Nutrition of a nursing mother of a vegetarian in the first month. Vegetarianism and breastfeeding: will the baby be healthy if the mother does not eat meat? Is it good to be a vegetarian while breastfeeding?

Mothers are, first of all, a guarantee of their own good health, because she has to feed the baby for at least the next two years. Therefore, it is quite clear that the current trend of following a strict diet in the first weeks of breastfeeding is not entirely true. Mom is losing weight quickly, the fat depots from which milk is “prepared” are depleted, energy reserves melt, and there is practically no place to get vitamins from. So it turns out - the baby is only a month old, and the mother is already slender as a birch, moreover, she needs to lose weight gradually, losing no more than 450 g per week in weight. It looks especially strange in summer - there is an abundance of vegetables and fruits around, and a woman "sits" on the strictest diet prescribed in the hospital.

It is very important that the nurse's diet is sufficient, of high quality and varied. It is possible and necessary to eat everything that is during pregnancy, since the baby, having learned about the food addictions of the mother inside her, easily copes with them after childbirth. The opinion of those who believe that the products that enter the mother's body also enter the milk is erroneous. This cannot be, if only because breast milk is synthesized from lymph and blood, and not from derivatives of the mother's stomach. Its composition is biologically programmed, stable and unchanged in all women, even if the quality and quantity of food they consume varies greatly.

However, do not forget that now mom and baby have a common microflora, and if, say, a salad from white cabbage, then problems with the gastrointestinal tract, unfortunately, will be one for two.

Learning to eat right

So, we figured out that while mom's milk - the only source of nutrition for the crumbs, diets should definitely be postponed. However, let me remind you: you should not go to the other extreme - start eating for two. From overeating milk will not be more or better - this is a dangerous delusion. According to the WHO, a breastfeeding mother should eat the same amount as before pregnancy, plus extra light dinner. Let it be frequent, small portions, for example, three main meals, and in between tea and sandwiches, for example, with cheese, sausage or herring - within reasonable limits again.

Due to the fries fresh vegetables enrich yourself with fruits natural vitamins, and in winter cook compotes from summer stocks.

When shopping in stores and markets, be sure to carefully read the labels and study the composition of the products. It so happens that sometimes seemingly harmless yogurt may contain preservatives and dyes that are dangerous for you and your baby.

When choosing vegetables and fruits, give preference to only seasonal products. If a tomato by nature is not supposed to be ripe in winter, then no matter how stubbornly it asks from the shelf to the cart, calmly pass by. "Off-season", as a rule, contain nitrates and pesticides, which directly enter the milk, and then deliver only anxiety to the baby.

Don't go overboard with multivitamins either. The constant use of such drugs first leads to a sharp concentration in the body, and then the same sharp decline them to very low level. To get out of such an unpleasant critical condition long and hard and not at all useful for a nursing mother. But if you still decide to take tableted vitamins - drink them in small courses, with a break of two weeks.

Learning to drink properly

To increase lactation, you do not need to consume a lot of fluid - the amount of milk from this will not change in any way. You should also not just drink special teas - it is addictive. And tea with milk strongly recommended by grandmothers, not only is it not milk-producing at all, can even provoke an allergy. In order to always have enough milk, practice long-term feedings with the baby and often put the baby to the chest. And you need to drink only in order to quench your thirst - in no case should a nursing mother experience it. For this, a simple pure water. How much is needed - each woman will decide individually, based on the personal needs of her body. On average, this is approximately 2.5-3 liters of fluid per day. However, even if mom is a “water drink”, her daily rate still should not exceed, in total, more than 5 liters. In addition to water, you can still drink juices and fruit drinks, and in the winter-spring period, a decoction of dried fruits and rose hips is very useful. If you love and digest milk well - drink to your health! Otherwise, it can be replaced with kefir or ryazhenka.

