How to increase the fat content of breast milk? Why did it suddenly look like water? How to determine if the crumb is eating only them? And how to adjust the diet to increase the fat content of the first baby product?
Breast milk is an amazing product. And not only because it “meets all the needs of the child”, which pediatricians and breastfeeding consultants never tire of reminding us. Its composition changes frequently. And it depends not so much on the woman's nutrition as on the needs of the baby.
How fat content changes
The first breast milk appears in the mammary glands of the expectant mother long before childbirth. Its presence is guessed by the wet spots on the bra. However, the volume of the liquid is so small that it does not cause discomfort. Only a little this amount increases after childbirth, and only by the end of the third day, the woman's breast is filled with "real" baby food, which accompanies him during the entire period of breastfeeding.
During this time, milk goes through three stages of transformation.
Colostrum or premilk
The first food a baby gets to know. It is believed to have the highest fat content, but this is not the case. There is less fat in it than in milk of the third, mature period. But there is a lot of protein, up to 15%, which is 3 times more than in mature milk. Protein provides a high nutritional value of the product, so those minimum grams (no more than 30 ml is produced per feeding) are enough to saturate the crumbs.
Interestingly, the bulk of fat in colostrum is polyunsaturated fatty acids, which the body of an adult does not produce, but receives only from food. They have a mild laxative effect on the newborn, helping him get rid of meconium, the primary feces. The danger of its long-term preservation in the intestine consists in the abundance of the accumulated, which, when released, provokes the development of newborns. During this period, breast milk is not fatty, it is not so much food that matters as medicine for the start of a healthy baby's life.
Transitional milk
It replaces colostrum about the third day after the birth of the baby, it differs in quantity and composition. The chest is suddenly filled with a valuable product, the color of which becomes lighter and the taste is sweet. It has significantly more fat than the first baby food, sugar is present. These components are required for the enhanced growth of the child, the possibility of his adaptation to life "outside". Interestingly, this product is extremely low in protein. Wise nature ordered this, because the motor activity of the little man is small and the muscle mass for jumping, crawling and walking is still of no use to him.
Mature milk
Usually, the question of how to increase the fat content of breast milk concerns the product after the transition period. Its formation occurs within two weeks after childbirth. A young mother can observe a sufficient amount of milk, but it seems so liquid ... But the baby needs to grow, get stronger, draw strength from him. Where can they get this "water"?
But the "water" in a woman's chest is not as simple as it seems at first glance. The calorie content of breast milk is 70 Kcal per 100 ml. Its main share is indeed water (more than 80%), in which dozens of the most valuable substances are dissolved. It also contains fats, their volume "fluctuates" within 4%. Among the fatty components, almost half are saturated fats, the very ones that we want to see in a child's diet in greater volume. The remainder includes valuable monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Mature milk also contains proteins and carbohydrates (retinol), C, E, K. Of trace elements, it is rich in calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc.
Table - comparison of ingredients in human milk, data per 100 ml
Features of mature milk
The question - how to make breast milk fatter - arises for one reason. Traditionally, we believe that the more satisfying food, the more nutritious, is necessarily fatty. But with regard to the baby, this opinion is fundamentally wrong, because at each stage, breast milk compensates not only these, but also other needs of the body.
So, for example, colostrum is a supplier of valuable trace elements and immunity, the so-called growth factors of a child. When breastfeeding, the baby for 2 months receives the mother's immune protection from diseases to which her body has developed resistance.
Transitional milk contains a unique substance called the HAMLET complex by scientists. It was first discovered in the stomach of a baby during the first week of life. The complex is a symbiosis of oleic acid and milk whey, which has a powerful antitumor effect. He carries out a "spring cleaning" of the baby's body, forcing cancer cells (if they arise as a result of mutations) to self-destruct.
Mature milk is no less valuable, which also has a number of features.
Front and rear milk
At the beginning of feeding, the baby absorbs the so-called foremilk. It looks transparent, even slightly bluish. Its volume is sufficient for 5-7 minutes of feeding. When the baby sucks him, it seems that he drinks, moreover, avidly. This is true, because the purpose of this milk is not to nourish, but to water the child. When the front milk is drunk, it is the turn of the back milk. It is more dense, fatty, viscous. Absorbing it, the child is no longer in a hurry, because it takes effort to suck it out. The fat content of the product is concentrated in this milk. Here, the proportion of fat is 4%.
Adaptable composition
The volume of components in breast milk does not remain the same during the first year of breastfeeding. At different periods, the crumbs have a need for this or that element. For example, during the period of tooth growth, the need for calcium increases, and it arrives in the mammary glands. During the increase in physical activity, the necessary components for muscle growth. And the nutrition of the crumbs is enriched with protein.
