How to lose weight after childbirth
Despite the mother’s need for proper nutrition after birth, especially in the case of breastfeeding, it is worth noting that the food does not have to be complete to support breastfeeding, as the mother can breastfeed her child in the case that her nutritional level drops below the ideal limit.
Some may be surprised by the many recent studies that have proven that the effect of the mother’s nutrition on the composition and quantity of milk is very small, but if the mother is malnourished, her body continues to produce milk at the expense of the mother’s energy and not at the expense of the child, which causes her to become anemic without affecting the child.
Many tips related to feeding the mother during breastfeeding should be followed, including:
– You need to adhere to dietary diversity
Food consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and fats) can maintain a feeling of fullness and satiety and supply the body with the vitamins and nutrients it needs. For example, complex carbohydrates consisting of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables provide the body with the main nutrients and long-term energy needed more than processed starch and sugar.
– Eat balanced foods
Some mothers who are committed to breastfeeding may feel excessive hunger, so it is recommended to eat snacks between the main meals, which contributes to controlling the state of hunger and ensuring the provision of the necessary energy.
– Avoid harmful (saturated) fats
It is the fats that are mainly found in animal products such as poultry skin and meat, and these fats cause an increase in the levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood and thus raise the risk of heart disease.
These fats also cause health problems in the liver and lead to obesity and many subsequent diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and others.
– Drink plenty of water
Women’s need for fluids increases in particular during the breastfeeding period, so nutrition expert Anke Weissenborn from the “Health Your Way to Life” network in Bonn, Germany, recommends that breastfeeding mothers drink plenty of water regularly during the breastfeeding period, noting that the breastfeeding woman needs a fluid amount ranging from Between two and two and a half liters per day.
– Avoid counting calories consumed per day and instead respond to the call of hunger
In an estimation, it was determined the mother’s need to increase the equivalent of (200-500) calories in the case of breastfeeding, which means consuming approximately (2000-2700) calories per day depending on many factors, including the mother’s weight, exercise, the nature of metabolic processes and total dependence or partial breastfeeding.
– Proper planning for slow and steady weight loss
Rapid and sudden weight loss affects the health of the mother and her baby because the body produces many toxins that are stored in body fat and in breast milk. Also, losing more than 750 grams per week in the first six weeks after birth requires consuming more calories.
– Several studies recommend avoiding caffeine
Such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, soft drinks and chocolate, but it has not been proven that there is any harm from drinking one cup of coffee if the mother gets used to it in the morning without excessive drinking it because it penetrates the mother’s milk and may accumulate in the child’s blood circulation due to the inability of his body to analyze it or get rid of it outside the body . As for the rest of the caffeine products, it is recommended not to consume more than 300 mg per day.
– Pay attention to the effect of food flavors
Despite the mother’s ability to eat all foods such as hot, for example, without any rejection from her child, based on studies that prove the extent to which the child enjoys the different flavors acquired by breast milk and increases his acceptance of different flavors and types of food when weaning, other children are affected by intestinal irritation and bloating when weaning. Eating many foods such as broccoli, cabbage, dairy products, chocolate, citrus fruits, garlic and hot peppers, forcing the mother to avoid them for the comfort of her child.
– Avoid drinking alcohol
Due to the penetration of alcohol into breast milk and its negative impact on its production, studies have also proven that the child consumes less breast milk after four hours of the mother’s consumption of alcoholic beverages.
– Eat fish
A major source of protein in addition to many fats that play an important role in the development of the brain and eye, especially in the first year of a child’s life, and recent studies have proven the importance of these fats in reducing the mother’s postpartum depression.
It is recommended to eat the equivalent of 340 grams of various types of fish per week, such as salmon, shrimp, trout, tilapia, catfish and crabs, and beware of some contaminated species or those that consist of a high concentration of mercury, such as shark, swordfish, mackerel, tuna Canned hard white and tile fish that are harmful to the mother and her baby.
– Completing the recommended vitamins during pregnancy for at least one month after birth or continuing them or replacing them with the usual vitamins and nutritional supplements depending on the mother’s need from them, but the mother should take into account that these vitamins are not compensated for a balanced diet, but they provide more Support for the body of the mother and the nursing mother especially.