The truth about milk fat

According to the WHO, it turns out that fat breast milk depends more on seasonal or daily periods than on how much high-calorie food the mother prefers. The percentage of fat content also changes during feeding. If a child suckles one breast for more than half an hour, he gets a lot of back, the fattest milk. Therefore, if you want the baby to get the required amount of fat, do not offer him both breasts in one feeding.

exotic lesson

In order to avoid undesirable allergic reactions, try to consume less exotics such as papaya, passion fruit, pineapples, etc., which are not characteristic of our region. The same applies to different kind culinary delights, familiar, say, to those who live somewhere on the Equator or in China. After all, every nation, living in a certain, its own territory, eats exactly the food that it immediately extracts. That's why the varied folk cuisine”is nothing more than a unique example of territorial accents and traditions of a single culture, genetically programmed over many millennia. The infusion of any new trends is always stress for the body, extreme condition, the consequences of which can be completely unexpected. Therefore, during breastfeeding, and even better from the very first day of pregnancy, give preference to the way of nutrition that our grandfathers and great-grandfathers followed. Do not follow fashion trends and do not turn the body, yours and your little ones, into a "testing ground" for trying out new exotic dishes.

spice lesson

Inside the mother, a baby from 3-4 months old learns to distinguish between tastes. Swallowing amniotic fluid, he feels sour, sweet, bitter or salty. So, gradually, little one gastrointestinal tract prepares for the perception of a variety of tastes after birth. Thus, having barely been born, the newborn is already set up for the fact that mother's milk will not taste the same. So, dear mothers, do not worry that your milk will suddenly become bitter if you eat garlic or onions. According to research by British scientists, it turned out that the more often a mother eats garlic, the more often the baby is applied to her breast.
Also, but without fanaticism, but only to give the dishes an appetizing aroma, various spices can be used in cooking.

Allergy and lactation

Unfortunately from this unpleasant disease no insurance yet. This is especially true for those children whose families already have allergies and babies who first tried in the maternity hospital artificial mixture. Just one supplement in the first days is enough to “get” into the risk group, so it is important for expectant mothers to do everything possible and make sure that their babies in a medical institution are not supplemented with formula either in the first days or later.
Reduce chance adverse reactions, a food diary will help mom, in which she will be dated to prescribe what and when she ate. This is especially true for allergenic foods. After their use, it is necessary to carefully observe the baby during the day. And if during this time he had an allergic reaction, most often in the form of diathesis, the “provoker” product is no longer worth eating. Sometimes allergic reactions are caused not by the product itself, but by various nutritional supplements- dyes, flavors, emulsifiers, etc. In addition, some children food allergy gets complicated allergic reactions another type, such as pollen, wool, etc.

Allergens include:

• protein products - milk and its derivatives, eggs, poultry, fish, legumes
• citrus fruits - mandarin, orange, grapefruit, lemon
• berries - raspberries, strawberries, sea buckthorn, pomegranate
• as well as honey, nuts, chocolate, coffee and cocoa

Vegetarianism and lactation

Food consumption plant origin- Vegetarianism has long been the basis of the diet of many people. Strict vegetarians do not eat meat, dairy products and eggs at all. As a result, their body may experience a colossal lack of vitamins such as B2, B12, A and D. And if they are lacking in the mother's body, then they will be lacking in breast milk, and, of course, in the baby's body. So, for example, a lack of vitamin B12 in a baby can cause loss of appetite, regression in motor development, muscle atrophy, vomiting, etc. Therefore, if the mother is a strict vegetarian, she will have to take this vitamin additionally, and it is possible that the child will also have it. will also be shown.

A lactating vegetarian mother who does not consume dairy products, in order to avoid calcium deficiency, must diversify her menu with sesame seeds, broccoli and almonds. Although I think that during breastfeeding, mom should still reincarnate either as a lacto-vegetarian and start eating not only vegetable, but also dairy products, or as a lacto-ovo-vegetarian - add eggs to the list.

However, despite some disadvantages of vegetarianism, it is precisely because of the lack of animal fats in the diet - the accumulators of carcinogens - that breast milk of such mothers is considered more environmentally friendly.

So look for the golden mean and be healthy!

To make the milk nutritious, we choose only foods rich in vitamins:

• Kefir, curdled milk, cottage cheese, sour cream and cream are excellent sources of calcium.
• AT rye bread, egg yolks, beef, offal (liver, tongue), as well as fish and apples have a lot of phosphorus and iron.
• Cereal cereals, wholemeal bread, nuts, eggs, prunes and legumes are a storehouse of magnesium and B vitamins.
• Butter and vegetable oils (sunflower, olive, corn) will help replenish fat reserves.
• Honey, jam, sweet compotes and confectionery contain glucose - necessary for a nursing mother to replenish glucose reserves.
• Fresh vegetables, fruits and berries are simply invaluable "suppliers" of ascorbic acid. pantothenic acid, carotene, folacin, etc.