Interestingly, the composition of breast milk is practically independent of the mother's nutrition. If a woman is malnourished with calcium, and the child's body needs it, the microelement will still be received by the baby. But it is not transformed from food, but from the teeth and bone skeleton of the mother. The increased need for other trace elements is compensated for in a similar way. Ironically, the only substance that remains unchanged in breast milk most of the time is fat. Its volume is optimal for the baby during the entire period of feeding.
Self-sufficiency
According to scientists, there is no way to improve the nutritional value and fat content of breast milk by correcting the mother's diet. Moreover, there are no products that would have any significant effect on it. An interesting discovery was made during a joint study by scientists from Norway and the UK. They found that alcohol and garlic are the only foods that can affect the taste (but not the quality!) Of a nutrient fluid. Moreover, the latter gives it an unpleasant aftertaste that makes babies turn away from their breasts.
Foods that increase the fat content of breast milk are nothing more than a myth. Eating more fatty foods by the mother will not change the composition of the baby's diet, but will cause additional centimeters to appear on her waist and hips.
Another option is also possible. Eating a lot of saturated fat for a nursing mom will really affect the quality of the baby's food. The milk will become viscous, thicker, and more difficult to suck out. Faced with such a problem, the baby can completely. This is dangerous because of the risk of breastfeeding interruption. There is a danger for a woman, in whose mammary glands they can develop.
4 popular questions about product quality
The nutritional value of breast milk is independent of external factors. The only criterion for reducing or increasing the proportion of fat in it is the age of the baby and the related needs of his body.
This opinion was reached by researchers who tested the breast milk of women from different countries. In the course of the experiment, it turned out that mothers of babies of the same age had approximately the same fat content of the product. At the same time, the study was carried out in the poorest and hungry regions of Africa (Nicaragua) and in the well-fed countries of Europe (Sweden, Germany, Russia).
Thanks to this research, it is possible to answer the main questions about the nutritional value of the first baby product.
- Why did breast milk become like water? The front milk really resembles water. It is necessary to meet the fluid needs of the infant. Asking the question why breast milk became transparent, a young mother means the first, light, liquid substance. After all, it is she who can sometimes "leak" from the chest. The main nutritional components are concentrated in hind milk, which is thicker and fatty. Therefore, when feeding, you cannot shift the baby from one breast to another. The baby should gradually drink the first part of the "lunch" and move on to its hearty continuation. Breastfeeding experts do not recommend expressing front liquid milk. It is dangerous to not receive a tiny liquid.
- What foods to eat for the fat content of breast milk? The diet of a nursing mother should be complete and balanced. However, you will not be able to influence the amount of fat in the mammary glands in any way. This is not necessary, breastfeeding experts warn. Interfering with the natural process of forming food for a child is much more dangerous than it seems at first glance.
- How to check the fat content of breast milk? It has no practical value, but for the sake of interest, you can experiment. To check the quality of the product, you will need to use hind milk. Strain it into a glass and let sit for 5 hours. During this time, the liquid will stratify into fractions, the fat will rise up. Take a ruler and measure the layer height in millimeters. The number of millimeters will show you the fat percentage of the product. Normally, it is 3.6-4.6%.
- Does it make sense to use a breast milk fortifier? Given the fact that it is impossible to adjust the composition of an infant's food "from the outside", the practical value of such supplements looks questionable. To use the Nutrilon breast milk fortifier and any other product is to normalize the mother's diet. With a sufficient level of trace elements and nutrients in the body, there is no risk that the baby will "eat" her teeth or hair. Vitamin complexes for lactating women, balanced and nutritious nutrition for mothers can be considered a logical alternative to enrichment mixtures.
Sometimes it is difficult for us to understand the wisdom of nature, which has created amazing mechanisms for self-regulation of the symbiosis of "mother and child." But you shouldn't interfere with these processes. Despite the mother's diet, regardless of the volume and quality of food she eats, the baby will still receive everything he needs for full development. Even to the detriment of the mother's body.
If breast milk is not fatty, they say that the child does not eat enough of it and does not gain weight well, how to increase its fat content with the help of products and in other ways?
Indeed, in some way the composition of breast milk depends on the mother's diet. So, if she eats a lot of sweets, baked goods, bread, then there will be a lot of carbohydrates in the milk, which will provide the child with colic and increased gas formation. If the mother consumes a lot of milk, then after a while the child may experience an allergic reaction and diarrhea. Often, in these cases, bloody streaks in the stool of the child are observed. All this speaks of intolerance to cow's milk protein.
