Menu for a nursing mother in the first month for every day (recipes)

Maximum attention is paid to a woman’s nutrition during breastfeeding, since all products, together with mother’s milk, enter the baby’s body. That is why the menu for a nursing mother in the first month after giving birth should be tasty, healthy and balanced.

Properly formulated nutrition for a nursing mother during breastfeeding not only provides the baby with all the vitamins and minerals necessary for its full growth and development, but also reliably protects the newborn from allergic reactions, intestinal colic and other problems with the digestive system.

It is important!

The vast majority of experts agree that a nursing mother does not need special diets. The best way for lactation, good health and healthy sleep is a balanced, proper diet.

It will help in accumulating the necessary strength and maintaining health. “The main nutritional requirement is the inclusion of a variety of foods and dishes with a sufficient content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and other biologically active compounds”*. Lean varieties of meat and fish should be included in the diet, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, and cereals should be regularly consumed. However, there are a number of restrictions that should be taken into account in order not to cause discomfort to yourself and your baby. First of all, the following should be excluded or minimized from the diet:

• strong tea and coffee. It is better to replace them with herbal decoctions and compotes;
• fast food. Also, you should not abuse sweet carbonated waters;
• spicy and fatty foods. It can cause discomfort not only for the mother, but also for the baby;
• chocolate and alcohol. They are strong allergens.

Basic recommendations

The main recommendations that must be followed in order to avoid mistakes with nutrition in the first month after childbirth include:

• Gradual introduction of menu products in small portions. It is optimal to change the menu before the baby is born. This will allow a woman not only to prevent swelling, but also to reduce weight before giving birth; in addition, a sudden change in diet will not cause stress to the body.
• Maintaining sweet, high-calorie and fatty foods in the diet. The misconception of many patients is a complete rejection of these products. In the first month, the body needs more energy, which it can get from nutrients. It must be remembered that among sweets, preference should be given to dried fruits or fruits, biscuits. Fats can be replenished with fish, avocados and non-allergenic nuts.
• Avoiding rich foods that can cause flatulence and constipation. It is preferable to use rye or whole grain bread, without adding yeast. If you want to include products made from wheat flour in the menu, they must be dried.
• Eating more foods that help stimulate lactation, as well as fluids.

How many calories does a nursing mother need?

During breastfeeding, a woman needs additional calories. The body requires no more than 500–600 kcal to produce milk. The norms of physiological needs for basic nutrients and energy for nursing mothers in comparison with women of childbearing age are shown in the table.

But this does not mean that you should start bingeing on food. First of all, the mother's body takes additional calories from the surplus accumulated during pregnancy, and only secondly - from incoming food. This allows you to lose weight without fasting days or going on a strict diet.

Mother's menu when breastfeeding

What can you eat during this important period? The most critical stage in the development of lactation is the first month. A young mother can create an approximate menu for breastfeeding on her own, based on personal preferences, doctor’s recommendations and the list of allowed products. So, boiled pasta is allowed, but the daily norm is no more than 60 grams. Spices, cheese and other additives cannot be used. Porridge can be consumed in the same quantity. You can cook barley, buckwheat or millet using water or water with milk (one to one).

The daily norm of vegetables in the daily menu during breastfeeding (at 1 month) is 300-500 grams. This can be broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, green peas (not canned), cauliflower, pumpkin, greens; carrots should be used with caution. You cannot eat tomatoes and cucumbers, white cabbage, beets, garlic, bell peppers, eggplants and onions. 150-200 grams of meat per day is enough. It is better to give preference to rabbit, veal, chicken or turkey. Lamb, lard, pork and offal are prohibited.

As for dairy and fermented milk products, they can only be consumed low-fat, without sugar, flavorings or additives. It is undesirable to introduce cow's milk, fermented milk drinks, yoghurts with pieces of fruit into the diet. Cottage cheese per day is allowed 100 grams, sour cream - 30 grams, cheese - 50 grams, dairy drinks are allowed in quantities of no more than 250 ml per day.

A young mother can eat baked apples, pears and bananas, gooseberries and white currants. You should not eat bright and exotic fruits and citrus fruits. The norm of fruit per day is 200-300 grams. Among dried fruits, dried apples and pears, prunes are allowed, but you cannot eat raisins. You can consume 50-100 grams of dried fruits per day. You are allowed to drink still water, green tea, weakly brewed black tea, apple juices (diluted half with water, only freshly squeezed is allowed), fruit drinks and compotes. You cannot drink coffee, strong tea, store-bought juices, carbonated and alcoholic drinks. Liquids should be drunk about 1.5-2 liters per day.

Feeding and medications

It is important for a mother with breastfeeding to carefully monitor her medication intake. There is a theory that antibiotics can cause colic in a newborn. For mild ailments, it is better to turn to traditional medicine: drink vitamin drinks, raspberry teas, jelly, fruit drinks. “Tablets should be used as a last resort, for example in case of high fever (above 38°C).” But it would not be amiss to choose good vitamin and mineral complexes that will contribute to the intake of useful substances into the mother’s body: nucleotides, fatty acids, amino acids, etc.