Veganism came into my life with the birth of my third child. The inner voice and the body repeated the same mantras: “try not to eat eggs”, “reduce the amount of dairy products” ... My family has already got used to my habit of not eating meat and poultry for 15 years. However complete failure breastfeeding mother from products of animal origin caused anxiety among others.

It just so happens that for most, veganism and breastfeeding sound like incompatible concepts. “Your milk will disappear”, “The child needs calcium”, - the same comments sounded here and there. But I decided to trust my intuition. Already during pregnancy, I noticed that egg products periodically became unpleasant to me, and after giving birth, my once beloved omelettes, mother's cheesecakes and tender marshmallows disappeared from the diet for an indefinite period. long term. Vegetarianism has always been close to me, so it was very interesting to move to a new, more advanced vega level. I was calm, feeling that my body is now choosing everything that is most useful for feeding the baby. I began to explore alternative products that left my menu with a one-way ticket. After reading in detail about superfoods, cereals and greens, I was convinced that there are Great chance not only not to die of hunger, but also to "make friends" of veganism with breastfeeding.

Ten days without yolks and proteins in my diet passed quite calmly, avocado toasts replaced croutons for me, and pita rolls with tofu were traditional pancakes. Weeks, months passed, and the prophecies of my friends did not come true - the complexion did not fade, the skin did not peel off, and most importantly, I continued to feed my six-month-old daughter at that time, and in all respects she was not inferior to babies whose mothers were far from vegan. When the baby was one year old, we had a trip to the Himalayas. Indian dishes for vegans turned out to be so tasty and varied that I didn’t even think about cheese and kefir, which I occasionally used in Moscow. By the end of the trip, I noticed pleasant changes - the complexion became much brighter, the skin seemed to glow from the inside. Overweight I didn’t, but I still became slimmer, losing a few centimeters at the waist and confidently returning to the size of the jeans I wore in my freshman year.

Arriving from India to Moscow, I decided for some time not to include cottage cheese, curdled milk and cheese in my diet. I have read more than once that the benefits of dairy products are rather exaggerated, but a year ago I would not have imagined that calcium in spinach, greens, nuts and sesame seeds I will have enough. I continued to observe myself - I felt how I was becoming more energetic, healthier, more harmonious. New eating habits did not deprive my baby at all - although she is already almost a year and a half old, and she has been eating “adult” food for a long time, I still have not weaned her from the breast. So vegan breastfeeding is not a hindrance, I hope that after breastfeeding my new eating habits will stay with me!

Tips for beginners:

1. Veganism is not a diet or a detox regimen. Losing weight and intensively getting rid of toxins during breastfeeding is not the right time.

2. Do not box yourself in - vegan, lacto-vegetarian, raw foodist - any terms impose certain restrictions on us and do not take into account individual characteristics everyone individual person. Be free in your desires in the end, being a vegan who eats goat cheese on Thursdays or ice cream on weekends - maybe just what you need right now!

3. Don't rush to say goodbye to the products you love. First, try to find a worthy replacement for them - not only healthy, but also tasty:

• Milk can be not only soy, but also rice, oat, coconut almond. Almond milk makes tender cereals and pancakes, and I like to season muesli with rice milk.
• I generously add any nuts and seeds (flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and favorite chia seeds) to salads, buckwheat and rice dishes.
• Soy cheese and cottage cheese make incredibly tasty cheesecakes and the perfect tofu sremble that replaces omelettes.
• Hummus and avocado paste are just as good as cream cheese.
• Fish cakes can be replaced with falafel, and instead of traditional cabbage rolls, you can wrap minced rice and lentils or a lentil-bean mixture in cabbage. Grains are just as beneficial for lactation as meat or cottage cheese.

Kozinaki help out as quick desserts (and you really want sweet after feeding) home cooking(any nuts with honey), churchkhela, dried fruits, baked apples with raisins, raw or dark chocolate.