But if a mother eats too much fatty milk, this increases the fat content of breast milk, but often to such an extent that it begins to harm the baby. His stool is disturbed - there can be both constipation and diarrhea. After all, mom's milk is not only food for him, but also water. This is why breast milk is not uniform in consistency. If you try to strain it and leave it for a while, you will notice that a crust has formed on top, the fat has risen to the surface of the milk. In a quantitative ratio, the volume of this crust to the liquid part can be different. And if women notice that there is less fat, they sound the alarm. And the analysis of breast milk for fat content is not needed. Everything is clearly visible. And what does this mean, is the child really going to starve? Breastfeeding experts are in a hurry to calm down - even if it seems that breast milk is like water - this is not a reason to introduce the formula, start feeding it. The composition of the milk can vary depending on the needs of the baby. So, women noticed an interesting fact, which determines the fat content of breast milk in a nursing mother - this time of year. They say that in summer milk is less fat, more watery, so that babies can easily quench their thirst.
By the way, more interesting things about the diet of a nursing woman. Milk can change its color depending on the foods it eats. For example, it may turn greenish if mom ate seaweed or a lot of green vegetables. Reddish - if you ate beets. Pinkish - if it gets blood from a crack in the nipple.
Increasing the fat content of breast milk should not be given close attention. The safest way to make sure that your baby gets more fat is to breastfeed with one breast until it is completely empty. As you know, it is the back milk that is the food for the baby, rich in fats. But if a woman has a lot of milk, then the child may simply not get to him. In order not to think about how to increase the fat content of breast milk for mom, you can try expressing milk a little before feeding. That is, one that is just like water for a baby. And then he will have a better chance of getting to high-calorie hind milk. By the way, if a small child has dozed off to the breast, then, perhaps, almost all milk has been sucked out, and this is a reason for changing the mammary gland. If the baby is actively sucking, and you feel that the breast is not yet like a "rag" - continue to feed her. The classic recommendation is to change breasts once every 2-3 hours. But sometimes you need to change the breast every 6 hours, while you can prevent lactostasis in the second mammary gland if you apply a cool compress to it and express a little, until you feel relieved.
The question of how to increase the fat content of breast milk in nursing is important not only because of the low weight gain of the baby, who sucks mainly fore milk, but also because of his frequent anxiety, pain in the abdomen. This is due to the fact that the front milk is rich in lactose - milk sugar. And a child's intestines do not always contain enough enzymes (lactase) to digest it. How to understand that milk is not fatty and you need to increase its fat content in the described way? Babies often have green stools, despite the fact that the mother's diet does not contain many green vegetables and fruits. Also, children with lactase deficiency experience pain during feeding, tighten their legs, and scream. Accordingly, they suck out very little. It turns out a vicious circle. In this case, doctors usually advise taking special medications containing lactase to help the intestines.
And yet, technically how to test breast milk for fat content at home? None of the proposed methods will be reliable. Only "by eye", as we wrote in advance. Exactly - in the laboratory. By the way, scientists recently made an interesting discovery of how to increase the fat content and lactation of breast milk - you just need to stop smoking (for those who smoke). Nicotine helps to "liquefy" milk and negatively affects its production.
But the diet of a nursing mother does not have a decisive effect on the percentage of fat in milk. Therefore, it makes little sense to look for products that increase the fat content of milk from a nursing mother, it will rather be harmful. A breastfeeding woman should eat a balanced and varied diet. Do not get carried away with strict, low-component diets and low-fat foods. Then the milk will be in complete order.
It is very common among nursing mothers that there are foods that increase lactation. Nuts, herbal teas, broths, fermented milk products, milk tea are considered especially useful from this point of view. But exactly what effect they have on lactation is unclear. And can a mother's diet generally affect the quality of breast milk? What to do if the mother thinks that the child is not eating enough, the milk has become "low-fat" or is completely gone? And how to determine when these worries are justified and when not?
Anxiety that the baby is not getting enough nutrition is born for various reasons. For example, the baby's behavior changed: he began to ask for a breast more often, cry and fuss during feedings. Or Mom was able to express less milk than she expected. Sometimes this is joined by the conclusion about the low nutritional value of breast milk. Seeing a clear or pale white liquid, women are seriously upset. Indeed, in their opinion, it is impossible to gorge on such watery milk. And if the breast feels soft and less full than in the first weeks after childbirth, then the conclusion about the lack of milk seems very logical.
Erroneous judgments
The situations listed above are very subjective. And if you think a little deeper, you can come to reasonable conclusions that many signs do not indicate insufficient feeding.
- Crying baby. This is a versatile way to tell your mom about your problem. Your toddler may be upset about discomfort of any other nature, not just hunger.
- Frequent attachments. This is not an indicator of malnutrition. Babies tend to be more at the breast when they are anxious, bored, painful, scared, and so on. Especially in the first months after birth, the child feels calm and safe only under the mother's breast.
