Patient's question:
Daughter was born two and a half months ago, my weight has increased by 10kg. At 160cm tall, I weigh 70kg. None of my clothes can be worn anymore. I want to lose weight but am afraid of malnutrition affecting milk production. I have now started working for 18 days, working during the day and taking care of the child at night, with only about 5 hours of sleep per day. I feel tired every day, but there is no change in my weight.How should I adjust my diet to lose weight while ensuring the child gets adequate nutrition? Thank you!
Doctor's answer:
Hello:Mothers who are breastfeeding must ensure that their diet is rich in nutrients, as the infant can obtain these nutrients through breast milk. Breast milk contains a high amount of calcium, which promotes rapid growth in the baby's bones. If the mother consumes too little calcium, the calcium in her breast milk will be drawn from her own bones. In the past, people believed that calcium in teeth could also be absorbed into breast milk, but this may not be the case. The amount of calcium the baby takes from her milk is the amount she should also consume from cow's milk, and even a bit more, to meet her own needs. She can mix cow's milk into her favorite drinks, add it to grains, soups, or pancakes, or supplement it with cheese.
Even if she is dieting to lose weight, her daily diet should include the following nutrients:
- Cow's milk: 1,000 milliliters per day, preferably 1,500 milliliters. The form of milk does not matter—it can be fresh milk, low-fat milk, non-fat milk, condensed milk, powder milk, or skim milk.
- Fruits and vegetables: 6 times per day. It may sound like a lot, but when you realize that this includes juice (from two oranges), salads, green or yellow leafy vegetables, and potatoes, you'll see that 6 times is not too many. To ensure sufficient vitamin C intake, two of these servings must be fresh fruits and vegetables, and two should be oranges, grapefruits, tomatoes, raw cabbage, or berries. To ensure enough vitamin A, you should eat one serving of deep green or pale yellow leafy vegetables. Potatoes contain calories in addition to other nutrients. Fruits and vegetables can be fresh.