Anuradha Varanasi
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Every lactating mother s top priority is to ensure that she has a well-balanced diet that can keep her baby healthy and take care of her own nutritional requirements. While vegetables are a rich source of vital nutrients, experts say that avoiding certain types of vegetables can help in preventing excessive flatulence in you and in your infant. Here s what you need to eat while breastfeeding.
This is because the high fibre content and compounds in some vegetables can lead to more gas being produced during digestion. Nutritionist Priya Kathpal lists out the vegetables you should avoid and those that you can eat, while you are breastfeeding your infant.
Least gassy vegetables
While different types of foods affect people differently, it is always best to play it safe during the first six months, says Kathpal. Here are foods new mums need to eat after delivery. Overall, tomatoes, onions, pumpkins, lettuce and bottle gourd are considered the least gassy vegetables. In fact, any vegetable with high water content can help in preventing gassiness, both for you and your baby. Okra or lady s fingers are also considered safe but Kathpal says it is advisable to remove the seeds as they could cause flatulence in some cases. These are nutritious snacks for breastfeeding mums you should have.
Vegetables that could cause gas
While potatoes and eggplant produce gas only moderately during digestion, beans and lentils top the list. Kathpal says vegetables that belong to the cruciferous family like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts are the highest gas producers among vegetables.
After your baby completes six months, you could include cruciferous vegetables in your diet but completely avoid having them as a salad or raw. Instead, boil or cook cruciferous vegetables and puree them and then use them for a sauce while making bhajis or gravy. This will make it easier for you to digest these high fibre vegetables. This way, you can reap their various health benefits without getting any excessive gassiness. You can read up on how to increase your breast milk supply naturally with these foods.
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