- The volume of expressed milk. This is not a measure of the actual amount of milk in the breast. The most effective way to empty the breast is to offer it to a properly sucking baby. Neither a breast pump nor your hands will be able to remove milk with the same high quality. And if pumping is not correct, then the effectiveness of the procedure is further reduced.
- Feeling in the chest. They also cannot tell anything about the volume of milk production. These are very individual and subjective feelings that differ from mom to mom. Therefore, on their basis, it is impossible to make an unambiguous conclusion about the lack of milk.
If your baby lacks nutrition
How, then, to understand that the baby is really malnourished? The only objective criterion for the adequacy of nutrition is the child's weight gain. It is not necessary to monitor the dynamics of body weight according to the standard scheme, that is, once a month. For the mother's peace of mind, you can control weight, for example, every three days, a week, ten days. In this case, the average daily gain is calculated: the difference between the current and previous weight is divided by the number of days for which the weight change is calculated.
Such a procedure is especially relevant in the first six months of life, when the child is exclusively breastfed. It is advisable to use special baby scales: they give the most accurate measurement result.
What conclusions can mom draw from her weight control results?
- Average daily gain of more than 20 g. The crumb is definitely full, and measures to increase lactation are not needed.
- Average daily gain less than 20 g. The baby is not getting enough breast milk. The situation requires urgent attention from the mother. It is necessary to look for the cause of low weight gain, and sometimes to temporarily introduce supplementary feeding (expressed breast milk, donor milk of another healthy woman, adapted milk formula).
According to the WHO, these numbers apply to infants in the first half of the year. Up to six months, the minimum safe increase is 600 g (20 g / day). And if a child gains below this level, this is a serious reason to reconsider the organization of feeding and check the health of the baby. Indeed, sometimes the problem lies not in insufficient milk production, but in difficulties with its assimilation. And ineffective sucking or the wrong feeding regimen can lead to a real decrease in secretion.
What affects the secretion of the mammary glands
Before moving on to the recommendations, it is worth understanding what actually affects milk production. And are there any foods that increase lactation? After all, the advice to use this or that product is probably passed from mother to mother for a reason.
Lactation is a hormone-dependent process. The main hormone responsible for primary milk production and further maintenance of lactation is called prolactin. Its production in a woman's blood is triggered after sucking or pumping the breast. At the same time, it is extremely important that both processes take place correctly and painlessly. And the more often such stimulation of the nipple and areola occurs, the higher and more stable the concentration of this hormone will be. Therefore, the more milk the mother will have. In this case, it does not matter which method of delivery the woman underwent. After a cesarean section, the same processes occur in the mother's body as in natural childbirth.
Thus, the two key rules for successful lactation are as follows:
- the more often the breast is stimulated, the more milk is produced;
- the more milk is removed, the more it is formed.
Therefore, if a mother does not know how to enhance lactation, she first of all needs to work in these two directions.
On average, after two to three months, 10-12 applications per day is enough for milk secretion to be at a stable level. At the same time, at least two or three feedings occur during the night period. At this time, the female body is especially active in the release of prolactin in response to sucking. Therefore, already now we can draw a logical conclusion: there are no products to increase lactation. No food or drink can increase your breast milk production.
How to increase milk production
So, the nursing mother traced the dynamics of the baby's weight, analyzed the situation and realized that milk was really not enough for a full nutrition of the baby. How to stimulate lactation? What measures should be taken?
- Assess the correct attachment to the breast. Mistakes in this matter prevent the baby from sucking effectively. This means that he is not able to get as much milk as he needs for harmonious growth and development. And the mother's breast receives less pronounced stimulation for a long time, so the volume of milk may decrease. You can figure out the issue of attachment yourself or invite a breastfeeding consultant.
- Refuse breast substitutes. Communication of the baby with the bottle and the nipple reduces the number of attachments. In addition, substitutes often negatively affect the grip of the nipple, because the technique of sucking the bottle and the breast is completely different. Therefore, it is advisable to minimize or completely exclude these objects from the life of the baby. At least until it is understood that the baby has enough milk, and the stimulation of lactation is no longer required.
- Adjust the number of feedings. The minimum number of applications per day is 12 times. But it is advisable to do this more often and offer the baby a breast every hour and a half. Thanks to this, the gland will be as empty as possible. And in an empty chest, the development of a new secret occurs faster than in a full and even half-empty one.
- Express additionally. If it is not possible to often apply the crumb or if you want to achieve a result faster, mom is able to help herself. To do this, between feedings, you should empty the gland with your hands. With hand pumping, the entire procedure can take about 30-40 minutes (to empty both sides).
