| During pregnancy many women eat much more | | | | get our vitamin from what we eat. Oily fish, |
| than usual sometimes eating a bizarre mixture | | | | margarine and dairy products are good sources |
| of foodstuffs at the one time. This is just | | | | of vitamin. Many health professionals |
| your body's way of storing up the nutrition | | | | recommend that breastfeeding women take a |
| you need so your baby can grow strong inside | | | | supplement of 10 microgram of vitamin D, |
| you as well to begin to produce the breast | | | | especially if the mother rarely exposes her |
| milk your baby will later need. But after the | | | | skin to the sun or if she doesn't like foods |
| birth what you eat is even more important for | | | | rich in vitamin D. |
| your baby's health. | | | | |
| | | | As well as minerals it is important that a |
| After you give birth, good nutrition is even | | | | breastfeeding mother get her RDA of minerals |
| more vital than during your pregnancy. The | | | | such as Calcium, Zinc and Selenium. Calcium |
| quality of your breast milk depends on your | | | | is well known as being important for the |
| diet and your diet also affects how quickly | | | | development of healthy bones - a lack of |
| your body rebounds from childbirth. Medical | | | | calcium can lead to osteoporosis in later |
| experts recommend that a breastfeeding mother | | | | life. Milk and other dairy products are a |
| requires an additional 500 calories per day. | | | | great source of calcium so try to drink milk |
| Recently that recommendation has been | | | | every day. Milk is also a good source of |
| amended; what you eat is far more important | | | | vitamins B2 and B12. If you don't like milk |
| than your caloric intake. | | | | or are a vegan you can get calcium in other |
| | | | foods like sardines, calcium enriched soya |
| So what foods should you be eating? | | | | milk, dried figs, tofu, white bread, almonds, |
| | | | spinach and tahini. |
| Only one vitamin is manufactured inside our | | | | |
| body; vitamin 5. All other vitamins must be | | | | The following foods are rich in zinc: red |
| obtained from food. Vitamins are found in | | | | meat, sardines, baked potatoes, cashew nuts, |
| many foods - interestingly only one food | | | | whole meal bread, lentils, hard cheese, |
| contains all the vitamins necessary for | | | | peanuts and other fish like mackerel and |
| healthy development: breast milk. No other | | | | prawns. |
| food contains all the vitamins a person | | | | |
| requires. Therefore the secret for a | | | | Free radicals are bad for our body. Reports |
| breastfeeding mother is to have a well | | | | suggest that free radicals are on the |
| balanced diet. Fruit and vegetables are the | | | | increase because of things like cigarette |
| best source for vitamins. Eating 5 portions | | | | smock and car exhaust fumes. Selenium is an |
| of fruit and vegetables per day will give you | | | | antioxidant that helps protect our cells from |
| just about all the vitamins you need - you | | | | the action of free radicals. Fish, cheese and |
| will get all the vitamin C you need, and one | | | | lentils are good sources of Selenium. |
| more portion will help provide the extra | | | | |
| vitamin A and B you need when breastfeeding. | | | | No special diet is really needed for a |
| Broccoli is a particularly good source of | | | | breastfeeding mother. All that is required is |
| both vitamin C and A. Eating 5 portions of | | | | a well-balanced diet contain plenty of fresh |
| fruit and vegetables each day will also give | | | | fruit, vegetables, some dairy products and a |
| your body most of the minerals and fiber it | | | | little red meat. If you're a vegan or |
| needs. | | | | vegetarian you can easily replace dairy |
| | | | products or meat with many fruit and |
| As stated above, vitamin D can be made in the | | | | vegetables. If you are in any doubt as to |
| body but our bodies need the sun to do this. | | | | whether you are eating a healthy diet your |
| In winter it is nearly impossible to | | | | first point of contact should be your doctor. |
| manufacture vitamin D, therefore we need to | | | | |