What are the problems with the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers?, To know the extent to which breastfeeding is affected by the keto diet, you must understand what the ketosis process is, for which the diet was named.
Ketosis is a natural process that burns fat to nourish cells.
When our bodies lack carbohydrates, they begin to burn fat, and this leads to the process of burning fat called the keto diet, which occurs from the creation of fatty substances in the liver called ketones But.
is the keto diet for breastfeeding women safe?
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Everything about breastfeeding and keto
The mother's health is of utmost importance after giving birth, and in return, many people have experienced rapid weight loss as a result of the keto diet.
Questions are currently being raised among many about the suitability of the keto diet for breastfeeding women, but above all, it is necessary to understand how breastfeeding takes place.
how the milk production process takes place, and also how the ketogenic diet works in the body clearly?
History of the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers
The keto diet was not primarily designed for breastfeeding mothers, but rather it was initially designed to treat some diseases such as epilepsy in children.
In the 1920s, doctors noticed that fasting had an anti-seizure effect in epilepsy patients.
The theory behind this diet was to mimic the metabolic effects of starvation by forcing the body to use fat as its primary source of energy.
After that, fasting became the preferred treatment recommended by many doctors to treat some neurological disorders and seizures in some patients.
But with the spread of this diet, many people began to talk about it, in order to follow it, and here there are many questions.
Some ask whether pregnant women can follow it, and whether there may be something known as the keto diet for breastfeeding women or not?, and this is the focus of our conversation now.
Ketogenic eating - how to do it?
Before talking about the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers, we must first address the ketogenic diet in terms of definition and method of working within the body.
The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, and the caloric intake within it is as follows:
60-75% fat, 25-30% protein and 5-10% net carbs to stimulate the body into ketosis.
Fats are broken down through the liver so that the body can use them to produce energy instead of carbohydrates.
Healthy fats are considered clean, free of harmful impurities, and do not negatively affect the body.
Keto diet for breastfeeding mothers
There are many differences regarding the possibility of following the keto diet for a breastfeeding woman.
Some support it and do not find any danger in it, but in return they set conditions.
These conditions must be adhered to by a breastfeeding woman out of concern for her life and the life of her child.
There are those who disagree with this opinion and see the keto diet for a breastfeeding mother as a danger to the mother and her child.
Supporter of the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers
In the eyes of some, the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers is a good thing due to its benefits related to cognitive development, function, and endurance.
This is especially important for babies, whose brains and bodies develop and grow rapidly once they are born.
Glucose plays a role in brain function and growth, but maintaining ketosis is most beneficial after birth.
Did you know that breast milk is completely ketogenic, despite the naturally occurring sugars?
It is nutritionally formulated in an ideal way to support ketosis, especially when the baby is breastfed naturally.
Those who support this trend confirm that there are no studies confirming that low-carbohydrate diets in general - the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers in particular - reduce milk production or harm the quality of milk for breastfeeding mothers.
However, they set conditions for everyone who wants to follow the keto diet for breastfeeding women, which are as follows:
- The ketogenic diet must be followed before pregnancy and breastfeeding so that the body can adapt to the ketogenic diet before pregnancy.
- Thus, the woman avoids exposure to the side effects of the diet while she is pregnant, and the body becomes accustomed to using fats and using them well.
- Maintaining the metabolism of calories, and not reducing it or creating a deficit in it, out of concern for her life and the life of her fetus.
- Make sure to take nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals that the body constantly loses, as any deficiency in them puts her and the child at risk.
- Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, because this poses a danger to her and the fetus, She must know that water represents 87% of breast milk.
- Eat plenty of fiber to ensure a digestive system free of health problems for you and your child.
- Pay attention to eating healthy fats because this affects the quality of breast milk that the child feeds on, by paying attention to eating foods rich in omega-3 fats.
In the keto diet for a breastfeeding mother, a mother can add between 300-500 additional calories per day immediately after the birth of her child, and supplement her diet later with an additional 100-300 calories per day.
Because breastfeeding increases the metabolic rate.
Keto and breastfeeding
Breastfeeding for at least six months after birth has been shown to provide some developmental and metabolic benefits for both From mother and child, and that children are adequately able to use ketones as fuel, as well as go into ketosis.
To facilitate the healthy formation of the brain and nervous system, moreover, ketosis also provides various favorable effects It affects cellular metabolism in many tissues to support the generation of viable muscle tissue, all of which are essential for a child's development.
Opponents of the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers
Despite previous opinions, there are doctors who state that the ketogenic diet is not suitable for the postpartum breastfeeding period.
The reason for this is the child’s need for a variety of food sources, which are severely reduced in the ketogenic diet, especially vitamins.
Although there are different systems of the ketogenic diet, doctors believe that the keto diet should be avoided for breastfeeding and pregnant women, because the health of the mother and child should not be risked in order to follow a specific diet.
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Keto may reduce milk production
The keto diet for breastfeeding mothers may cause a decrease in milk production in the mother, since the diet reduces appetite.
Because of his interest in fatty foods such as: meat and dairy products rich in fat.
It is also possible that breastfeeding mothers do not pay attention to the prescribed calories that are supposed to be consumed, which reduces milk production, and this means that the child will receive less nutrition.
Tips for breastfeeding women before keto
If you're new to the keto diet, think carefully; Due to the low percentage of carbohydrates in this system, Because before entering the keto diet for the disease, you will have to deal with the “side effects of keto” during the first three or four days of the diet, and they may continue for weeks.
Doctors say that the brain requires a lot of glucose to function well, which is usually provided by carbohydrates, so until the body learns to use fat for energy instead, the mother can feel psychologically and physically unstable.
This is something that could make caring for a newborn more difficult at this critical and important stage.
There is currently no evidence There are risks (or benefits) to ketones in breast milk, but it's not worth the risk, Ward advises.
Summary of the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers
The keto diet for breastfeeding mothers is ineffective, and although there are those who agree with it, most doctors do not agree or support it.
The mother must be self-sufficient in nutritional diversity through foods so that the milk contains nutrition that suits the stage of growth The child, which is one of the most important stages that determines a lot about the child’s future health and mental health, and any defect greatly affects.
Conclusion
In the end, we hope that those who are not convinced that the keto diet for breastfeeding mothers offers more negatives than positives to consult a private doctor before starting the diet.