- Feed at night. This is a prerequisite for increasing lactation in nursing mothers. It is especially important to feed your baby between three and eight in the morning.
Depending on the situation, the mother's efforts bear fruit in one to two weeks. Each case is unique, so other points can be added to the general list of recommendations. For example, a consultant helps to adjust the feeding scheme and teaches the mother to feed the baby without using a bottle.
And how to understand that everything is getting better? When can a nursing mother relax and stop further stimulating lactation? When the child of the first half of the year will steadily add more than 20 g per day.
In order not to miss this moment, it makes sense to keep a weight diary. There, mothers record the average daily gain for every three days. This interval makes it possible to smooth out the weighing error and makes the result objective. And my mother feels psychologically more confident. After all, she keeps the situation under control and can quickly respond to its changes.
Misconceptions about lactation-enhancing foods ...
While food has no real effect on milk quantity, a lot of anecdotal evidence can be found to the contrary. Lactation-promoting foods often include:
- meat broths;
- nuts (usually walnuts);
- carrot juice;
- dairy products;
- radish;
- tea with milk;
- herbal infusions.
These are the most common options. This list is very variable: in different sources you can find your own lists of products that enhance lactation. This further confirms that there is no consensus on this issue. Moreover, the effect of each product on lactation is usually not reported.
Nuts, honey, dairy and fermented milk products are potential allergens. Of course, this fact is not a reason to categorically delete them from the diet. It is advisable to exclude foods only after the appearance of a reaction in the child. But in order to minimize this effect, such products are introduced into food in small doses, alternately in the morning. So it will be easier for the mother to track exactly which food the baby reacted to.
... about plants and herbs
Herbs, herbal teas and industrial teas "to enhance lactation" deserve special attention. They contain plants that are not scientifically proven to be effective for nursing mothers. Certain herbs such as fennel, goat's rue, anise, and cumin can suppress milk production. And most of the herbs, including fenugreek, nettle, verbena, have not been subjected to scientific research at the level of evidence-based medicine at all.
Therefore, it is impossible to say exactly how herbs affect a nursing mother, in what concentration it is excreted in milk, and how this may affect a nursing child. If a woman wants to drink such preparations, she must understand that this is a certain risk to the health of her baby. And such a decision should be preceded by a doctor's consultation.
When it comes to what foods increase lactation, dosages are often overlooked. Therefore, nursing mothers can independently come to the following conclusion: if you need to urgently increase the volume of milk, you need to eat as many “useful” products for lactation as possible. And then the risk of unwanted reactions from the child increases.
... about increasing fat content
"Are there foods that increase the fat content of milk?" - no less popular question than "What foods increase lactation?" This is the same common misconception that goes by word of mouth. Most often, you can find recommendations to consume more walnuts to make milk richer and fatter.
In fact, the fat content of milk is an individual value for each mother. And it cannot be influenced by drinking or eating. The hormone prolactin is responsible for the quality composition of breast milk. Its production activates the synthesis of milk proteins, lactose and fats. Their percentage is individual. At the same time, every woman's breast milk is the best nutrition for her baby, both in terms of composition and percentage of fat content.
Interestingly, the average energy value of human milk is 67 kcal / 100 g. That is, even with differences in the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the nutritional value of breast milk is the same for different women.
Restrictions for a nursing mom
Mom's nutrition is not the key to increasing milk supply. However, a complete, varied, tasty and healthy menu is a prerequisite for a breastfeeding woman. Indeed, to produce milk, she needs about 700 additional calories every day. She gets about 500 kcal from food, and 200 kcal from her own fat reserves. In addition, the mother's nutrition affects the content of certain vital substances in breast milk (iodine, selenium, vitamins A, C and group B). With a reasonably composed menu, all these components are supplied in abundance both to the mother and to the body of the growing crumbs.
Young mothers often have thoughts about how to increase the fat content of breast milk. It seems to them that the child is not eating enough, so he cries regularly. It is not recommended to take any measures on your own to change the composition of milk without the advice of a specialist, because this can negatively affect the weight of the mother and baby.
Benefits of breastfeeding
During pregnancy, as well as after childbirth, the female body secretes colostrum. The composition of the substance includes immunoglobulin A - a protective element against various bacteria that are fraught with danger. Colostrum contains a large number of white blood cells, the main function of which is to destroy viruses. To strengthen and quickly adapt to the environment of the baby's body, it is necessary to carry out the first breastfeeding within a few hours after the baby is born.
Over time, colostrum is replaced by milk. To speed up the transition process, it is recommended that the baby be applied to the breast more often. After three weeks, the amount of milk increases sharply, and there is a danger of mastitis or lactostasis. To avoid such troubles, you should feed your baby on demand. This method can also increase the fat content of breast milk. Mom should regularly monitor the baby's condition, stool frequency and urination.
