Content
- 1 Is it possible for a nursing mother to cabbage
- 2 What kind of cabbage can you breastfeed
- 3 From what month can a nursing mother have cabbage?
- 4 Why cabbage is useful for breastfeeding
- 5 Why cabbage is harmful when breastfeeding
- 6 Contraindications to cabbage while breastfeeding
- 7 How to cook cabbage while breastfeeding
- 8 Useful Tips
- 9 Conclusion
Cabbage is rich in vitamins and causes bloating. It is the latter fact that worries young mothers when it comes to whether cabbage is allowed for breastfeeding in the first month.
Is it possible for a nursing mother to cabbage
Most nutritionists agree that a woman after giving birth to a child can introduce cabbage into her diet, but only if it is properly prepared, use it in small portions.
We must not forget that the approach to the preparation of the menu should be individual. If the mother and baby respond well to the introduction of a vegetable into the diet, then it is allowed to use it. You just do not need to introduce the product from the first days after childbirth, but it is better to wait a certain period. Then it will only be beneficial.
What kind of cabbage can you breastfeed
The older generation did not have as much cabbage variety as can be seen now on supermarket shelves. In the garden, only one grew - a white-headed one, so women did not have to choose. Today, store shelves are littered with many types of cabbage, not only fresh, but already processed. You can always find something to your taste.
Doctors advise using white cabbage when breastfeeding, and in processed, but not raw form. Color is also useful, it is even better absorbed, it is considered a dietary product. It contains a lot of folic acid, vitamin A and group B.
A Brussels look or broccoli is also a good choice. The use of Peking (Chinese) cabbage is allowed. But the red one should not be introduced. The baby may be allergic to it. All types should be started to be consumed only in boiled and stewed form, and only then gradually switch to raw foods.
Another variety is marine. Although it is not a vegetable in the literal sense, but a seaweed, it is also called cabbage. Since the product is sold more often in pickled form, with the addition of salt and vinegar, it should be used especially carefully. We must not forget that some manufacturers add flavor enhancers, preservatives, sweeteners to kelp. All these supplements are contraindicated for the baby.
From what month can a nursing mother have cabbage?
A vegetable should not be introduced into the diet of a nursing woman until 3-4 weeks after childbirth. Then you can include in the diet boiled broccoli, Brussels sprouts, colored, then white. You need to start with a small amount - no more than 50 g. Eat cabbage no more than 3 times a week. Gradually, the portion can be increased to 200 g per day.
The optimal time for introducing raw cabbage into the diet with HB is considered 4-5 months after the birth of the baby.Pickled vegetables are allowed only 6-8 months after childbirth. The same goes for pickled kelp. In this case, it is important to monitor the well-being of the baby. If he develops symptoms like constipation or diarrhea, then the fresh vegetable should not be consumed for another 2-3 months.
Why cabbage is useful for breastfeeding
The vegetable has a lot of trace elements necessary for the body. This is what makes kale useful.
During breastfeeding, the herbal product:
- acts as a source of vitamins and mineral compounds, antioxidants, which are especially important at this time;
- has a low energy value, helps to normalize weight, if necessary, lose extra pounds;
- due to the abundance of fiber, it relieves constipation, regulates the intestines;
- due to the high content of folic acid, it has a positive effect on the nervous system of the mother and baby;
- is a source of iron and other minerals, prevents the development of anemia;
- enhances immunity;
- improves memory;
- lowers cholesterol (when cooking without animal fats);
- improves the condition of nails, hair;
- has an anti-inflammatory effect;
- helps to recover faster after childbirth.
In addition, the vegetable is notable for its affordable cost and helps to diversify the diet, because a large list of dishes can be prepared from cabbage.
Why cabbage is harmful when breastfeeding
A vegetable causes a negative effect only if it is used incorrectly:
- If you introduce fresh cabbage into the diet, without heat treatment, then it can provoke flatulence (gas formation, bloating), colic in the child and in the mother. Therefore, the product should be consumed only cooked: boiled, stewed, fried.