Introduction of foods into the diet

Important advice: the diet of a nursing mother in the first month and beyond involves many restrictions, but for some time you still need to be guided by the recommendations of doctors, and not by personal desires. But how do you introduce new foods into your diet? It is advisable to eat new dishes in the morning to assess the baby’s mood and well-being. You can consume no more than one product per day. At the same time, you need to monitor the child’s well-being. Reasons for concern may include bowel movements, increased gas formation, colic, child anxiety or food refusal. If you have an allergic reaction to a particular product, you need to remove it from your diet and then try again after three months. Over time, the baby’s enzyme system will become more advanced, which means that unusual foods will no longer cause unpleasant symptoms. So, you need to try to include dishes prepared according to new recipes in the menu while breastfeeding (1 month and beyond) very carefully and gradually.

Recipes for nursing mothers

As already noted, the diet of a nursing woman should be healthy, nutritious and varied. We offer 10 recipes that will allow you to create a menu for the whole day. You can choose dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a light snack.

Lazy dumplings

To prepare you will need about 0.5 kg of low-fat cottage cheese, an egg (if you are afraid of allergens, it is better to take 2 quail eggs), 2 tbsp. spoons of flour, 4 tbsp. l. semolina and a little sugar. Prepare a dough from all the ingredients and roll it into thin sausages. Cut them into pieces: logs, diamonds. The finished dumplings are carefully placed in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. (before surfacing). After this, remove with a slotted spoon into a plate. Some of the pieces can be frozen.

Cottage cheese

2 tbsp. l. pour semolina with 100 ml of milk and let it brew (so that the cereal swells). Add a pack (200–250 g) of low-fat cottage cheese and 2 eggs to the finished mixture. Dried fruits or a little sugar are suitable as a sweetener. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and place the mixture in a heat-resistant container (you can use silicone molds). Bake in the oven at 180–200 °C for 30–40 minutes. Let it cool and your healthy afternoon snack is ready!

Cheese pancakes

For cooking you will need 6 tbsp. l. flour (it is better to use whole grain flour), 100 g of cheese (grate on a fine grater), chopped dill, 2 cups of kefir (you should use low-fat), 2 eggs, a pinch of salt and baking powder. Mix the ingredients and bring the dough to a pancake consistency with hot water. Bake like regular pancakes.

Oatmeal pancakes with apples

There are several options for preparing this tasty and simple dish. A glass of oatmeal is poured with a glass of low-fat kefir and left for several hours (overnight is possible). To speed up the process, you can use hot water. In this case, steaming takes no more than 5–10 minutes. At this time, grate the apple on a coarse grater (if the fruits are small, you can take two). An egg is also added to the bowl with oatmeal, 3 tbsp. l. flour, sugar (to taste) and a teaspoon of baking powder. You can use cinnamon if you wish. Mix the dough well and spoon onto a heated frying pan. Pancakes are fried for 2-3 minutes. from each side.

Broccoli muffins

Boil 200 g of cabbage and chop. Beat 4 eggs and half a cup (100 ml) milk. Combine the ingredients and add 4–5 tbsp. l. whole grain flour, baking powder, salt. If you want, you can add chopped dill. Mix the dough well and pour into the molds. Bake in the oven at 170–180°C for 20 minutes (until golden brown).

Vegetable cream soup

You can use any favorite vegetables for cooking. Traditionally, potatoes, cauliflower, onions and carrots are used. Add chopped vegetables to the vegetable broth and cook until tender. Puree the soup with a blender to obtain a homogeneous mass. Greens and croutons are used for decoration.

Buckwheat casserole

Pre-prepared buckwheat and chicken meat stewed with onions and yogurt (it is better to use fillet) are laid out in layers in a greased heat-resistant form. The layers are poured with a mixture of eggs beaten with yogurt. The dish is sprinkled with grated cheese on top. The mold is placed in a preheated oven for 30–40 minutes.

Chicken nuggets

Washed chicken fillet should be passed through a meat grinder or chopped in a blender. Add chopped onion and dill to the prepared minced meat and add a little salt. Roll the mixture into balls, dip in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs. Bake the nuggets in the oven at 200°C for 30 minutes.

Healthy cutlets

Grind oatmeal in a blender. Combine them with minced turkey and finely grated zucchini. Add egg and dill. Mix thoroughly and form cutlets. They can be baked in the oven or steamed.

Veal kebab with cheese

This dish uses minced beef. Coarsely grated cheese, parsley, dill and cilantro (if it was previously included in the diet) are added to it. Mix the minced meat thoroughly and form it into sausages. They can be grilled or baked in the oven.

Almighty squirrel

Of course, protein, the main building material for organs and tissues, is also included in the diet of a nursing mother. But be careful! Cow's milk protein causes digestive problems in babies. In this sense, fermented milk products for nursing mothers are much healthier and safer. Beat 250 ml of kefir, 100 g of rolled oats and a banana with a blender - you will get an excellent nutritious smoothie for breakfast. By the way, kefir can be replaced with yogurt, and banana with a pear.