How to check if your baby is full
It is recommended that you visit your pediatrician monthly to monitor your weight gain. In the first quarter of life, a baby on average gains from 600 to 900 grams. per month, in the second - 400-600 gr., in the third - 300-500 gr., in the fourth - 100-300 gr. These standards are mainly used for formula-fed babies. If we talk about babies, then the indicators may differ slightly. The significant downward difference deserves the attention of the parents. In this case, you should think about how to increase the fat content of breast milk. Currently, there are a large number of specialists who can provide assistance in this matter.
The less often the mother breastfeeds the baby, the less nutrients in the milk. This is reflected in his mood and the number of diapers used per day. The more often the baby pees, the more likely he is full. It is not so easy to see it in a diaper, so it is worth taking it off for about three hours and seeing how many times the act of urination is repeated. Normally, this indicator should exceed 3. If the indicator does not reach the desired level, you need to consult a doctor with a question about how to increase the vitality of breast milk.
If feeding is established, then the baby receives food of the proper quality. Breast milk is the most unique product that cannot be replaced with formula. Many manufacturers of baby food are trying to make a product that is similar in composition to natural food, but this cannot be done. Scientists cannot fully decipher all the elements of breast milk. Its composition changes regularly depending on the mood of the mother, the diet, the amount of fluid consumed and much more.
For fun, every mother can easily measure the fat content of her milk without leaving her home. It is necessary to purchase a test tube, the height of which can vary from 130 to 150 mm, and fill it with “hind” breast milk. After that, you need to leave the vessel open at room temperature for 7 hours, and after the allotted time, measure the layer of the resulting cream (the percentage of fat is equal to one millimeter). By generally accepted standards, the figure should be 4%.
How to increase fat levels
All mothers have the knowledge that breast milk is divided into "front" and "back". The first variety has a lighter shade. The baby receives this milk to quench his thirst, since the fat content in it is minimal. If the baby falls asleep within 5 minutes of feeding, it is advisable to express a little "natural food" so that the baby gets more nutrients from hind milk, which has sufficient fat content. Frequent breast changes during the same feeding are not recommended.
If necessary, you can increase the volume of rear milk. For this, it is advisable to put the baby to the breast more often. This increases the fat content.
Pediatricians believe that the composition of milk does not always directly depend on the diet of a young mother. They say that the lactation process is due to lymph and blood, so it doesn't matter what foods a woman eats. However, proper nutrition contributes to the smooth functioning of the whole body, which contributes to the further production of high-quality and fatty milk. Food always plays an important role in a person's life, so choose fresh and balanced food carefully.
Foods That Increase Fat Levels in Breast Milk
First of all, the diet should be varied. Fruits and various cereals should occupy a special place (at least 50 percent) in the menu of young mothers. Carbohydrates should always be present in food. The amount of fatty foods should not exceed 30 percent. Vegetables are indispensable and essential foods for women. The preferred protein level is 20 percent. This includes beef, veal and lean fish. The following foods should prevail in the diet: milk, cottage cheese, beans, cabbage, spinach, fish and meat. If a nursing mother still has doubts about the fat content in breast milk, you should contact a specialist who will take the necessary tests and select a suitable diet. It is necessary to exclude all smoked meats and fried foods, because they can provoke colic in the baby. Foods that increase the fat content of breast milk, such as milk and cottage cheese, are responsible for the calcium content, and they also increase the calorie content of the "natural food" for the baby.
A young mother should drink as much liquid as possible per day. If necessary, specialists can prescribe a special tea that helps to increase lactation and milk fat content.
Potential Harm From Breast Milk That Is Too High
It should also be borne in mind that the increased fat content of breast milk is often the result of an intestinal disorder in the infant, because the baby's digestive system is not yet prepared to break down large amounts of such food.
Komarovsky, like other pediatricians, speaks of the dangers of being overweight in an infant. Parents must definitely monitor all the indicators of the baby. Experts are confident that it is better if the child is underweight than overweight. It should be borne in mind that eating foods with a high level of fat will add several kilograms to a young mother. As you know, every woman after childbirth tries to restore her figure in a short time, so food should be healthy. Before increasing the fat content of breast milk, mothers should consult a qualified specialist, only in this way the woman will not harm her figure and feed the baby.
conclusions
After the birth of a child, doctors recommend using naturally occurring food as a food for the baby. After observation, the doctor will be able to give advice on how to increase the fat content of breast milk (if necessary).
In addition to nutrition, experts advise women to monitor their condition, namely, to rest more often and, if possible, get enough sleep. Oxygen is also indispensable for a young mother and baby, so it is worth taking walks in the fresh air more often.
