Content
- 1 Can a nursing mother eat walnuts?
- 2 The benefits and harms of walnuts when breastfeeding a newborn
- 3 Walnuts for lactation
- 4 How many walnuts can you eat while breastfeeding?
- 5 In what form is it better to eat walnuts during breastfeeding?
- 6 Allergy to walnuts in infants
- 7 Precautionary measures
- 8 Contraindications
- 9 Conclusion
If a woman decides to breastfeed her baby after giving birth, then her diet must be consistent with the needs of the child. And asking herself whether it is possible to eat walnuts while breastfeeding, a woman asks an important question. After all, what is possible for an adult is not always suitable for a baby, since his body is not yet able to cope with many elements in food, while in an adult these substances are eliminated from the body naturally and imperceptibly.
Can a nursing mother eat walnuts?
During lactation, a woman must think, first of all, about her baby when she eats anything. The nursing body must be carefully protected from many harmful foods, medications and alcohol. Everything that the mother eats passes to the baby through milk, which provides the newborn’s body with useful microelements.Since the child does not yet have his own full-fledged immunity, and he receives the body’s protection from his mother with milk, his organs are very susceptible to various changes in a woman’s diet.
When asked whether walnuts can be consumed while breastfeeding, it is worth noting that this is one of the most harmless and healthy foods. According to Dr. Komarovsky, during lactation you do not need to limit yourself to any foods, the main thing is that it gives joy and good mood to the mother.
The benefits and harms of walnuts when breastfeeding a newborn
Walnut itself is a very high-calorie product, despite the fact that it contains minimal carbohydrates. The bulk of calories comes from fats. When a child is not gaining weight well, the mother needs to increase the fat content of the foods that make up her diet. Walnuts provide additional fat content to breast milk, while eliminating fatty foods that are saturated with harmful carbohydrates that are deposited on a woman’s waist.
Another significant benefit from the kernels of the royal tree is that, by increasing the fat content of the diet, they affect the normalization of stool in the mother and newborn. If the baby suffers from constipation, the mother should start eating several walnuts a day, increasing the fat content of breast milk.
The kernel also contains ascorbic acid, which is necessary in winter to prevent colds and viral diseases. Acid strengthens the walls of blood vessels. This is especially important for women who suffer from headaches and other cardiovascular diseases.
The energy value of the product is 648 kcal per 100 g, 547 of which belong to the fat part, the rest comes from proteins and carbohydrates. The nut contains:
- 10.2 g carbohydrates;
- 15.4 g protein;
- 65 g fat;
- beta-carotene;
- vitamins A, B2, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K, H, PP;
- potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, selenium, copper, phosphorus, iron, sodium;
- alkaloids;
- tannins;
- omega-3 fatty acids.
Walnuts also have contraindications. If a woman suffers from any type of colitis, gastrointestinal diseases, hypertension or allergic reactions to foods, then she should be very careful when eating this product, since her child may also be allergic.
Walnuts for lactation
Some women are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, called gestational diabetes, after the birth of a child. This type of diabetes is curable. Over time, by following proper nutrition and lifestyle, a woman can get rid of it. One way to lower blood sugar without harming your baby is to eat walnuts. This is one of its main functions – reducing glucose in the body.
Another property of the fruit is the normalization of blood circulation in the brain, which is necessary for women suffering from headaches. Walnuts can be taken when breastfeeding in an amount of no more than 5 pieces per day, so as not to cause the opposite effect or provoke an allergy. The female body after childbirth is very sensitive to changes in diet and to any external influences.
There is one misconception among nursing mothers that during breastfeeding the product increases milk production, causing mastitis. In fact, it does not affect the level of milk production at all, but only its saturation with calories.
How many walnuts can you eat while breastfeeding?
Since walnuts are considered an allergen, if a woman has not eaten them often before, it is not recommended to start with a large amount. The body must get used to small doses, and it is also necessary to look at the child’s reaction to this product. If a child begins to experience redness or a rash on his body, especially between the folds of the skin and on the cheeks, then you should think about the fact that the baby has an intolerance to some of the foods in the mother’s diet.
You can understand whether a nursing mother should eat walnuts only after two weeks of taking them in small doses, no more than three kernels per day. If after 2 weeks of feeding the child does not show any symptoms of intolerance, then you can increase the dose to 5 pieces per day, as this is the daily norm for a healthy body. If a woman has gained a lot of weight after giving birth and is obese, then the intake of walnuts should be minimized due to the high calorie content of the product.
In what form is it better to eat walnuts during breastfeeding?
If a woman who is breastfeeding decides to introduce walnuts into her diet and is wondering in what form she can eat it, then the answer is obvious - the one in which she likes it most. Some people cannot stand the taste of walnuts because of their specific viscosity in the mouth, but they understand the benefits of the product and do not want to give it up. Alternatively, you can consume walnuts in oil form.It is widely available in supermarkets, but few people pay attention to it. It is not cheap, the price for 500 ml is about 600 rubles. Add it to vegetable salads as a dressing. One teaspoon of oil replaces the daily dose of the product.
The nut can be added to porridge along with dried fruits, grated into powder using a blender and added to salad. You should not fry them during lactation. Fried food in itself is harmful, and fried nuts also lose their medicinal properties when exposed to heat.
To please a nursing mother with sweets using walnuts after childbirth, while eliminating sugar that is harmful to health, you can crush the kernel and mix it with viscous or liquid honey. This recipe is very useful for colds. If honey is candied and there is no other honey in the house, you should not melt it; heated honey loses vitamins.
Allergy to walnuts in infants
If the mother has not previously had an allergy to nuts, but the baby has one, then the best way to help the child is to refuse any products containing the component, including baked goods with nuts, kozinak, and continue breastfeeding. The mother's immunity will help the child cope with the disease.
The symptoms at which a child can be diagnosed with a walnut allergy are as follows:
- rash;
- blisters;
- lacrimation;
- clogged nose;
- cough;
- difficulty breathing;
- diarrhea or constipation;
- flatulence;
- facial swelling;
- anaphylactic shock.
If any symptom is detected, you must consult a doctor immediately and remove not only walnuts from your diet, but also the following products:
- seeds;
- soy products;
- lentils;
- legumes;
- cashew nuts;
- pistachios;
- sauces and ketchups;
- mustard.
These products are not harmful in themselves, but many people who are intolerant to nut allergens do not react negatively to the products listed. And it’s better for a nursing mother to play it safe by abstaining from this food while breastfeeding.
Precautionary measures
To protect your child from an undesirable reaction of the body, you should remember whether the woman herself has previously experienced intolerance to any product. If such a reaction exists, then consuming walnuts while breastfeeding can harm the newborn. As mentioned earlier, it is better to test the compatibility of a nut with the body by introducing small doses of this product into the diet. Allergies can occur to all types of nuts, including walnuts, or maybe only to some. If a woman had peanut intolerance, it is not a fact that she will have the same reaction to walnuts. Typically, allergy sufferers cannot even touch the allergen with their skin or inhale dust from the husk.
Contraindications
Despite the enormous benefits of walnuts, it has a number of contraindications. In addition to allergy sufferers, the product should not be taken by women suffering from:
- pancreatic diseases;
- skin diseases (psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema);
- high blood clotting;
- high blood pressure;
- obesity 2-4 degrees.
All these contraindications apply only to the mother; the child can only suffer from an allergy to any of the components included in this product.
Conclusion
Walnuts during breastfeeding should not be classified as risky or, conversely, very important products. Any food must be taken in moderation, avoiding abuse.When choosing products after childbirth, you need to listen to your body, paying attention to your desires and reaction to a particular product.
