Why you shouldn't eat chocolate while breastfeeding. Changes in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract

Feeling guilty about eating chocolate on time breastfeeding(GW)? Women love him, and this love intensifies during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth. Nursing mothers are usually wary of everything they eat so as not to put the baby in danger. Chocolate while breastfeeding - is it good or not?

Ingredients and Benefits

Chocolate is one of the happiest foods on the planet. It releases endorphins and increases serotonin levels in the brain, improving mood. Contains phenylalanine, which has a short, aphrodisiac effect (stimulates sexual desire). This explains why so many people love it.

Chocolate Ingredients:

• crushed cocoa seeds;
• cacao butter;
• sugar.

In addition, it contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, minerals, vitamins, caffeine and cholesterol.

The sweetness is rich in magnesium and phosphorus. Magnesium supports energy metabolism, protein and nucleic acid synthesis, and stabilizes membranes. Iron is a component of various proteins, including enzymes. Participates in the transfer of electrons, oxygen.

The delicacy contains the natural alkaloid theobromine. Alkaloids are, for example, caffeine, cocaine, nicotine, morphine.

Harm

1. Fat and sugar. Leads to obesity and risk of developing diabetes.
2. Cadmium. Contained in some types of dark (bitter) chocolate. May pose a health hazard.
3. Flavonoids. They also contain red wine and grapes. Some studies claim that they are good for the heart and blood vessels. However, other studies suggest otherwise.
4. Oxalates. These are derivatives oxalic acid. They are not recommended for people at risk of developing kidney stones.
5. harmful impurities. This is especially true for inexpensive varieties. Instead of cocoa butter, they add trans fats: hydrogenated palm or coconut oil.

Craving for chocolate while feeding

Day and night, mothers often have to breastfeed their newborns. Lack of sleep is very common during this time. Mom always wants to sleep. This affects the ability to make decisions and can lead to uncontrollable desires.

Often a breastfeeding mother cannot control herself

What ingredients are harmful to the baby?

You need to find out how the ingredients in the composition affect the child.

1. Theobromine. It's a stimulant. Causes many of the same side effects as caffeine. Should not cause concern if the nursing mother eats sweets within reasonable limits. You need to eat more than 1.5 kg of chocolate per day to get too much theobromine in breast milk.
2. Caffeine. There are some types of chocolate that contain real caffeine. The presence of caffeine and theobromine may increase overall effect both, so pay attention to what's in the particular tile you're planning to eat.
3. Sugar. Harmless to the child.
4. Dairy products. The amount of dairy products in the composition is not enough to cause a problem in most children who are not allergic to them.

If there is more than 750 mg of caffeine and/or theobromine per day, the baby will be irritable and will not be able to sleep soundly.

3 influences on the baby

The elimination of caffeine from the body takes a long time in infants. If a mother eats too much chocolate during breastfeeding, it can cause indigestion in the newborn. Irritability and insomnia are likely.

If the baby begins to show any signs of the following effects, then he is sensitive to chocolate or some of the ingredients in its composition. Need to stop using a large number of sweets until you wean him from the breast.

The child may become too restless

If you eat a lot of treats and then feed the baby soon after, you may notice that the baby becomes nervous. This is almost always due to the caffeine and theobromine in breast milk.

If this has happened more than once, it is best to stop using it.

Diarrhea or vomiting

The baby may be one of those children who is sensitive to the presence of chocolate in milk. If so, he will have diarrhea, vomiting, excess gas, or all three at once. It is unpleasant. So this is another good reason to avoid sweets.

bad dream

Similar to the problem with fussiness, you may find that your baby cannot sleep soundly at night if you have eaten chocolate before the night feed. This too may be due to theobromine and caffeine in breast milk.

When to stop eating?

If a child has the following side effects, you should stop eating a treat or significantly limit yourself.

• Vomit.
• Gas formation.
• Irritability.
• Insomnia.
• Diarrhea.
• Nausea.
• Hyperactivity.

Is white better than dark?

Definitely yes! Dark is made up of hard cocoa therefore has higher levels of caffeine and theobromine.

White contains less caffeine and does not contain cocoa solids or theobromine.