The kid should always feel reliable and protected. Milk production directly depends on the moral and physical health of the mother. In your free time, you can do yoga, do morning exercises, because sports can always improve your mood. Breast milk is of particular value for a baby. This article will tell you how to increase the fat content of this product, but before making any independent attempts, you need to contact your doctor.
Young mothers who decide to breastfeed their babies are forced to follow a strict diet. They exclude from the diet foods that can cause allergies or colic in a newborn, limiting themselves to cereals, lean meats and vegetables. Due to a meager menu and constant stress in the body, the amount of nutrients decreases, and breast milk becomes too liquid and "dietary". How to fix the situation? Change your lifestyle and diet.
About the benefits of expressing
In the first minutes of feeding, the infant drinks the front breast milk. It contains many vitamins and useful components, but its consistency resembles water. The baby quenches his thirst and then receives a second type of milk called hind milk. This food is fatter and more nutritious. Hind milk is thick, like condensed milk. It is necessary for an infant for rapid growth and mass gain.
Some babies are too lazy to suckle for a long time or gorge themselves in a few minutes, not having time to get to the main food. They drink the front milk, and the back milk remains in the mother's breast. Babies who do not eat fatty foods develop normally and do not feel well, but may weigh less than they should. If the mother thinks that the newborn is too thin, and it would not hurt him to gain 1–2 kg, then she is recommended to express herself before feeding.
With a special tool, suck out the front milk, which is different from the back milk. There is practically no fat in dietary food for children, so it has a bluish tinge. Secondary milk is yellowish.
Do not pour the strained food into the sink, but pour it into the bottle. First, the newborn empties the mother's breast, then, if he remains hungry, he is supplemented with front milk. It is important that the child also receives light, fatty foods.
If you feed the baby only with rear thick milk, digestive problems begin. The reproduction of beneficial bacteria that colonize the intestines slows down, and dysbiosis appears. The infant suffers from colic and constipation, becomes restless and painful.
Sometimes mothers are to blame for the fact that the newborn receives only diet food. They apply the baby first to one breast, then to the other. He manages to suck the front milk, but does not get to the fat rear milk.
Is the baby full after feeding, but naughty? He is not worried about colic and teething, and the diaper is dry? The next time the newborn requires breastfeeding, only one breast needs to be fed. Apply to the second if the baby completely empties the first.
Fat analysis
After the next weighing, the pediatrician said that mom should adjust the diet and introduce butter and other high-calorie foods into the menu? Only a nursing woman will recover from pork and buns with condensed milk. The child will continue to gain 200 or 300 g per month and lag behind their peers.
Not all babies get plump and rosy-cheeked. Some children have fragile physiques, so they differ from the rest and do not meet the standards. Mothers who are worried about the fat content of breast milk are advised to conduct an experiment:
- Take a ruler and a transparent glass. Measure 10 cm from the bottom of the container and mark.
- Strain the milk. Pour the first portion into the sink, fill the second glass up to the mark.
- Set the container aside, it is advisable to place it next to a heat source so that the milk sour faster.
- Wait 6 to 12 hours for fat to appear on the surface. Do not shake or stir baby food.
- Measure the thickness of the top layer with a ruler. A good indicator is from 3.5 cm and more.
Has 4 cm of fat accumulated on the surface of the milk? The child receives hearty and healthy food, and the mother does not need to run to the store for dumplings and sour cream or eat 500 g of walnuts every day.
Diet and quality of milk
Soviet-trained pediatricians force nursing women to follow a strict diet. There is only one reason: the child will have colic if the mother allows herself a salad with cabbage or a sandwich with sausage.
A woman's diet only affects her health and weight. Colic in a child appears due to a lack of beneficial bacteria involved in the digestion of food. The diet will not affect the well-being of the newborn in any way, but it can impair lactation or cause a lack of milk.
A woman who is breastfeeding should consume from 1800 to 2500 calories per day. Her body needs healthy and natural foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins. The mother's body gives nutrients to the baby, but their supply is not unlimited. An exhausted body is not able to produce fatty and nutritious milk, so mom should abandon a rigid diet and introduce meat, fruits, fish and even some sweets into the menu.
Cellulose
Cereals are recommended for a nursing woman: buckwheat, wheat, millet, oat. Brown rice with lentils, corn and pearl barley porridge are also useful. Cereals contain a lot of fiber, which normalizes digestive and metabolic processes. Cereals cleanse the intestines and saturate the body with vitamins.
Dairy products
Moms lose a lot of calcium during pregnancy and breastfeeding. To replenish macronutrients, you should consume daily:
- cottage cheese dishes;
- cow and goat milk;
- kefir or natural yogurt;
- hard cheeses;
- fermented baked milk.