Anya Markaryan is a writer, mother of three, actively practicing yoga and healthy lifestyle life.

Photo: Ekaterina Kvasikhina

Is it possible to produce complete breast milk while following a vegetarian diet? Veganism (veganism) involves a complete rejection of the consumption of animal proteins, and it is very difficult to balance such a diet, taking into account the nutritional characteristics of a nursing mother. Vegetarians who refuse to take cow's milk and eggs, nutritionists can easily find the right diet for the period of breastfeeding.

The main problem of lactating vegetarian mothers is vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to anemia in both the mother and the baby. During the breastfeeding period, a woman's need for vitamin B12 is approximately 2.9 g. Without the consumption of fish and meat products it is difficult to get it in such quantity, and without milk and eggs it is almost impossible. Therefore, vegetarian mothers need an additional introduction of vitamin B12 into the body.

Without eating milk and products from it, a nursing mother will not be able to provide an adequate supply of calcium to her body. With a lack of calcium, the calcium contained in the mother's bones will go to milk synthesis, which, of course, will harm her health. Therefore, vegetarians are advised to drink at least 2-3 glasses of milk per day.

The need for iron during lactation is very high (10 mg per day), and getting it in such high amount only from plant foods is very difficult. Therefore, foods containing iron (sprouted grains, Brussels sprouts, zucchini and others) should be taken simultaneously with food, rich in vitamin With (kiwi, citrus fruits, strawberries and so on).

Proteins obtained by a vegetarian mother from plant foods differ from animal proteins in an insufficiently complete amino acid composition. No plant product contains the amount necessary for the synthesis of breast milk. essential amino acids. Their deficiency can be compensated by a combination different products- cereals with legumes or milk, and it is not necessary to use these products together at one time, it is enough to eat them during the day. normal ratio amino acids will provide a combination of products from the following groups:

Because plant foods are lower in calories than animal foods, energy deficiency is another problem faced by lactating vegetarian mothers. Careful control of the calorie content of the diet will allow you to solve it.

• cereals - 6 servings;
• eggs, legumes, nuts, soy meat - 2-3 servings;
• vegetables, including green leafy, - 3 servings;
• fruits - 3-4 servings (including one serving of citrus fruits);
• milk - 2-3 cups.

Additionally, supplements containing vitamin B12, D, zinc, folic acid are introduced into the diet. , iron, calcium.

Is it necessary to eat meat during pregnancy and breastfeeding? This question is being asked by more and more young mothers. Many women express interest in following a vegetarian diet, but fear that they will harm the health of the child who is carried under the heart or breastfed. The purpose of this article is to find out if pregnant women and nursing mothers can follow a vegetarian diet.

Types of Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is a food system that promotes total or partial rejection of animal products. Strict vegetarianism is more of a lifestyle than a diet. Strict vegetarians do not eat or use any type of animal products, including eggs, milk, honey, furs, leather, or gelatin. There are several types of vegetarianism, depending on the foods that can be eaten.

Vegan- this food system that allows you to eat only fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts. All animal sources of protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, milk and dairy products) are completely excluded from the diet.

lacto vegetarianism- This food system allows you to add dairy products to the menu. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs are excluded from the diet.

ovo-vegetarianism- This diet allows you to eat dairy products and eggs. Meat, poultry and fish are excluded from the diet.

Flexitarianism- This system of nutrition allows moderate or very rare consumption of meat.

Pescatarianism- This food system allows the use of dairy products, eggs and fish. Meat and poultry are excluded from the diet.

Pollotarianism- This food system allows the consumption of poultry meat.

Raw Veganism- this food system allows you to eat only raw plant foods, without subjecting it to any heat treatment.

What can vegetarians eat?

Is it acceptable to follow a vegetarian diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

According to the American Dietetic Association's position, a well-planned vegetarian diet may be healthier in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases than a regular diet. A well-planned vegetarian diet is suitable for all stages life cycle human including pregnancy, lactation, childhood.

