Best Dry Fruits for Breastfeeding Moms
As a parent, it's crucial to grasp the significance of your baby's milk diet to ensure their well-being.
These days, most babies are breastfed, and mothers are well aware of its importance for themselves and their infants.
Experts recommend breastfeeding for at least two years to enhance the baby's health.
It's essential to remember that what you eat will pass on to your child through your breast milk, making it vital for the mother to maintain a healthy diet.
Breast milk is considered Ambrosia or Amrut in Hindi, providing nourishment and immunity to the newborn.
Additionally, breastfeeding offers numerous health benefits to the mother as well.
For nursing mothers, dry fruits are an outstanding natural and vegan source of nutrition.
A breastfeeding mother is also called a Nursing mother.
What is Breast milk or mother's milk?
It is newborns' primary source of nutrition. It is enriched with multiple vitamins and minerals, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, and other essential nutrients.
The mammary glands, located on the chest of a human female, have this milk. These glands, called breasts, consist of tissue, fat, and connective tissue that contain the glands responsible for making milk for your baby.
The size of the Breast does not matter.
The size of your breasts does not matter when breastfeeding your baby. Whether you have small, medium, or large breasts, you will always have enough milk for your newborn.
Your breasts start preparing to produce milk for your baby very early in pregnancy.
By the second trimester, you may begin making colostrum, a nutrient-rich substance your baby needs during their first few days of life.
After your baby is born, hormones such as prolactin, oxytocin, and Serotonin signal your breasts to produce more milk.
The more your baby breastfeeds, the more milk you will produce. Your breasts will always produce as much milk as your baby needs. Every breastfeeding mom is worried about having milk.
Breastfeeding Mother Benefits
Breastfeeding can help a newborn feel full and content and may lead to a satisfied burp or smile.
Other than this, it also helps reduce the risk of type II diabetes, ovarian cancer, high blood pressure in the mother, and also from breast cancer.
Studies have shown that those women who breastfeed their kids are likely to have less chance of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cancers.
Every new mother wonders how to increase their breast milk supply.
Multiple foods help with breast milk supply.
There are multiple changes in women's bodies during and after pregnancy as you nurture a delicate little life dependent on a nursing mother's food.
So dry fruits are always a healthy delight for your breastfeeding babies.
Dry fruits contain nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fats, and calcium.
What types of dried fruits can improve breast milk production?
Which food can provide important nutrients for a baby's growth and development?
There are many you can read further, which helps in your journey of motherhood.
Dry fruits for Breast enlargements
If you want to increase your breast size for baby nursing or for cosmetic reasons, consider incorporating pecans, cashews, walnuts, and peanuts into your diet during lactation.
These foods are high in protein and healthy fats, benefiting your overall well-being.
Additionally, dried nuts and fruits are a natural source of unsaturated and monounsaturated fats that can aid breast tissue development.
Mamra badam during breastfeeding
Have you familiarized yourself with the manifold health benefits of Mamra Badam?
This highly nutritious food boasts an extensive range of antioxidants, potassium, calcium, and vitamin E.
It is an excellent choice for lactating mothers looking to increase their milk production and ensure their infants receive a healthy and balanced diet.
Almonds, whether consumed raw or soaked, are rich in calcium and protein and thus are ideal for promoting optimal health.
For centuries, Mamra Badam, or almond milk, has been highly recommended to lactating mothers to increase the quantity, sweetness, and creaminess of their breast milk.
They also contain significant levels of manganese, vital for the healthy development of bones in infants, and magnesium, which aids in proper nerve formation and functioning.
Building strong bones requires calcium as an essential component.
Moreover, almonds are a good source of fibre, which supports optimal bowel movements, and riboflavin, which aids in the cognitive development of infants.
Additionally, folate contributes to the neural tube effect and the formation of a healthy brain.
Including Mamra Badam in one's diet can serve as a boon to both mother and child in terms of maintaining optimal health and strength.
Apricots during Breastfeeding
Incorporating apricots and dates into a breastfeeding mother's diet can effectively increase the hormone prolactin responsible for milk production.
Apricots offer an excellent source of dietary fibre, potassium, and vitamins A and C, all essential for the baby's immune system.
Additionally, the fibre content in apricots can aid digestion, a crucial factor during lactation.
Moreover, apricots contain phytoestrogens, which can efficiently regulate lactation hormones.
Apricot Nutritional facts per 100 grams serving.
Calories- 250
Total fat- 0.4 g
Saturated fat- 0.1 g
Cholesterol- 0 mg
Total carbohydrates- 62 g
Dietary fibre- 7 g
Protein- 4 g
Vitamin A- 15% Vitamin C- 8%
Calcium- 6% Iron- 10%
Dried Figs during the lactation period
Dried figs also serve as a natural galactagogue.
Dried figs also contain phytoestrogens, which help keep the hormones involved in lactation steady.
Calcium-rich dried fruits like figs, apricots, and dates also help with milk production.
Dried Figs are rich in Iron, necessary for red blood cell production.
They also contain a good amount of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are all important for bone health & lactation to help milk production.
They are very helpful during the lactation period.
Dates Khajoor during Breastfeeding
Dates Khajur are a good source of energy and help increase milk production.
Dates Khajoor also contains Iron necessary for the baby's development.
Khajur is known for its benefits during breastfeeding, improving copper, potassium, manganese, magnesium, Vitamin B6, calcium, and Iron.
Dates to the mothers, all these nutrients and vitamins also pass from the mother's body to your baby.
