Eat what suits you and your child.

As a mother, you want to do everything that is best for your child. That's why I'm often asked what and how you should eat when breastfeeding. First of all, you'll rarely hear me use the word "should." In my opinion, that word indicates that if you're not doing what you "should," you're doing it wrong. And I don't want to invite you down that road.

In return, I would like to invite you to take the question home with you.

You and your partner are the smartest people about your child. Is there anything you have observed that your baby reacts to when you, as a breastfeeding mother, eat it? Does your baby, for example, get a red bottom, get runny nose or get bumps when you eat something specific? If so, try eliminating that food or foods for a period of time and see if that helps. For some, it is best not to eat dairy products. For others, it may be sugar, gluten, onions or something completely 5. that can cause a reaction in your baby. It is important to remember that no one size fits all .

That said, the general recommendations are that it is unnecessary to eat a restrictive diet when breastfeeding - not even in the form of avoiding strawberries and chocolate - YAY. Apart from fatty fish which contain heavy metals - hold back on those fish in particular - you can eat whatever you want.

In general, I recommend that you focus on what is a nutritious diet instead of what you “should”. You know that it is nutritious to eat a variety of foods. That lots of vegetables in different colors, fruit, protein (eggs, lentils, beans, fish, poultry, meat, etc.) and healthy oils (virgin olive oil, real butter, nuts and seeds, and avocado), some whole grains and several liters of water daily are nutritious. So go with it. AND use your common sense and remember the saying “ everything in moderation ”.

It doesn't have to be difficult.

Make double portions of dinner and freeze half. Request prepared meals from friends and family. Food prep. Subscribe to meal boxes if you can afford it. Buy in bulk when there are offers or go for food waste products. There are many ways to eat healthy and nutritious food - and it doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. 2 boiled eggs, 4 carrots and a handful of nuts make a complete meal and really takes a maximum of 10 minutes to make. And you can even boil eggs for several days. Wow, easy!

Many people ask whether they should eat the equivalent of 0.5 liters of dairy products daily. The answer is simply no. This comes from old dietary advice, which was based on the fact that we are a milk-producing country. Yes, we need calcium for our bones. There is, among other things, plenty of calcium in green vegetables and sesame. And vitamin D and exercise are also some of the most important things for our bones throughout life.

The more varied your diet, the more nutrients you get. The same applies if you choose organic over conventional foods. But even the most conscious consumer does not get all of his nutritional needs covered through his diet. This is because the soil around the world is depleted. So even organic vegetables and fruits are not

enough to be fully covered on the nutritional front. Therefore, a number of basic supplements are recommended.

It is important for me to point out that the dietary supplement jungle is a jungle -AND at the same time a big money market. Still, the rule of thumb is that price and quality are often related. I would always recommend that you go for a health food rather than buying vitamins on the supermarket shelves -they often do more harm than good. And no, I don't own any shares 😉

Dietary supplements

Omega3

Omega3 fatty acids are important when you are breastfeeding. Among other things, for the development of the baby's brain. It is important that the oil comes from cold-water fish, i.e. from Norway. Fish oil should never smell like fish, otherwise it is not fresh. Here price and quality really go hand in hand!

Vitamin D

We all need vitamin D here in the Nordic countries. The Danish Health Authority recently changed its recommendations for vitamin D from being important in the winter months to year-round. One thing that is important to know about the Danish Health Authority is that their recommendations are based on just covering the minimum requirement for each vitamin. This is not the same as filling up your stores and actually covering your need for each vitamin. When it comes to vitamin D, you can have your level measured via a blood test at any doctor. Based on your level, you will be told what dose of vitamin D you need. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Therefore, I would always recommend that vitamin D is taken in a form where it is dissolved in fat - e.g. coconut oil. Small capsules are available in health food stores - and they can be chewed if you have older children who need it.

B12

If you are vegan or vegetarian, it is recommended that you take a daily supplement of vitamin B12. This vitamin cannot be produced in the body, which is why it is important to add it. B12 is, among other things, important for the formation of new blood cells and for the nervous system. If you, as a breastfeeding mother, have too low a B12 level, your child will also get too little B12 and thus become deficient, since as written, it is a vitamin that we cannot produce ourselves.

Iron supplements

If you have bled more than half a liter during childbirth, you can benefit from taking an iron supplement for a month or 2. If you have bled more than 1 liter, expect that it may take a little longer to get your blood count up. As with vitamin D, you can have your blood count measured by your doctor and be advised whether and if so how much iron you should take. Some women get constipated from taking iron pills. In this case, I can recommend Kräuterblut, which is iron in liquid form - and is therefore more recognizable and absorbable by our body. Note that iron should be taken at a different time from the diet, e.g. before bedtime and never with dairy products, which inhibit absorption, but preferably together with vitamin C, which promotes the absorption of iron.

Magnesium

We women are often deficient in magnesium - especially after a pregnancy where magnesium from our depots went to fill the baby's depots. We are supposed to have magnesium added through our diet, but with the depleted soil, we rarely get enough. Sleepless nights, a head and hands full during maternity leave and perhaps a bit of stress on top of that will further deplete your magnesium supply. That is why it is important to take magnesium. We absorb magnesium best through the skin. For example, by taking a foot bath with a few deciliters of Epsom salt in it (no, I still don't have any shares). Alternatively, take ionic magnesium - a powder that should be mixed with warm water. Take it before bed, it will support you in a deeper and more restful sleep. If you had a tendency to cramps during pregnancy, it was a sign of magnesium deficiency. In general, I would recommend that you take magnesium throughout your maternity period. Consider continuing when you start working after maternity leave, and know that many of us benefit from taking magnesium for the rest of our lives.

Vitamin C

In my opinion, vitamin C is also a daily must - for the rest of your life. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that both boosts your immune system and plays an important role in a wide range of areas. Among other things, in relation to bones, cartilage, teeth, collagen, wound healing, and reduces fatigue and promotes the absorption of iron. We humans do not produce vitamin C ourselves, so it is important to have it added. During busy periods, we have an extra need for vitamin C.

Multivitamin pills

Finally, there are multivitamin pills. There are very divided opinions about them, and I myself have a leg in each “camp”. Should – should not. In good quality multivitamin pills there are many good and important vitamins and minerals. At the same time, we are back to no one size fits all. I would base my recommendation on the fact that if you are having trouble eating healthy, supplement with a quality multivitamin pill from the health food store. If you are someone who eats a lot of vegetables every day, you probably don’t need it - especially if you take the other supplements mentioned.

Dear, I hope you take the message to heart to nourish yourself with a healthy diet and plenty of water. It's a win-win for both you and your child!