Harm of a vegetarian diet for a pregnant woman and a breastfeeding mother

For a very long time, official medicine considered vegetarianism, especially strict vegetarianism, to be harmful, arguing that plant foods cannot provide the human body with the necessary amount of proteins, calcium, iron and B vitamins (especially B12). Thanks to the latest scientific research the attitude towards a vegetarian diet is becoming less categorical. For example, it turned out that B vitamins can partially be synthesized by the body itself. Protein, calcium and iron can be obtained not only from meat.

In support of vegetarianism, one can add the fact that the quantitative norms of nutrients adopted official medicine, are greatly overestimated, and the body's need for vitamins and minerals much lower than it really is.

A vegetarian diet can be balanced, but for this you need to take seriously the issue of planning your menu. Numerous studies have shown that poorly planned vegetarian menu is the cause of nutritional deficiencies in the body.

If a vegetarian diet is observed in the body of a pregnant and lactating woman, there may be a deficiency of the following substances:

Protein

Protein is necessary for the growth and development of the fetus, uterus, placenta, mammary glands, increase in the volume of circulating blood and amniotic fluid, as well as for the development of the child's brain and nervous system. In the first trimester of pregnancy, it is recommended to increase protein intake by 5 g/day. , in the second - by 20 g / day. and 24 gr./day. - in the third trimester. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are recommended to eat 60-70 grams of protein per day. Exceeding the proportion of protein by more than 15% of the total energy value daily ration inappropriate, it can adversely affect the health of the child.

Meat is not the only form of protein. You can get the required amount of protein from soy, legumes, beans, peas, nuts, various cereals (semolina, buckwheat, oatmeal, barley, millet, rice), flour products, spinach, cauliflower, potatoes. In other vegetables, as well as fruits, berries and mushrooms, there is very little protein.

Omega 3 fatty acids

The American Heart Association recommends eating at least twice a week, oily fish. The fat found in fish provides the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). It has been proven that these substances slow down the progression of atherosclerosis, act as an anti-inflammatory agent, help to cope with depression and other personality disorders, and thin the blood.

Studies have shown that microalgae oil can serve as a source of omega-3s fatty acids for vegetarians. It is rich in DHA as well as oily fish and provides enough EPA.

• Eat microalgae oil as an alternative to oily fish.
• Use linseed oil as a source of ALA (another essential fatty acid). Do not heat the oil when using.
• Reduce your intake of omega-6 fatty acids by replacing vegetable oil olive or rapeseed. Ideally, no more than 3 grams of omega-6 fatty acids should come per gram of omega-3 fatty acids.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is involved in the process of hematopoiesis, in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism, stimulates growth processes, increases glycogen stores in the liver, promotes the conversion of provitamin A (carotene) into retinol, lowers blood cholesterol levels, actively participates in the metabolic process, plays important role in the functioning of the nervous system. Deficiency of vitamin B12 develops pernicious anemia accompanied by weakness, pain in the legs, burning of the tongue, various problems with digestion.

Not a large number of vitamin B12 is synthesized by the intestinal microflora. But most of it must be supplied with food. Vitamin B12 enters the body along with animal proteins. Many studies have been conducted to determine the content of vitamin B12 in plant foods. Unfortunately, B12, derived from herbal products only structurally similar to B12 of animal origin, but does not fulfill its function.

Vitamin B-12 is found in meat, liver, kidneys, cheese, cottage cheese, milk, eggs.

• Eat foods fortified with vitamin B12 two to three times a day.
• Take B12 supplements. This is especially important for pregnant and lactating women.
• Don't overdo the supplements folic acid, this can mask a B12 deficiency
• Check your B12 level from time to time by taking necessary tests at the doctor's.

Calcium

Calcium is the main element of bones, nails and teeth in our body and the body of the unborn child. Calcium thickens the walls of blood vessels, participates in the processes of blood coagulation, neuromuscular contractions, activates the work of various enzymes, regulates the function endocrine glands, has an anti-inflammatory effect. Low content calcium in the body of a pregnant woman and a nursing mother leads to demineralization of her own bone reserves - the development of osteoporosis.

The best-known source of calcium is dairy products, which are unacceptable or restricted in a vegetarian diet. In a vegetarian diet, calcium can be obtained from soy, nuts, beans, parsley, green cabbage, spinach, dates, bran bread. Learn more about foods containing calcium and dishes that can be prepared from them.

