Weaning tips for breast-feeding mothers
The increasing economic challenges faced by millions of families across the country, with increasing job losses, food insecurity put immense pressure on available financial resources when new children are born. Be that as it may there are additional physical, psychological and nutritional issues to overcome by the nursing mother after child delivery.
These include: (a) production of Grade A milk. (b) Speeding up your physical recovery from the trauma of child birth (c) maintaining the levels of energy required by a nursing mother and (d) losing the excess poundage of pregnancy.
In addition to your balanced diet, with food sources enriched with carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins, eat occasional snacks of candy bars, white bread added to your milk. Malt-based drinks (Maltina, Amstel Malta, Malta Guinness) have been found to stimulate milk production.
Nursing mothers as well as pregnant women need to consume more calories and proteins, to help in the production of mother’s milk.
Mother’s milk remains the best for the baby because it contains anti-bodies that protect the baby from infection.
It should be taken exclusively in the first four months as breast milk provides all the nutrients the body needs to grow and develop. The proteins build up the cells. The calcium builds up the bones and eventually the teeth.
Between 4 and 6 months, introduce other foods, such as fruits and vegetables in a mashed form.
Wash foods and utensils well.
Between 5th and 9th months, babies need more calories and proteins than breast milk can provide. Continue to introduce such foods as baby food, dairy products and soft, mashed meat later.
After the 9th month, mother’s milk is no longer the main food but a complement. The baby should be introduced to the family food. Ideal diet should include vegetables, cereals, legumes, meat and dairy products. The diet should include dark-green leafy vegetables, orange or yellow fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, carrots and pawpaw. In fact, children under three years should eat 5-6 times a day.
The mother should provide variety of good food, not forcing the child to eat when it is satisfied, nor withholding food when it appears hungry. Though nutritionists/dietitians recommend 1,490 calories for pregnant or nursing mothers, do not make the mistake of getting that from fried, fatty, salty and sweet-tasting fast food.
Starve yourself and starve your baby. Under no condition should you fast or skip any meal while breast-feeding. Extensive dieting to reduce weight will burn large quantities of fat and cause concentration of ketenes in your milk which can be hazardous to your baby.
Provide diets rich in fibre, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and dried beans. They possess vital vitamins and minerals as well as trace elements we all need. As a mother, such diet will produce milk that contains adequate quantities of the right nutrients.
Both carrots and malt-based drinks have been found to boost breast milk production.
Avoid sweet, sugary foods including carbonated drinks that are empty of calories.
Choose natural foods to processed ones because the latter often contain excess sodium, sugar, fat and additives, all of which are not healthy for both the mother and child.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine, in addition to nicotine from cigarette smoke. If nicotine enters the breast milk, it could cause respiratory problems and possibly sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
10 Laws of successful weaning
There has to be an emotional and physical connection between mother and child. Do not show any dislike for the food you give to your baby.
Use clean cup and spoon for feeding the baby as the use of feeding bottles for cereals like pap encourages the fast growth of bacteria which could result in diarrhoea.
Cleanliness is next to successful weaning. The child should be fed in a clean environment. Keep flies away from food and feeding utensils. Wash fingers before meals.
Introduce weaning diet from 4-6 months.
Do not introduce weaning before 4 months because it could lead to diarrhoea and insufficient breast milk.
Avoid late weaning (after 9 months) to prevent malnutrition. The child may not get to like the new food.
Add finely chopped vegetables and fruits to baby’s diet from 9 months, when the baby can chew.
Continue to breast-feed during the weaning period as it supplies the much-needed protein for the baby’s growth.
Since the baby has small stomach it needs frequent meals than an adult. Give the child 4-5 meals each day in addition to breast milk.
Seek expert advice from health workers on breast-feeding or visit Chief Olu Akinkugbe Nutrition Centre at Friesland WAMCO CAMPINA at Ogba, Ikeja Industrial Estate.
Consult your doctor when the baby falls sick.
*General tips
*Women who stop eating red meat in combination with green vegetables may stop ovulation.
*To combat back ache eat salad with washed raw vegetables, mixed with steamed vegetables and plenty of fruits, except banana.
*Eat a lot of berries such as oranges, tangerine and guava that are rich in Vitamin C, fibre and folate.
*Intake of foods rich in iron and calcium are necessary.
*Read books that are comical or on things that take your mind off stress.
*Drink between 6-8 glasses of water per day. Fewer cups of water can slow your metabolism by 45 calories in a day.