For moms who love dark (bitter) chocolate, it is preferable to switch to white, which has less caffeine.

Can you eat foods containing chocolate?

Cookies, milk and cakes can be part of the mother's diet if everything is fine with the baby. However, look out for any signs of an allergy to cow's milk, eggs or other ingredients in these products.

Is it safe to drink hot chocolate while breastfeeding?

You can drink a cup of hot chocolate a day.

However, keep an eye on any problems with gas formation in the child. If they appear, it is better to temporarily stop using until you wean the baby from the breast.

Chocolate is undeniably delicious. Its use in moderate amounts while breastfeeding is the key to avoiding any consequences. But if your child shows any adverse reactions, then it is better to stop or reduce its consumption to a minimum.

After the stress of childbirth, you want to treat yourself to something tasty. Many women, without hesitation, go to the store for sweets. Let's see if you can eat chocolate while breastfeeding.

High-quality chocolate bar has the following useful properties:

• cocoa beans in the composition contain antioxidants that slow down the aging process of the body;
• stimulates the production of endorphins - hormones of happiness, as a result of which the mood rises, a surge of strength and energy is felt;
• contains potassium and magnesium, which strengthen muscles and soothe nervous system.

There are a couple of myths about this product. First, chocolates are addictive. Yes, this is true, but to achieve withdrawal, you need to eat at least 55 tiles a day. Second, it contains a lot of caffeine. Yes, they do contain caffeine, but in one bar it is 6 times less than in a cup of coffee.

What is harmful

Doctors say that chocolate should never be eaten during lactation. There are several reasons why nursing mothers should not eat a treat:

1. This yummy when feeding is a strong allergen.
2. Strongly strengthens and causes constipation and increased gas formation.
3. The caffeine in sweets can cause insomnia in a newborn.
4. The likelihood of weight gain due to large amounts of sugar.
5. Additives in the form of preservatives and flavor enhancers or vegetable fats.

There is an opinion that it is better to use White chocolate during breastfeeding as it does not contain caffeine and is more easily absorbed by the body. But despite this, the product contains a lot of carbohydrates, which provokes severe flatulence in the baby.

During breastfeeding, it is better to take bitter or dark.

When can

Let's figure out when you can eat chocolate with GV.

For the first 3 months, any chocolate for a nursing mother is strictly prohibited!

After this period, you can eat literally 5 grams of goodies. We carefully observe the reaction of the baby: any sleep disturbances, behavior, skin rashes indicate that it is better to wait a while with taking sweets. In this case, you can wait until the child is 9-10 months old and try again.

In the case when everything went well, the child's body reacted positively to cocoa beans, you can gradually increase the dose.

Please note that while breastfeeding, you should eat no more than a quarter of a tile per day, so do not abuse the product.

It is better to eat in the morning. Then it will be convenient to observe the reaction of the child in the second half. An allergic reaction can manifest itself in a few days, so be vigilant. In the evening, it is better to refrain from sweets, since the caffeine contained in cocoa beans excites the nervous system, which will make it very difficult for the baby to fall asleep.

Which to choose?

It is best for a nursing mother to take bitter or dark, in this they add the least different food additives that cause allergies. Let's see if dark chocolate is possible while breastfeeding.

With a little, everything is possible. Prohibitions and restrictions on breastfeeding have a negative impact on the health status of both the mother and her child. The main thing is that the sweetness is of high quality, and the child himself tolerates it normally. But remember that you need to eat it in the morning.

cocoa beans are considered strong allergen. They can cause rashes and redness, malfunctions gastrointestinal tract, cough, runny nose and swelling in the baby, so before you introduce this product into your diet while breastfeeding, be sure to consult a specialist.

Do not hesitate to seek help if you notice at least one of the signs of an allergic reaction in a baby! Seeing a doctor early can save a life.

milk joy

Milk chocolate has the following properties:

• Contains antioxidants.
• Restores the cardiovascular system.
• Slows down the aging process.
• Gives strength and energy.
• Improves the emotional background.

After reading about the usefulness, some women make a big mistake by starting to eat several tiles of goodies a day. Then they wonder where it came from excess weight and rashes all over the body. Is it possible for a nursing mother to have chocolate at all? To achieve a surge of strength, just a few pieces a day are enough.