• Vitamin D affects the absorption of calcium in the body. At the same time, oxalic (spinach, rhubarb, sweet potato, beans) and phytic (unleavened bread, nuts, raw beans) acid will interfere with calcium absorption.
• We cannot efficiently metabolize more than 500 mg. calcium at a time, so try to eat calcium-rich foods throughout the day.

Iron

Iron is responsible for the transport of oxygen in our body, and also takes part in redox processes. Iron deficiency in the body of a pregnant woman adversely affects the development of the fetus. Research has shown that infants whose mothers during pregnancy experienced a lack of iron during pregnancy, have a negative balance of the trace element in early age. This leads to dysfunction of four critical systems: blood, nervous system, immune and adaptation systems.

The intake of iron in the body of a pregnant and lactating woman should be 40-60 mg / day.

There are two forms of iron: hemo and non-hemo. The former is found in animal products, the latter in plant products. The absorption of iron from animal products is 15-35%, while the absorption of iron from plant products is only 2-20%.

For products with high content iron allowed in a vegetarian diet include thyme, beans, brewer's yeast, turkey meat, soybeans, fish, chicken meat, and eggs. Learn more about these products and the dishes that can be prepared from them.

Ways to Increase Iron Absorption from Plant Foods for Pregnant Women and Nursing Mothers

• Eat foods rich in vitamin C citrus fruit, juice, red pepper) along with non-heme iron products.
• Don't combine non-heme iron foods with foods rich in calcium, tannins, tea, coffee, and phytates (whole grains and legumes). They interfere with the absorption of iron.
• Iron deficiency during pregnancy affects not only pregnant vegetarians, but also women who eat meat. Therefore, in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, it is necessary to additionally take iron supplements.

Benefits of a vegetarian diet for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers

In 1994, more than 6,000 vegetarians and 5,000 meat eaters were surveyed. The results showed that vegetarians live longer and are less likely to get cancer. But this is not because vegetarians don't eat meat. They get much more vitamins and microelements due to the fact that the basis of their diet is vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts. Vegetarian diets are characterized by lower consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol, higher complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, some minerals in your diet.

Nutrition principles for a pregnant woman and a nursing mother following a vegetarian diet

• Eat a variety of foods to get what you need nutrients. If you do not eat meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products, you need to include other sources of protein in your diet. daily diet. Every day you need to eat foods from all categories of the healthy eating pyramid:

1) Fruits and vegetables. They can be fresh, frozen, canned or dried.
2) Carbohydrates. Their source may be bread, pasta, rice, potatoes.
3) Foods rich in protein. Eggs, beans, nuts, seeds.
4) Dairy products rich in calcium.

• Choose high fiber foods such as whole wheat bread, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables.
• Eat food at least four times a day rich in calcium. Sources of calcium include dairy products, seafood, green leafy vegetables, dried beans, and peas.
• Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Sufficient quantity Vitamin D can be obtained through sun exposure, fortified milk, eggs and fish. Strict vegetarians should spend at least 10 to 15 minutes daily in the sun so that direct sunlight hits their hands and face. During breastfeeding, it is advisable to take additional vitamin D in the form of food supplements.
• Eat at least three servings of iron-rich foods a day. Sources of iron include eggs, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, dried beans and peas, raisins, prunes, nuts, and peanuts.
• Eat at least one vitamin C rich food a day. Sources of vitamin C are oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, nectarines, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes.
• Eat at least one folate-rich food a day. Sources of folic acid are dark, green leafy vegetables and legumes such as lima beans, black beans, and chickpeas. What can a lack of folic acid during pregnancy lead to?
• Eat at least one vitamin A rich food a day. Sources of vitamin A are carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, pumpkins, turnips, beets, apricots, melons, etc.
• Do not drink tea or coffee with meals. Caffeine impairs the absorption of iron from vegetables.

It is advisable for a breastfeeding vegetarian to take additional vitamin D and B-12. You should also be sure that you are getting all the other vitamins and minerals in your diet. required quantity. Your menu should be varied and balanced.

Before making the final decision whether to follow a vegetarian diet during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, take into account the fact that physiologically a person is created to eat both meat and plant foods. In ancient times, the main occupation of people was hunting, and the most desired food was meat. This is evidenced by numerous excavations, as well as rock paintings depicting various hunting scenes. Not a single drawing that would praise plant foods has been preserved.

