This is a guest blog post by Seuna K. Linda Eva
After sharing with you the incredible benefits breastfeeding has for both you as a mom and your baby, what about diving into the diet tips you will need to eat healthy, have more energy… And…perhaps shed any pregnancy weight faster!
Here we go:
- Include lean proteins 2-3 times per day such as meat without its fat, chicken without its skin, fish, eggs, low fat dairy, beans, seafood low in mercury, nuts and seeds.
- Eat three servings of vegetables per day, including dark green (huckleberry leaves, eru leaves, okogobong leaves, fluted pumpkin leaves, folere leaves etc.) and other multi colored vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, yellow pepper, radish,…). Don’t forget to alternate between cooked and salad meals too.
- Eat two servings of fruits (mangoes, paw paw, oranges, apples, sour soup, watermelon,…) per day.
- Include whole grains such as whole wheat breads, pasta, cereal and millet in your daily diet and other sources of carbohydrates such as yams, cocoyams, cassava, sweet potatoes, etc.
- Don’t miss out on that energy boost you will need to start your day by skipping breakfast or any of the other 03 main meals and expose yourself to overeating.
- Enjoy two servings of healthy snacks in between meals which might include fruits and/or low fat dairy products.
- Drink 08 glasses of water per day. In fact your water bottle should be your best friend but however, diluted fruit juice, soy milk and low-fat milk are also good options.
- Cut down on junk or processed foods as much as possible because they are usually high in calories, added sugars or unhealthy fats. Examples include deep fried food, sweet drinks, biscuits etc.
- If you wish to drink alcohol, wait 2-3 hours after each standard glass serving before breastfeeding/pumping. If you are feeling the effects of alcohol and your breasts are full, you may need to “pump and dump.”
- Moderate amounts of coffee and caffeinated beverages have not been shown to cause harm, but they may affect the baby’s sleep. Therefore, it is recommended that breastfeeding women limit their coffee intake to about 2–3 cups per day.
An overview of how serving sizes from different food groups looks like (source: verywell.com)
NB: More accurate portions or serving sizes are determined according to your age, level of physical activity, health goals, medical history, daily energy or calories requirement and so many other factors. Get into contact with your nutritionist to have a tailored made diet plan which takes into consideration the above mentioned factors for optimum health results.
If you are further interested in tips that will help you lose weight safely while eating your favorite Cameroonian meals, we got you covered here
Do you have any other tips for eating well with a newborn? We’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
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Seuna K. Linda Eva is a Cameroonian-based nutritionist passionate about empowering people to make health-conscious decisions about their diet and lifestyle. She believes you can be healthy without forgoing our delicious African dishes. Co-founder of DietMiam, through her writing, speaking and one-on-one coaching services, she has helped thousands with diet-related disorders (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, gout, etc.) to develop long-term, sustainable lifestyle habits and rediscover the joy of eating.