Simply The Breast!

While many foods contribute to the development of the breastfeeding mum and child, others can cause adverse effects. It is important to know which foods to eat and which to stay away from

- Dr. Sreeja Rani V R

There’s no better feeling than reaching the end of the rollercoaster that is pregnancy, and hold your tiny, delicate newborn in your tender, loving arms. However, in the run-up to this moment of joy, expectant mums have to change their entire lifestyles—giving up alcohol, raw eggs, and artificial sweeteners to ensure that her mini-me in the womb enters the world in good health.

While prenatal diet holds the key to avoiding complications such as anemia (deficiency of oxygen in red blood cells), low birth weight and birth defects, a new mum’s postnatal diet is equally important for the healthy development of her newborn. By the second trimester, expectant mums crave for more calories simply because the baby in the womb demands it from inside. Once a mum takes in her food, it is broken down in her stomach by various enzymes before the blood absorbs the various nutrients. These nutrients are then transferred to the fetus through the placenta. So, when a newborn finally comes out into the world after nine months of being nestled in her mum’s womb, the best way for her to consume food is through breastfeeding.