Pistachios for lactating mothers
Always unsalted Pistachios are much better than salted ones during breastfeeding.
As salted might lead to an increase in blood pressure.
Pistachios are rich in protein and essential fatty acids.
They are good in Iron and calcium and full of antioxidants
They help to increase milk production and are also known to improve the quality of breast milk.
Pistachios are a great natural source of omega-3 fatty acids that can help develop a baby's brain.
Walnuts during breastfeeding
Walnut (Akhrot) is one of the best nuts for lactating mothers.
The amino acids in nuts are building blocks for Serotonin.
This chemical in lactating mothers carries messages between the brain and your body's nerve cells for milk.
Serotonin is a necessary neurotransmitter for lactation.
Serotonin is a natural body chemical that acts as a messenger between nerve cells in the brain and throughout your body.
The highest concentration of Serotonin is in walnut (155 ± 57.0 µg/g per 100 grams). Serotonin in walnut is the highest among all nuts.
Walnuts are an excellent natural plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the baby's brain development.
They also contain vitamin E, which is important for the mother's skin and hair health.
If you feel a low milk supply for your baby, you can snack on raw or roasted walnuts Akhrot.
You can add them in the soaked format in early morning food, create a smoothie, cookie, or salad, or even have it in your evening hunger pangs.
Cashew Nuts for Breastfeeding mothers
Cashews are rich in Iron and magnesium.
They help to increase milk production and are also known to improve the quality and flow of breast milk.
Furthermore, calcium in cashew is very beneficial for developing a baby's healthy bone development.
Dried Prunes during breastfeeding
Dried Prunes are tongue-taste twisters for those who have lost their taste or bitter tongue during lactation. It helps you.
Prunes are a good source of fibre during breastfeeding, which helps with digestion.
They also contain vitamins A and C, essential for the baby's immune system.
Drinking dried prunes due to a good amount of fibre helps your baby's constipation.
Indian Raisins for lactating mothers
Raisins are a naturally vegan source of Iron necessary for red blood cell production.
Dry grapes for breastfeeding mothers help digestion.
You can soak them overnight, drink water in the morning, and eat them early.
Raisins also contain natural calcium, which is important for the bone health of a baby.
California Almonds during breastfeeding
As a lactating mother, your daily calcium need is 1250 mg daily.
Amino acids in almonds are great building blocks for Serotonin, a neurotransmitter known during lactation.
Almonds are super nuts during the lactation period.
They are Packed with healthy antioxidants, fats, vitamins, and calcium nuts that can boost your milk.
Almonds are a great choice if your milk supply is low for your baby.
Snack on soaked almond milk and raw or roasted nuts during breastfeeding.
Peaches
Peaches are a natural fruit source of vitamins A and C, essential for the baby's immunity.
They also contain natural digestive fibre, which helps with digestion.
Oranges
Oranges are a citrus fruit with an excellent source of vitamin C, essential for the baby's immune system.
They keep you hydrated and fresh since nursing mothers require more vitamin C.
It is an immunity booster with Vitamin C.
It helps absorb more Iron from the food you consume.
They also contain digestive fibre, which helps with digestion.
Nuts for Nursing Mothers
Nuts are an excellent natural vegan source of protein and essential calcium, Iron, antioxidants, and fatty acids for nursing mothers.
They help to increase milk production and are also known to improve the quality of breast milk.
Nuts can boost your baby's milk with healthy vitamins and minerals while feeding.
Sunflower Seeds for Nursing Mothers
Sunflower seeds are an excellent natural healthy source of vitamin E, which is important for the mother's skin and hair health.
They also contain an excellent quantity of magnesium necessary for the baby's development.
These seeds pack large doses of vitamins, minerals, and folic acid and have good fats that help your body to produce milk for your baby.
You can sprinkle them over laddu, granola bars, or salads, and you can use
them in smoothies or shakes, or enjoy them as a munching evening snack.
Pumpkin Seeds During Breastfeeding
Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids for the baby's brain development.
They are high in Iron, fibre, and zinc, which are necessary for the immune system & important for brain cell and nerve development.
Flaxseeds for Nursing Mothers
Flaxseeds are also known as linseeds.
Flaxseeds are rich in fibre, which helps with digestion.
They also contain omega-3 fatty acids, essential for the baby's brain development.
They are a good laxative. It can help lactating mothers as a good laxative.
You can eat them as a mukhwas after lunch and dinner, along with ajwain, as it helps ease your bowel movement and doesn't keep your baby gassy.
Chia Seeds during Breastfeeding
Chia seeds are an excellent vegan natural source of omega-3 fatty acids for the baby's brain development.
They also contain natural digestive fibre, which helps with digestion.
These nutritious seeds are a superfood for you and your baby with multiple vitamins, dietary fibres, nutrition, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and minerals.
These are some of the best dry fruits for breastfeeding mothers.
Including them in your diet will not only help increase milk production but will also provide essential nutrients that are necessary for the baby's growth and development.
In all, keep your body well-hydrated.
Drink lots of water, and smoothies with dry fruits are the most healthy options to help you avoid constipation during lactation.
What nuts should I avoid while breastfeeding?
If you have allergies to nuts like peanuts, your body might have a habit of forming gas.
Then there is no evidence to suggest you should avoid them (or any peanut foods like masala peanuts, peanut chutney, or peanut butter) while breastfeeding.
Or if you have any nut-specific nut allergy which is known to you.
If you're worried about it or your baby is developing a food allergy, speak to your doctor or health visitor.