NUTRITION FOR NURSING MOTHERS

While preparing to write this article, I asked a nursing mother friend of mine what advice she had gotten from people on what to eat while nursing her baby and she said 'most of the advice we get is about what to eat during pregnancy, many people don't talk about what to eat while nursing a baby'. Another mother said, 'A lot of advice given is to drink a lot of pap everyday to increase flow of breast milk and avoid sugary things to prevent 'jedi-jedi' in the child'. Some mothers are forced to drink pap (corn meal) many times a day and some get tired after a while.

At every stage in a person's life, its always important to be on a healthy diet; whether in infancy, pregnancy, while nursing a baby or throughout life. The importance of eating good food cannot be over emphasized; as it provides the body with energy and nutrients to function maximally and remain healthy.No single food contains all the essential nutrients. Diet should contain variety from the different groups listed below

• Grains,Bread and Cereals group
• Meat, Poultry and Fish group with Other sources of Protein
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Dairy products

Healthy options in each of the food groups include:

• Grain, Bread and Cereals group: whole wheatdproducts (bread, pasta), cereal, oatmeal, brown rice (e.g ofada rice)

• Meat, Poultry and Fish group: Lean meat, poultry without skin, fish (boil or roast rather than fry). Other sources of protein: beans, peanut, almonds, eggs, peanut butter

• Dairy products: low fat milk, low fat cheese

• Use low fat vegetable oil to cook eg soy oil, canola, olive oil

• fruits and vegetables

During breastfeeding, a lot of energy is expended as the body works round the clock to produce breast milk. Also a lot of fluid goes into the breast milk. Every nursing mother needs to ensure that her food intake is regular. You don't need any major changes to your diet as long as you are eating a healthy balanced diet.

Its also important to stay hydrated. This is the reason why many women are adviced to drink a lot of 'pap'. Whether its pap you're taking or water, the important thing is to stay hydrated. Signs that your body is not getting enough water are thirst, concentrated urine ( very yellow urine), dry mucous membrane. If you notice any of these, you need to increase your fluid intake. Be careful about taking sugary drinks as it can cause weight gain. Remember that Pap is made from ground maize, which is mainly starch so taking large quantities can also contribute to weight gain. There should be a balance, don't eat too much of anything.

There's also a need for vitamins. This can be gotten from food or by taking nutritional supplements. Rich sources of vitamins are fruits and vegetables. Calcium can be gotten from low fat milk. Check with your health care worker on what nutritional supplements to take.

Avoid regular intake of alcohol if breastfeeding as it can be passed into the breastmilk. Also make sure you don't take any medications that havent been prescribed by your physician. Smoking should also be avoided.

If you have weight loss concerns, you can see a dietician who can work out a diet that'll still provide all the essential nutrients you need but help with weight loss.

In Conclusion, eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated is important while nursing your baby. Variety is the spice of life, don't stick to only one food, chose different foods within the different food groups and make sure you stay healthy during this beautiful period of nursing your baby.




Pap: A traditional Nigerian porridge made from maize
Jedi-Jedi: Yoruba term for Pile

References:

1.  A Stewart Trusswell. ABC of Nutrition 2003
2. DASH eating plan