| When breastfeeding, your diet is very | | | | what people may tell you, you can obtain iron |
| important. The quality of breast milk can be | | | | from other foods apart from red meat. Foods |
| reduced if the diet of a breastfeeding mother | | | | that are rich in iron are: |
| is poor or deficient in certain substances. | | | | |
| Minerals are very important to your baby; | | | | Lean beef, lamb and kidney |
| there are building blocks that will help to | | | | |
| ensure your baby's development now and in the | | | | Dark chicken or turkey meat |
| future. | | | | |
| | | | Sardines |
| Your breast milk contains all the nutrients | | | | |
| your baby needs to thrive. A baby that is | | | | Eggs |
| exclusively breastfeed only gets the minerals | | | | |
| it needs from its mother. Therefore, it's | | | | Baked potatoes |
| extremely important that a breastfeeding | | | | |
| mother is getting her daily quota of | | | | Red lentils, chick-peas, baked beans, kidney |
| minerals. But for many new mothers, the early | | | | beans |
| days, weeks and months after the birth can be | | | | |
| a tiring time and eating a healthy diet that | | | | Green vegetables like broccoli, peas, spring |
| contains all the minerals it should may not | | | | greens, spinach, and curly kale |
| seem possible. The good news is that eating a | | | | |
| healthy, well-balanced diet isn't that hard; | | | | Dried fruits like apricots, prunes and figs |
| eating meat, dairy products 5 fruit and | | | | |
| vegetables every day is all you need do. | | | | Calcium is important for the development and |
| | | | healthy maintenance of bones. Your baby is |
| As well as other nutrients, like vitamins and | | | | growing very fast and, at the same time, her |
| protein, minerals play an important part in | | | | bones are hardening. Calcium is needed for |
| your baby's development. A nursing mother | | | | this to happen. Milk is one of the best |
| should be aware of what minerals are | | | | sources of calcium, so if you like milk, now |
| important and what part of her diet provides | | | | is the time to drink plenty of it. Milk is |
| these minerals. | | | | not only a good source of calcium but it's |
| | | | also a good source of protein, zinc, vitamin |
| Zinc has a wide range of functions that | | | | B2 and vitamin B12. The good news is you |
| ensure the healthy development of a baby. It | | | | don't have to drink full-fat milk either; |
| helps with the healing of wounds and is an | | | | skimmed and semi-skimmed milk contains the |
| important component of many enzyme reactions. | | | | same nutrients but with much less fat. |
| Zinc is essential for a healthy immune system | | | | |
| and resistance to infection. And, if you want | | | | When breastfeeding your calcium requirement |
| your baby to have a good complexion and | | | | is the equivalent of drinking 1 2/3 pints of |
| lovely skin then you should make sure that | | | | milk. So, if you drink plenty of milk and |
| you're getting your daily intake of zinc. | | | | other dairy products you'll be getting all |
| | | | the calcium you need. Don't despair if the |
| The body is very poor at absorbing zinc - | | | | thought of consuming of that much dairy |
| only about 20% of the zinc present in our | | | | produce is off-putting or if you're a vegan, |
| diet is actually absorbed. Also, the body | | | | calcium can be found in non-milk foods. |
| does not store zinc - it needs to be replaced | | | | |
| with zinc found in the food we eat. | | | | The following are equivalent to consuming a |
| | | | third of a pint of milk: |
| The following foods are rich in zinc: | | | | |
| | | | 2 sardines from a tin of fish in oil |
| Sardines are an especially good source of | | | | |
| zinc! | | | | One-sixth of a pack of tofu |
| | | | |
| Red meat | | | | 1 glass (7oz) of calcium enriched soya milk |
| | | | |
| Tahini paste (chick peas) | | | | 5 dried figs |
| | | | |
| Whole meal bread | | | | 6 medium slices of white bread |
| | | | |
| Baked beans | | | | 48 whole almonds |
| | | | |
| Cheddar cheese | | | | 4 tablespoons of cooked spinach |
| | | | |
| Fruit yogurt | | | | Eating a well-balanced and varied diet will |
| | | | give you all the minerals you need for |
| Pumpkin seed | | | | breastfeeding your baby. The minerals |
| | | | mentioned above are not the only ones |
| Peanut butter | | | | required for both you and your child but they |
| | | | are the most important. If you have doubts |
| Getting enough iron is important in the first | | | | you should ask your doctor. Breastmilk is an |
| year of life. Babies who are breastfed suffer | | | | amazing food source; it maintains the right |
| far less iron deficiency in later life. Iron | | | | amounts of nutrients required for your baby |
| is needed to make hemoglobin - a pigment that | | | | during its growth, even in women whose diet |
| is found in our red blood cells. Hemoglobin | | | | is not perfect. |
| carries oxygen around our bodies. Contrary to | | | | |