If vegetarianism is not just a diet for you, but a way of life, if you came to it long before pregnancy, then there will be nothing wrong with the absence of animal food in your diet. And you and the child can have everything necessary substances from plant foods, if you correctly approach the preparation of the menu. But if the idea of ​​vegetarianism visited you during pregnancy or breastfeeding, then you should not drastically give up meat. Start with 1-2 fast days in Week.

Useful video on the topic (release of the school of Dr. Komarovsky "vegetarian child"):

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If a vegetarian who wants to have children is interested in the issue of breastfeeding, then she will find all the answers here. Although opinions about pregnancy on a vegetarian diet are not unambiguous, we can still agree that the milk of such a mother differs significantly in better side by composition. Consider a few questions regarding breastfeeding by vegetarian mothers.

Is the child deprived of useful substances if the mother does not eat meat

If earlier it was believed that children do not receive enough vitamins and other substances if their mothers do not eat meat and fish, now it has already been proven that the quality of milk does not suffer from this. It has long been known that the milk of meat-eating mothers and vegetarians is exactly the same in composition. Moreover, it was found that in the milk of the latter harmful substances far less. Since the body does not receive various growth stimulants and antibiotics that are stuffed with animals on farms.

In plant foods, a fairly large set of all the necessary useful substances. And if future mom has been on such a diet for a long time, then her diet contains everything that is needed to produce full-fledged milk.

Can there be little milk from the fact that mom does not eat animal protein

There is no connection between animal protein and the amount of milk. Just like breast size, it doesn't matter at all. It's all about hormones. There is a special hormone that is responsible for the production of milk. It's called prolactin. The process of milk formation is turned on at the moment when the baby is applied to the breast, and he begins to suck. Even in Soviet times, all those who gave birth were recommended to express milk so that it would arrive better.

There is also a second hormone that helps "squeeze out" milk from mammary gland. It's called oxytocin. When the baby makes sucking movements, the muscles in the chest begin to contract and the milk flows into his mouth. Oxytocin is very related to the mood of the mother. It can stand out not only during periods of feeding, but also at the sight of a child or when a mother takes him in her arms.

A bad family environment or a mother's anxiety for other reasons inhibits the production of oxytocin. Therefore, all family members should treat mommy with care and understanding. From this it becomes clear that a vegetarian parent may well provide her baby with milk, subject to frequent breastfeeding and a favorable environment.

Does mom face a lack of nutrients in the absence of meat in the diet

This position is taken by supporters of the use of meat products. But it has long been proven that everything that contains meat and fish can be found in plants. Everyone knows that most vitamins, amino acids and trace elements are found in fresh foods. That is, if they are subjected to boiling or frying, then the amount of useful will drop to a minimum. Therefore, from the meat will more benefit in fresh. But it never occurs to anyone to eat raw meat, but vegetables, herbs, berries and fruits can and should be eaten. And protein can be obtained from legumes and cereals. But of course, it is better to cook them.

Vegetarian woman not getting enough calcium

Many vegetarians consume milk and other products based on it. But if a woman is a pure vegan, then there are non-dairy foods rich in calcium. As you know, there is a plant food that has this mineral even in more than milk. First of all, it is sesame. One hundred grams of these small seeds can replace three glasses of milk. Here are some more foods with calcium:

• almond;
• all types of cabbage;
• Brazilian nut;
• tofu;
• greens;

A large amount of calcium is found in herbs used as spices.

Is it good to be a vegetarian while breastfeeding?

A wide variety of vegetables, fruits and nuts allows you to create balanced diet. There are three good reasons for the benefits of this type of diet:

1. Breast milk contains fewer toxic substances and decay products due to an environmentally friendly nutrition system.
2. The absence of antibiotics and hormones in milk, which are always found in meat and cause various imbalances in the body of the mother and child.
3. During the period breastfeeding a woman needs a lot of strength, and vegetable dishes are digested quickly and do not take a large amount of energy.

The only thing to be warned about is that expecting a baby, a meat-eater mother should not abruptly switch to vegetarianism. This is stress for the body, and pregnancy is already a natural test.