Mothers who want not only to improve the composition of breast milk, but also to lose weight are advised to choose low-fat foods.
Meat and fish days
The body of a nursing woman should receive not only calcium, but also phosphorus, then the bones of the baby and mother will be strong and healthy. The main source of this useful mineral is fish. Preferred are marine species such as salmon, herring, salmon, flounder, hake.
Mom and baby need protein. You can get it from meat, eggs and cottage cheese. Beef, rabbit, turkey and chicken are recommended. Pork, although tasty, contains a lot of fat.
Meat and fish are baked, boiled and cooked in a double boiler to reduce the calorie content of meals.
For a day, a woman should eat at least 100 g of chicken or hake so that the child receives a sufficient amount of protein and gains weight.
Fresh and healthy
The main source of vitamins is fruits. Baked and fresh apples, pears, bananas, plums, peaches and apricots are recommended for the nursing mother. Citruses are introduced into the diet carefully, but if the child does not have a rash after an orange or lemon, then it is also possible. In summer, mom is advised to eat watermelons and melons, drink compotes and cook jelly or jelly from fruits.
Vegetables, like fruits, contain many vitamins. Lactating women who indulge in broccoli, beets, carrots, zucchini or eggplant stew never have lactation problems. A healthy body that receives minerals and vitamins produces milk of the correct fat content, which is good for the baby.
Interesting: Some sources claim that mom cannot have onions and garlic. Spicy vegetables change the taste of milk, which makes the newborn refuses to drink it. In fact, babies react normally to such a snack, and sometimes they begin to crave for breast more often.
Drinking regimen
Mom should not drink a glass of water or a cup of milk tea before each feed. Excess fluid in the body leads to stagnation of milk. Drink water or juice when you feel thirsty. Soups and compotes, herbal teas and jelly are also useful, you can even have a little coffee, but without fanaticism. Only alcohol is prohibited.
Hemoglobin and lactation
The diet of a lactating woman should contain chicken, beef or pork liver. By-product is a source of iron, which is so lacking in a new mother. With low hemoglobin, the state of health worsens, problems with lactation appear. In order for the child to receive fatty and healthy milk, the mother must eat the liver, boiled or raw beets, and drink pomegranate juice.
A woman is contraindicated in strict diets and fasting. First, you need to take care of the baby and his immunity, and then take care of the figure and lose weight. And if you plan your diet correctly and eat only healthy food without preservatives, mom will lose the hated pounds without exhausting stress.
Good sleep and rest
During the first months, newborns are restless and require constant care. Mom has to get up at night and rock the baby, she does not get enough sleep and gets very tired. In the body, due to exhaustion, malfunctions begin, lactation and the quality of breast milk deteriorate.A nursing woman needs to be protected from stress and excessive stress, therefore it is recommended to entrust the night watch to the dad. Let him rock the newborn while his wife rests and gains strength. The body of a slept and vigorous mother produces fatty milk, which is full of nutrients.
Intense physical activity is contraindicated for a nursing woman. After discharge from the hospital, the mother should rest for at least a month, and preferably more. Only walks in the fresh air are allowed.
You can go in for sports after 8-10 weeks, but start with light exercises. Exercise exhausts the female body and affects lactation. Yes, mothers want to return to prenatal form, but they have to choose: either to lose weight and pump abs, or to feed the child with nutritious and high-quality milk.
Massage
10-15 minutes before latching the newborn to the breast, it is recommended to massage the mammary glands. Rub and knead in circular stroking movements. The massage produces more hind milk.
It is recommended not only to knead the breasts, but also to apply a child to it more often. The maximum break between feedings for a newborn is 2-3 hours. When the baby has eaten, he is removed from the mammary glands for 5 minutes, and then offered again. The mother's body thinks that the baby is malnourished, and he tries to increase the percentage of fat in baby food to make it more satisfying.
Traditional methods
The tincture of nuts also helps. They contain protein and healthy fats that are well absorbed by the female body. It will take 2 tbsp. l. any nuts: walnuts, cashews, almonds, pine nuts or pistachios. Chop the peeled kernels, pour a glass of boiling milk. Leave the workpiece for 30 minutes, then drink. If you don't like the taste of the tincture, add honey to it.
Important: Nuts should not be overused. They are high in calories and can cause excess weight.
Mothers are also advised to use infant formula, which should increase the fat content of milk. But such supplements do not affect the quality of baby food in any way and only lead to an increase in body weight.
Mother's milk is the ideal food for a newborn. The female body knows better how much fat and vitamins it should contain. A nursing mother is advised to rest a lot, eat right and enjoy communicating with her baby, and then she will not have problems with lactation.
Video: how to increase the amount of milk
