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healthy eating while nursing

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Whether or not you’ve already had children, you’re probably familiar with pregnancy cravings. We all know (or have experienced) the stories of wanting pickles with peanut butter or ice cream with Fritos. My mom was a vegetarian until she became pregnant with me, and then she couldn’t stop craving Taco Bell while she carried me. She never returned to vegetarianism after that and “lost her figure,” as she puts it. This is a story she will remind me of from time to time to reestablish the power dynamic — and maybe make me feel a little guilty. Noted, mom.

Yup, pregnancy cravings can be all over the place, but what you don’t hear a lot about is what to eat in the days and months after giving birth. Your body has been through a lot – one of the biggest things a human body can go through. As a result, it’s been depleted of a lot, too. A woman’s body needs specific foods after giving birth and when nursing to be replenished.

It’s important to gather your village after having a baby, and when they ask, “Is there anything I can do for you?” take them up on it. One of those favors could be running to the store for some of these foods. If you don’t make special requests, you’ll wind up with a lot of frozen casseroles and lasagnas. Those are great, but they may not contain the nutrients a post-baby body needs. Here are foods a new mom should eat after giving birth.

healthy eating while nursing

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Chicken breast

Protein is an important part of any woman’s health and being low on it can lead to some health issues. While the recommended intake of protein for an adult woman is around 50 to 60 grams a day, a pregnant woman should have a bit more, and nursing moms need at least 65 grams a day according to Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Of course, as a new mom, you don’t have time to eat six small meals a day. You’re exhausted and busy, and when you do make time to eat, you need to get a lot of your nutrient needs filled in one sitting. So high-protein foods like chicken breast are a good choice. One six-ounce serving offers 54.5 percent of your daily protein needs.

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