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Breastfeeding mothers sometimes worry about their milk supply and do not know what to do to improve the quality of milk for their babies. The following article will help mom find the answer.
Breast milk is always the ideal source of nutrition for your baby. Even severely malnourished mothers can make an excellent source of milk, because nutrients from the mother's body are converted into the milk supplied to the baby. If the mother is still worried, the following information will help her to properly assess the quality of her milk.
Evaluate whether the diet has enough vitamins and minerals
Although breastmilk has all the essential vitamins and minerals your baby needs, there are a few things you should pay attention to:
If the mother is a vegetarian, vitamin B12 may be deficient in milk because it is only found in animal products;
Some vitamin-rich substances can be easily supplemented by the mother's body and then transferred to the baby so that the baby will also receive enough vitamins. You should consult a doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding;
The body produces vitamin D during exposure to sunlight. Therefore, nursing mothers and babies should be in the sun for 20 minutes a day.
Keep track of the amount of fat in your diet every day
Breastfeeding babies will receive whatever fats the mother absorbs. So if your diet is high in trans fats, your milk production may also contain high levels of these unhealthy fats. Mothers who eat a lot of fish and flaxseeds will have high levels of fatty acids and omega-3 in milk. Therefore, if mothers do not eat much of these foods, the quality of milk will be lower than that of some other mothers who regularly use them.
Omega-6, found in butter, eggs and sunflower oil, are important fats that contribute to the quality of breast milk.
Observe your child's diaper
Baby waste can tell you a lot about the quantity and quality of breast milk. If the baby pee more than 3 times a day between the first week and the 6th week after birth, this indicates good quality breast milk.
Track your child's weight gain chart
Breastfed babies will restore their birth weight by about 2 weeks and increase to about 29g daily for the first few months of life. However, if your baby does not keep up with the chart of weight and height, it is more likely due to a problem with the quantity of breast milk supplied, not the quality. So parents should consult a doctor or expert for advice on how to increase breast milk production.
The quantity and quality of breast milk are considered as important factors in the overall development of the baby. Mothers need to equip themselves with enough knowledge to help their baby get a healthy source of milk.