Breastfeeding is very beneficial for the health of the mother and baby. Breast milk provides the baby with all the necessary nutrients optimally, strengthens his immune system, and the mother protects against breast and ovarian cancer. However, new research shows that women who are diagnosed with diabetes before or during pregnancy are less likely to breastfeed their babies than women who do not have diabetes.
Breastfeeding mom
Diabetes mellitus is a serious disease that carries risks for both the expectant mother and her child during 9 months of pregnancy. Women who fell ill with diabetes before pregnancy or during gestation are afraid to breastfeed their baby, fearing for his health. With the advent of insulin, breastfeeding in diabetes became possible. The drug is not excreted in milk and does not threaten the health of the child. Most women note that when feeding a baby, the need for insulin decreases. In order for the infant to be fed successfully, the patient must be observed by an endocrinologist.
To avoid problems with breastfeeding, a woman who is still in the hospital should consider the following. A child born to a mother with diabetes mellitus is placed in a separate ward under the supervision of doctors. She should be allowed to be near the baby or bring him to feed. If a newborn is given water and glucose to drink, the mother should make sure that the nipple is not used (a syringe, spoon, pipette will do).
Lactation
As a rule, young mothers with diabetes mellitus develop mastitis (inflammation of the mammary gland). Feeding is the best prevention of disease. It is necessary to apply a newborn to the breast on demand – this will reduce the risk of illness. Patients are also susceptible to yeast infections, so when feeding, attention should be paid to the nipples so that they do not crack. Correct attachment of the newborn will help – the doctor in the maternity hospital will tell you about this.
If diabetes is poorly compensated for, it will take a woman in labor more time to produce enough milk than others (3-5 days after the baby is born).
Insulin is involved in milk production. Is it beneficial to breastfeed a baby with diabetes? The feeding process for this disease helps to control the sugar level in the body. Breastfeeding reduces the risk of developing diabetes in the newborn.
Feeding your baby
From the point of view of breastfeeding, mother’s diabetes mellitus does not pose an obstacle to the woman in labor and does not pose a threat to the health of the baby.
If a woman had diabetes before or during pregnancy, then the baby is more likely to get childhood obesity, and latching on to the breast reduces these risks. Therefore, it is recommended to feed the baby as long as possible, and to introduce cow’s milk into his diet no earlier than 2 years of age. Is the milk of a mom with diabetes different from the milk of a healthy woman? The composition of milk in diabetes mellitus is somewhat different. Glucose and insulin get into it, so the more of them in the blood, the more in the milk. This fact does not affect the baby’s blood sugar. This disease in a woman who has breastfed a baby for at least 1 month is less common than in mothers who prefer artificial breastfeeding.
What should be the diet of a nursing mother with diabetes
In the first days and months after childbirth, the body will adapt to lactation. During this period, you should adhere to diet and insulin therapy, monitor the general condition of the woman in labor. At the time of feeding, the woman’s blood sugar level decreases, she may lose consciousness and even fall into a coma. Before each breastfeeding or pumping, the nursing mother should eat sweet fruit or drink tea with sugar. After feeding, you need to replenish your strength – make a light snack.
When deciding to stop breastfeeding, you should consult your doctor – he will help you adjust the diet.
The nutrition of a nursing mother has its own characteristics. Allowed foods should always be kept nearby so that early hypoglycemia can be prevented while feeding the baby. A bottle of water will replace a shot of insulin before or after a feed. While a woman suffering from diabetes mellitus is feeding a child, she should consume 500 Kcal per day more than before. This is a crucial period for both the mother and the newborn. In order for both to be healthy, a woman in labor must take responsibility for her own diet. She should not drink alcoholic beverages, smoke or consume additives containing chemicals. They will negatively affect the mental development of the child and his physical condition.
The nutrition of a mother with diabetes is the same as that of a healthy woman. It is necessary to eat foods that will not harm the child. Citrus fruits, strawberries, nuts, sweets will cause an allergy in the baby, which will manifest itself in the form of a rash, diarrhea or itching. Cucumbers, plums, grapes will provoke colic and intestinal upset. Onions, garlic, mustard, and other bitter spices will spoil the taste of milk, and the baby will refuse to breastfeed. Spices, smoked meats, fatty foods, carbonated drinks have a bad effect on the body of a newborn. All this is not recommended to use until the baby is 4 months old.
A nursing mother should consume the following foods:
- boiled low-fat poultry meat;
- boiled fish meat;
- low fat milk;
- vegetables and fruits (other than those mentioned above);
- any cereal with the exception of rice;
- still mineral water;
- butter and sunflower oil;
- weak tea or coffee.
These products have a beneficial effect on the body of the mother and child.
You also need to spend more time outdoors, sleep at least 8 hours a day.
There are folk recipes that help lower blood sugar levels, replenish the body of a woman with diabetes with vitamins. In this case, it is allowed to continue to feed the baby. For example, linden flower tea can be consumed in unlimited quantities. Boil oat grains in water, strain and take half a glass three times a day before meals (course – 1 month).
In diabetes mellitus, breastfeeding is not only possible, but also necessary – for the health of both the mother and the baby.