Sunday, August 19, 2012

Nursing Nutrition

As a nursing mama, I'm finding that I am always hungry. Like honestly, always, always hungry. I'm also eating a great deal more every day. I ate an entire Chipotle burrito by myself in one sitting a few weeks ago. I am finding it can be difficult to keep up with the amount of calories I need to maintain a healthy weight and supply for nursing. In our weight-loss obsessed culture, googling "how to gain weight" produces a disappointingly small number of results.

In addition, Eli has a milk allergy so I have had to cut out all dairy products from my diet. As you might imagine, the number one suggestion for adding calories to your diet is through dairy. So, I am on a mission to find easy ways to add healthy calories to meals for nursing mothers. And I would love your help! Please comment with any tips or suggestions, and refer your nursing friends to my blog. I'm hoping to find recipes, snack ideas and lots more! I know that weight can be a really sensitive issue, but I hope that other moms who are struggling with this will join with me so we can feed our babies and be healthy!

3 comments:

  1. I just switched to a Pesco Vegetarian diet because I am simply eating too much meat and junk food. :o *hugs* I understand.

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  2. I went through the same thing with my little girl. Just keep to healthy fats -eggs, nuts, lentils and beans are great! Eating soup will help you stay hydrated for nursing as well. I lost a ton of weight when I was nursing and am sad to say, I have gained it back and then some. Thinking maybe I should go back off of dairy. :)
    New follower from Musings of an Imperfect Mom

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  3. New GFC follower via Tea on Tuesday. My first daughter had a milk protein intolerance that resolved itself when I cut dairy out of my diet. I also had to cut out soy, since the proteins are very similar, it is common for the little ones to be intolerant of both of them. It is amazing how much stuff has dairy and/or soy in it!

    Oatmeal gruel helps with production, and is basically just diluted oatmeal. You could make it with almond milk or water or even add it into a smoothie with some ice and fruit. Add some flaxseed meal to your smoothie for some extra goodness.

    Eggs, nuts and plenty of fresh fruits and veggies will help your production. And if you are craving an "ice cream" treat, So Delicious brand ice creams are soy and dairy free. They are made from coconut milk, so there is no escaping the hint of coconut flavor.

    Sorry to go on and on... My daughter got past her intolerance by 1 year, so I hope the same for your little one. Good luck!!

    Check out my blog and follow back if you like. Have a great week!

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