While exclusively breastfeeding your baby, it is important to pay attention to your body's nutritional needs by consuming healthy and nutritious foods for breastfeeding mothers.
This is because healthy and nutritious foods can affect the quality and content of your breast milk.
This means that while breastfeeding, your baby will receive the various nutrients they need for optimal growth and development.
The question is, what are good foods for breastfeeding mothers? To avoid confusion, you can try some of the recommendations in the following article.
11 Good Foods for Breastfeeding Mothers
To meet the nutritional needs of both mother and baby during exclusive breastfeeding, a healthy daily intake of extra calories is necessary.
However, this doesn't mean you can eat whatever you like; an additional 300-500 calories is generally enough to support your daily calorie needs.
So, what are the recommended breastfeeding snacks or foods for mothers? Check out the list below.
1. Salmon
The first recommended food for breastfeeding mothers is salmon. As a high-protein food, this fish is also rich in vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.
According to research, these two nutrients can help ward off postpartum depression.
Furthermore, salmon is also one of the best natural sources of vitamin D, which is essential for women.
2. Eggs
Eggs are one of the recommended breastfeeding snacks for mothers because they contain various beneficial nutrients.
Eggs contain protein, lutein, choline, vitamins D and B12, riboflavin, and folate.
It is also easy to prepare any menu from eggs since it is very practical. You can make a variety of delicious and healthy dishes from eggs.
3. Beef
While exclusively breastfeeding your little one, you will need plenty of iron, which can be obtained naturally from foods rich in iron, such as beef.
Yes, beef is known for being a food high in iron and protein, which can help you maintain energy.
4. Green Vegetables
Vegetables are healthy foods that can meet most of the human body's nutritional needs due to their diverse dietary content.
Some essential nutrients contained in green vegetables include vitamins A, C, E, and K.
In addition, they also contain several minerals, such as calcium and fiber, which are rich in antioxidants and are undoubtedly beneficial for the body.
Therefore, it's no surprise that vegetables are one of the highly recommended food choices for breastfeeding mothers.
5. Katuk Leaves
Katuk leaves are well-known for their benefits as a food that stimulates breast milk production. This is not without reason; katuk leaves contain prolactin and lactagogue compounds that can increase breast milk production.
You can also consume these leaves on a daily basis. However, if you don’t like the taste, you can choose katuk leaf extract as an alternative.
However, it is best to consult your doctor before consuming katuk leaf extract to determine the appropriate dosage.
6. Nuts and Seeds
The next recommended food for breastfeeding mothers is nuts and seeds.
These two types of food contain a wealth of essential nutrients, including protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
One example of a suitable nut to consume while breastfeeding is almonds.
Almonds are known to help stimulate breast milk production due to their calcium content.
If you can't find almonds in your local supermarket, you can also choose mung beans or edamame as an alternative.
7. Dates
Did you know that dates are a sweet fruit rich in calcium, just like almonds?
Therefore, the benefits of dates are also known to help increase breast milk production.
If you have a sweet tooth, dates are a suitable choice for your daily menu.
8. Oranges
To keep your body fit and full of energy, oranges are one solution for breastfeeding mothers.
This is because oranges are classified as foods high in vitamin C.
Vitamin C itself plays a vital role in boosting immunity and maintaining the immune system.
Additionally, vitamin C plays a role in facilitating iron absorption and protein formation in the body.
9. Milk
Another food for breastfeeding mothers is milk. It's essential to recognize that milk is a rich source of calcium and protein, supporting your child's growth and development.
Furthermore, milk also contains vitamins B and D, making it suitable for consumption while breastfeeding.
Well, you can get these various benefits from processed products, such as yogurt or cheese.
For a healthier and more delicious option, consider mixing it with foods like dates, oranges, and similar fruits in a salad.
10. Avocado
While breastfeeding, you may often feel hungry due to increased calorie needs.
To overcome this, avocado can be a fantastic food choice.
This green fruit is known to contain nearly 80% fat, which can help keep you full for longer.
At the same time, avocado is also an excellent source of nutrients, containing vitamins B, C, E, K, folate, and potassium.
11. Water
Besides foods, there is an equally important intake for breastfeeding mothers: drinking plenty of water. Why is that? Well, breast milk is essentially 90 percent water.
Therefore, to ensure your body can produce a healthy and abundant supply of breast milk, you must ensure you stay hydrated.
This is why you need to stock up on #AQUADULU at home. In addition to meeting your daily water needs, AQUA also offers various health benefits.
For over 49 years, AQUA has produced mineral water derived from natural processes and undergone numerous quality tests to ensure its quality is consistently maintained.
Those were undoubtedly important points for breastfeeding mothers to consider to maintain the quality of their breast milk production.
For the drinking needs of mothers and their families at home, AQUA gallons are the right choice, as they come in 19-liter containers and cost only around IDR 1,000 per liter. Furthermore, AQUA is the perfect drinking water choice for pregnant women. In reality, many pregnant women don't drink enough water because they feel nauseous.
Recognizing this, AQUA conducted a study of over 200 pregnant women in Indonesia. The study found that 9 out of 10 agreed that drinking AQUA does not make them nauseous.
These are various food choices for breastfeeding mothers that can be beneficial for daily intake.
This is important for you to know, as every food you consume will affect the nutritional content of the breast milk you provide to your baby. We hope you find this article helpful!
