Yes, eggs are an ideal food for breastfeeding mothers. As well as being high in protein, they contain a wide range of nutrients, many of which are particularly important for you and your baby, including folate, vitamin D, iodine, selenium, choline and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
Other potentially allergenic foods – including eggs, wheat, peanuts, soy, fish, and tree nuts – might cause gas and other symptoms.
Eating one egg every day can have the following benefits for you and your breastfed child: Eggs are rich in all nine amino acids (building blocks of proteins), which can help you regain strength and also aid muscle development in your baby.
Average maternal egg ingestion correlated with breastmilk ovalbumin concentration; for each additional egg ingested each week, there was an average 25 per cent increase in ovalbumin concentration.
Many foods and herbs have shown positive results for decreasing milk production, including sage, parsley, peppermint, and jasmine.
The sapodilla, or chiku, is a great fruit for breastfeeding mums. It is high in calories which you will need plenty of to produce more breast milk for your little one. You burn up to 500 calories a day just by nursing! Rich in vitamins A and C, it also aids in digestion and provides antioxidants.
Eating bananas while breastfeeding is safe and can be a healthy addition to a mother's diet. Bananas are a good source of nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and fiber, which are all beneficial to both the mother and baby.
Go for non-fat or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. If you're breastfeeding, you need at least 4 servings of dairy each day. Choose unsaturated fats and oils — and stay away from trans fat. Read food labels to see what's inside.
Eating chocolate while breastfeeding should be done in moderation. Recommended serving sizes for nursing mothers are 1 ounce of dark chocolate or unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of raw cacao nibs per day.
Commonly infants refuse the egg-containing food, develop redness and sometimes swelling around the mouth and may vomit after eating. Stomach ache or diarrhoea may also occur.
There is no reason for women who are breastfeeding their babies to avoid eggs or other allergenic foods unless they themselves are allergic to them.
Some mothers of babies less than four months old have noticed that their babies become uncomfortable after they eat broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chocolate, beans or onions. However, these foods do not bother most babies when eaten in moderation.
Avocados, full of healthy fats and fiber, are a great addition to your diet while breastfeeding. The fat in avocados help you and your baby absorb fat-soluble vitamins and can also be beneficial to your baby's developing brain health.
Apples are a rich source of many nutrients and help maintain an adequate milk supply. Apples give nursing mothers the energy they need to heal and provide the ideal development environment for their newborns. Check out the infographic below to uncover ways to include apples in your nursing diet.
Breastfeeding can make you feel thirsty, so it's important to keep well hydrated. Everyone should be aiming for six to eight glasses of fluid a day – even more when breastfeeding. As a rule, sip a glass of water, milk or unsweetened fruit juice whenever you're feeding your baby.
If you are significantly dehydrated, your body will slow down its breast milk production and your own health will be significantly impacted. Drinking the right amount of water each day is important for your own (and your little one's) health.
Breast fed babies can be given an alginate thickener before feeds, and bottle feeds can be thickened with a preparation based on rice starch, corn starch, locust bean gum or carob bean gum.
Dried fruit
Dried fruit also serve as a natural galactagogue. Dried apricots also contain phytoestrogens which help to steady the hormones involved in lactation. Calcium-rich dried fruits like figs, apricots, and dates are also thought to help with milk production.
Brown Rice is said to increase breast milk supply as it contains hormone stimulants to boost lactation. It also contains enough natural sugars to give mothers the extra energy to recover during post-delivery. Brown rice can be eaten as a carbohydrate source and is a better and healthier alternative to white rice.
Spinach: Spinach is a rich source of iron and other essential vitamins and minerals. It also contains phytoestrogens, making it an excellent food to increase breast milk production. Try adding spinach to your salads, smoothies, or omelets for a nutrient-packed meal.
Porridge: Adding a bowl of porridge to your diet can surprisingly increase breast milk production. Many women feel that slow-cooked porridge is better than instant ones. Oat Bars: Oat bars can be consumed as a snack along with tea or coffee.