For a nursing mother daily dose- 10 grams. For an ordinary person - no more than 40 grams per day.

Contraindications

To date, mankind has come up with many ways to enrich the already bright taste cocoa. One way is to add more sugar. But unfortunately, not everyone fully understands possible harm from such an additive. A large amount of sugar is dangerous:

• For the teeth and gums of a nursing mother.
• For appearance women.
• For people prone to obesity.
• The possibility of getting used to a sweet child.
• For people prone to diabetes.

These are the main reasons why you should not eat chocolates. Never take a tile where cocoa is used instead vegetable fats. The benefits of such a tasty treat are zero, but the harm is many times greater.

It is better to take a smaller tile, but more expensive and better, than to take more and cheaper, but with huge amount additives. As the people say, the miser pays twice, and in this case he will have to pay not only with his health, but also with the health of the baby.

When can you eat milk chocolates?

The terms here are the same as for bitter sweetness: no less than 3 or even 5 months. Then you can introduce it a little bit into the diet.

To begin with, eat a small piece, weighing up to 5 grams, and wait 3-4 days. If the child has an allergy to the product, it will manifest itself during this time.

When everything went well, gradually increase the dose, but do not forget to monitor changes in the behavior and well-being of the child. If you find an allergy in a baby, do not despair. Most likely, his body is simply not yet strong enough and is not ready for new products. Try again when 9-10 months have passed since the birth. By this time, the child has already formed a fairly resistant microflora, ready for new food.

And remember that milk chocolate while breastfeeding can be eaten strictly in the morning. So it is much more convenient to monitor the condition of the child, and the child falls asleep much easier and more soundly at night. Not only your life now depends on your decisions and actions, but also the life of a little man, do not forget about it. Love yourself and be happy.

Sometimes there are moms with a sweet tooth - lovers of chocolates, sweets and other sweets.

Chocolate is such a product, the use of which increases the production of energy in the body. Also contained in it, potassium and magnesium activate the muscles and nervous system, providing positive influence. Is it possible for a nursing mother to have chocolate?

The question is very controversial, let's figure it out!

How much and when can you eat chocolate during breastfeeding?

For the first days and months of a child's life, you should abstain from chocolate. You have to wait at least three months.

Start eating chocolate with little piece, approximately 5 grams. Then be sure to watch the child.

If rashes suddenly appear, it would be wiser to give up chocolate. In this case, you will have to be patient and try to eat chocolate later. Full article about the ways and approaches to introduce new products into the diet for breastfeeding: Nutrition during breastfeeding >>>

Another curious moment about chocolate: an allergic reaction at the first use is not yet a diagnosis, that in the future it will always manifest itself. When your child gets stronger, it may not be anymore. Try to repeat the use of chocolate closer to 9 - 10 months, and even later.

If the child's body reacts positively to the use of chocolate, you can gradually add the amount. But no more than a quarter of a bar a day, chocolate should not be abused.

Try eating chocolate in the first half of the day in order to follow the reaction of the child's body in the afternoon. In the case of chocolate, rashes may appear after a few days. Therefore, be careful not to harm the baby.

It is better to refrain from eating chocolate for a nursing mother in the evening with tea or at night.

Chocolate contains caffeine, which is found in cocoa beans, and it has an exciting effect on the child. The baby will have a hard time sleeping.

What chocolate to choose?

• Buy proven chocolate to eat.
• Do not eat suspicious tiles and bars.

High-quality, properly made chocolate will give you strength, improve your mood and will not negative influence on a child. It is more correct to make your choice in favor of dark chocolate, it practically does not contain chemicals that cause an allergic reaction.

Can a breastfeeding mom have chocolate? If you really want it, you can. Don't limit yourself to a ban on favorite treat, remember about the health of the child. If your baby is fine with the fact that you eat chocolate, then indulge yourself with sweets. Be sure to observe the measure - eat in the morning and only high-quality chocolate.

Exist different opinions about what you can eat before childbirth. All of them are quite contradictory. How to do the right thing? The most important thing is to listen to your needs and common sense. And if you want something "forbidden", then just do not forget about the measure. Each organism is individual, and even in childbirth, which are regulated by identical natural fluctuations hormonal background, a woman may experience dissimilar, individual food needs.

