tofu, paneer and low-fat cheese. Prefer whole grams or beans like chana, rajma, peas, moong, lobia at least one serving a day.
7. Use oil in moderation. Prefer cooking oils such as groundnut oil / ricebran oil / soya bean oil.
8. Include nuts, oil seeds and dry fruits in limited quantities every day. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, flaxseeds and dried fruits such as dates, figs, prunes, raisins are some of the options.
9. Fluids: Ensure optimal fluid intake every day. Apart from safe drinking water, fresh soups, buttermilk, and coconut water, are the healthier options.

Foods to be Limited

• Beverages like tea and coffee bind dietary iron and make it unavailable. Hence they should be avoided before, during or soon after a meal.
• Pickles, heavily salted foods like chips, pappads as they inhibit iron, calcium absorption.
• Foods that are high in sugar and oil like sweets, soft drinks, chocolates, ghee and baked items.

Ensure Exclusive Breastfeeding for 6 Months

Initial milk (colostrum) is produced in small quantities, but is sufficient for the baby. This is followed by transition milk and then by mature milk. Ensure that one breast is completely emptied before offering the other during each feeding session.

Milk supply is helped by frequent breastfeeds including night feeds, being relaxed and skin to skin contact. A balanced diet is the best way to improve the quality of milk.

Physical Activity

Exercise regularly and be physically active. Include 45 to 60 minutes per day of exercise in short spans.

Sample Diet Plan for Postnatal Women (2200 Kcal approx)

• Early morning: Milk-1 cup/tea/coffee
• Breakfast: Idly (3) / Pessarattu (2) / Veg upma (1.5 cups) + chutney (2 tbsp) + 1 cup sambar OR Chapatti (2) + vegetable curry OR Whole grain breakfast cereal (40g) with milk (200ml) + Egg (1)/Paneer (30g)
• Mid-morning: Soya milk / Ragi malt 150ml + Fruits (1 cup)
• Lunch: Vegetable salad (1 cup) + phulka (2) + Brown rice (1/2 cups) + Non veg Proteins -Lean meat or Chicken (50 grams) / Veg Proteins - meal maker / Paneer (30 grams) + green leafy vegetables (1 cup) + other vegetables (1 cup) + curd (100 ml)
• 3.00 pm: Fruit (1) + Soya milk (150 ml) / Milk (150ml)/buttermilk - 200 ml
• Evening: Oats (2 tbsp) / Ragi malt (2 tbsp) + Boiled Sprouts (1/2 cup)
• 7.00 pm: Veg. soup (1 bowl)
• Dinner: Phulkas/ bajra roti/jowar roti (80g flour) + green leafy vegetables (1 cup) + other vegetables (1 cup) + non veg proteins -minced meat/fish (50 grams) / veg Proteins -soya granules (1/2 cup) / dal (1/2 cup) + curd (100 ml)
• Bed-time: Milk (1 cup) + Nuts (8 - 10 nos.)

Balanced Diet Groups

• CEREALS AND MILLETS: 10 portions (1 portion = 30 gms)
• MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS: 500ml/day, 5 portions (1 portion = 100 ml)
• FRUITS: 2 portions (1 portion = 100 gms)
• PROTEIN-RICH FOODS: 4 portions (1 portion = 30 gms)
• VEGETABLES: 4 portions (1 portion = 100 gms), Green leafy 3 portions, Roots/Tubers 1 portion
• FATS/OIL AND SUGAR: Oil 4 portions (5 gms), Sugar 4 portions (5 gms)

Breastfeeding Myths & Facts

MYTHS:

• Jaundice in the newborn baby is due to certain items in the mother's diet
• Eating more bread and milk will increase milk production
• Fruits and vegetables should be avoided
• Baby needs extra water in first six months
• Whole grams and dal should be avoided

FACTS:

• Jaundice in babies is unrelated to mother's diet
• A balanced diet should be eaten to improve milk quality
• Fruits and vegetables contain important vitamins and minerals
• Breast milk is rich in water, so breastfed babies do not need additional water
• Whole grams and dal are good sources of protein, especially for vegetarians