- If a plant has been treated with pesticides or used too much nitrate during cultivation, it may contain harmful compounds. Therefore, when breastfeeding, you should refrain from eating early spring vegetables, it is in them that there is the most nitrates. In late (autumn) varieties of leaf culture, many of these chemical compounds do not exist. Even a minimal amount of nitrates is dangerous for a child's body.
- Another aspect that can be harmful to health is the microbes that live on the surface of the plant. Before use, cabbage must be thoroughly washed, the top leaves must be removed. Heat treatment in this sense is the best way to disinfect.
- In very rare cases, this product causes allergies in babies.
- If you consume quite a lot of sauerkraut or pickled cabbage, which contains salt, then this causes a change in the taste of breast milk, a deterioration in its quality.
Contraindications to cabbage while breastfeeding
Negative manifestations after consumption are associated with the peculiarities of the preparation. To avoid them, you do not need to enter too many in the menu of this product. Breastfeeding mothers should not often eat salted cabbage, it will lead to thirst, stagnation of fluid in the body and the appearance of edema. Also, excess salt in food can change the taste of milk.
For women after a cesarean section, cabbage is also not recommended at first, so as not to provoke gas and abdominal discomfort.
How to cook cabbage while breastfeeding
Many women are interested in what form of vegetable culture is most useful for breastfeeding, how best to cook it so as not to harm the baby. To prevent gas formation, the vegetable must be heat treated.
Boiled cabbage while breastfeeding
Boiling is the most optimal way to process vegetables during breastfeeding.Cauliflower and cabbage can be added in small amounts to soups. This vegetable cooks quickly, does not require long heat treatment. Therefore, during cooking, the loss of valuable substances will be small.
You can start introducing cabbage into the menu as early as 3 weeks after giving birth. From 3 months it is permissible to use boiled white cabbage.
Fried cabbage while breastfeeding
Fried cabbage is also allowed to be consumed while breastfeeding, but it should be borne in mind that due to fat, it will be quite high in calories. To minimize potential harm, it is best to add the ingredient in small portions to other foods. Colored will be a good addition to an omelet.
Braised cabbage while breastfeeding
If the boiled vegetable product does not cause any discomfort, then you can switch to stews with cabbage, for example, cabbage rolls. It is useful to combine different types of cabbage with other vegetables, for example, cauliflower with potatoes.
It is also good to cook a vegetable along with lean meats: veal, turkey, chicken. You can stew broccoli with onions and carrots. Another way of cooking is in the form of a casserole with potatoes and meat.
Sauerkraut when breastfeeding
When breastfeeding, sauerkraut is an excellent source of ascorbic acid, which is especially important during the winter months. It also contains beneficial lactic acid bacteria that have a positive effect on bowel function. The main thing is that there is not too much salt in the sauerkraut.
To prevent gas formation from this product, cumin must be added to it. Sauerkraut and pickled cabbage, which are seasoned with vinegar, should not be confused. It should not be consumed during lactation. Especially a store product, as preservatives are often added to it. If there is at least a minimal negative reaction in the baby, then you will have to refrain from the fermented look until the end of lactation.
Useful Tips
In order for cabbage to bring only benefits during breastfeeding to the baby and his mother, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- introduce a new product into the diet only in small portions, start with 1 tablespoon;
- eat a new type of food for the child in the morning, so that during the day it is easy to track his reaction;
- start introducing boiled cabbage into the diet in the form of soups, then stewed and only then, with good tolerance, fresh;
- cook only a high-quality product without any signs of spoilage;
- pickled cabbage is not allowed during the entire lactation period.
It is best to use homemade vegetables rather than store-bought ones. Always remove the top leaves from the head before use and wash it thoroughly.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding cabbage in the first month raises many questions. And, although this is a very healthy vegetable, it is better not to use it for the first time after childbirth. In the future, with good tolerance and a reasonable approach, it is permissible to eat it during lactation. Boiling is the best way to cook. There is no need to rush with the introduction of fresh vegetable salads into the diet, this is too heavy a product for a baby's fragile body.