The use of chicken stomachs for medicinal purposes

The film from chicken stomachs - a thin yellowish skin that covers them on the inside - has healing properties. When cleaning, it is not thrown away, but dried and crushed to a powder. In this form, it retains all its beneficial properties.

The benefits of chicken gizzard film and the manifestation of its properties have been proven in the fight against gastrointestinal problems.

1. For acute gastritis, gastric ulcer. Mix the powder from the film with honey, consume 1 tsp half an hour before meals. If for some reason honey cannot be consumed, then only the powder is taken, the dose of which is ¼ tsp.
2. For diarrhea. 1 tsp. The powder is simply washed down with water. Children are given half the dose, children under 3 years old - ¼ tsp. Film powder should not be washed down with milk.

The dried film has the properties of removing kidney stones.

Chemical composition of chicken stomachs

The beneficial properties of chicken stomachs are determined by their rich chemical composition. The vitamins and minerals included in their composition are summarized in the table below.

What about lactation products?

A nursing mother's 1-month menu is almost never complete without the use of special products to enhance lactation, which allows for long-term breastfeeding. Until some time, tea with milk was used to solve this problem. But, as it turned out later, this drink has no effect on increasing the amount of milk. Nowadays doctors recommend drinking more kefir, fermented baked milk and green tea.

In addition, you can use the following pharmaceutical drugs:

• granulated teas from Nestlé or Hipp;
• "Laktovit" - packaged herbal mixture;
• Tablets - "Apilak" or "Lactogen".

You can also brew cumin, fennel or dill yourself. These decoctions have a calming effect, increase lactation and prevent increased gas formation in mother and baby.

What is the value of chicken meat?

Poultry meat is rich in protein, which the baby’s body requires for growth and development of the muscular system. It also contains a lot of B vitamins, which have a positive effect on the activity of the nervous system. Doctors recommend eating chicken meat for those who suffer from:

• joint diseases,
• problems with the cardiovascular system,
• eye diseases,
• obesity,
• reduced immunity,
• insomnia.

Therapeutic nutrition includes special chicken dishes that can be eaten in such cases. As a rule, the menu includes boiled meat, steamed chicken cutlets, broth and light soups. Which of the following is suitable for a nursing mother, what masterpieces can she prepare from tasty and healthy white meat, so as not to harm herself and her little treasure? We will try to highlight the answers to these questions in our review.

READ ALSO: What foods can a nursing mother eat by month?

Partially permitted products

A nursing mother should know the list of foods that are partially permitted during breastfeeding:

• 2-3 months after birth, you can include raw green or yellow vegetables, herbs;
• high-quality brewed coffee is allowed 6 months after the introduction of complementary foods;
• seafood with caution after 6 months;
• egg whites are introduced after 4 months, monitoring the child’s reaction;
• Do not abuse sugar and salt;
• bakery products in small quantities;
• semolina porridge and pasta 1-2 times a week;
• add whole milk to porridge or tea, do not consume it in its pure form;
• introduce cabbage soup and borscht in vegetable broth after 3 months;
• freshly squeezed apple juice after 1 month.

By following the lists of permitted and prohibited foods, a nursing mother will maintain the baby’s health and be able to eat well.

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Which parts of chicken should you eat with caution?

Many women ask whether it is possible to eat chicken hearts and gizzards while breastfeeding. Hearts are among the most high-calorie parts of poultry. If you plan to get your figure in order after childbirth, it is better to avoid them. Neither you nor your baby need extra fat. However, they also contain a lot of useful substances.

If you really want something made from hearts, try to cook them correctly. Poorly or incorrectly prepared offal is bitter and does not give pleasure. When cooking, the heart must be washed and visible fatty deposits removed. Boiled and stewed hearts should not be heavily seasoned with various spices; make do with a minimal amount of additives. Obviously, a fried product is not suitable for you, but sometimes you can afford boiled hearts.

Chicken liver, like chicken, is best consumed boiled.
When choosing between offal, pay attention to poultry liver. Tender, quick to prepare, it is rich in healthy elements. Vitamins are widely represented in it, there is calcium and iron, amino acids and minerals, copper and zinc. Riboflavin, contained in the liver, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and helps the body absorb iron. The liver supplies the thyroid gland with iodine and selenium.

We suggest you read: Is it possible to gargle with chlorhexidine during early pregnancy - Children and their problems

Approximate menu for the day

We offer you a sample menu for a nursing mother of a newborn. You can supplement it with any permitted products:

6.00 – a glass of kefir

Breakfast . bread with butter and cheese, milk rice porridge, tea.

Second breakfast . tea, apple.

Dinner . soup, potato casserole with stewed meat, salad of dried apricots, cranberries and carrots, dressed with vegetable oil, bread, dried fruit compote.

Afternoon snack . 1 cracker or cookie, apple juice.

Dinner . boiled fish, vegetable stew, salad of greens and cucumbers, seasoned with vegetable oil, bread, tea with milk.

You probably think that sticking to a breastfeeding diet is incredibly difficult. In fact, this is not so, especially considering that the reward for a proper diet will be a healthy, rosy-cheeked baby.