If you want, then eat to your health! In this case, it would be more correct to ask which foods can be eaten before childbirth, and which ones are better to refuse.

Nutrition before childbirth in a few weeks

It is reasonable to recommend switching to a plant-milk diet 3-4 weeks before childbirth. Yoghurts, fruits, cottage cheese, cereals, salads, soups allow you to get enough and at the same time not overload the intestines and pancreas. Starting at 36 weeks, a baby can be born at any time. Therefore, such a diet contributes to the normal course of the entire birth process, whenever it begins, and the preparation of the body for childbirth.

Why not sweet and savory? Firstly - this extra calories. Secondly, during the digestion of these products, fermentation processes predominate in the intestines, which contributes to gas formation. Plus, these same foods contribute to or aggravate constipation. You also need to consider the likelihood of the appearance or exacerbation of hemorrhoids.

What to pay attention to?

Enough important product before childbirth is vegetable oil. This is a powerful protection against breaks in childbirth. Under its influence, elasticity blood vessels and tissues of the birth canal increases. If you have gastronomic preferences in this matter, then you can use any: olive, sunflower, pumpkin, linseed, walnut, etc. Use oil for salad dressings, which is more comfortable, or drink one spoonful in pure form daily.

Should I eat during labor and labor?

The physiology of childbirth is such that in a hungry woman slows down, labor activity stops. The reason for this is the increase in the level of adrenaline. With the advent of contractions, if there is a desire, it makes sense to eat. If you don't want to eat, then don't.

The female body can independently replenish energy costs from own reserves. Judging by the feelings of the majority of women in labor, there is no desire to eat during childbirth, and there is no time. This is especially true for fast (rapid) births. The food in them is irrelevant, inappropriate. But in protracted labor, it is advised to eat ... Chocolate.

Why do you need chocolate during childbirth?

Chocolate is used to induce labor. But definitely black (bitter). In some maternity hospitals, a bar of dark chocolate is on the list of obligatory things in the maternity hospital. It is believed that the substances contained in bitter chocolate have a stimulating effect on the cervix - it opens faster and lowers the pain threshold. Reduced sensitivity to pain is due to the content of serotonin, which stimulates the release of endorphins - hormones of "happiness". But you need to be careful - opening the neck is often accompanied by nausea and the urge to vomit.

The use of chocolate to induce labor has positive and negative feedback. Therefore, it is up to you and the doctor to decide whether to eat chocolate before childbirth. Just get ready to take him to the hospital. And in childbirth, you decide for yourself whether you need it specifically or not. If you decide, then, most importantly, do not eat the whole tile at once. Choose the freshest and highest quality chocolate for childbirth, with the maximum cocoa butter content. White and milk tiles - do not have a pronounced stimulating effect on the cervix.

When using dark chocolate to stimulate childbirth, it is worth remembering its sensitizing effect - the ability to cause allergies. An allergen can affect not only the mother's body, but also the baby being born.

5 rules for eating before childbirth

• If you want to eat, do it. The presence of psychological discomfort caused by hunger prolongs labor. In the absence of appetite, you should not eat by force.

• Eat cooked food in small portions.

• The best foods before childbirth are a boiled egg, dried fruits, bread rolls, baked fruit, biscuit cookies.

• Most likely, after eating the above foods, you will want to drink. Take water with you or pre-prepared herbal collection, tea in half-liter bottles with "sport" lids. As practice shows, it is more convenient to drink from them without spilling. It is a generally accepted fact that the best drink during childbirth is pure water. A large volume of liquid in the stomach stretches the walls and slows down digestion. Thus causing the urge to vomit. You need to drink in small portions.

• Make your own hot chocolate.

Eating before childbirth does not affect their duration and frequency of surgical interventions. Operative delivery - caesarean section - is possible after a meal. Previously, general anesthesia was used for anesthesia. This was the reason for the ban on food before childbirth. Nowadays, epidural anesthesia is widely used. Therefore, the food taken is not a hindrance to the operation.

There is an opinion that it is impossible to eat before childbirth in order to prevent involuntary defecation in the laborious period. For the same reason, an enema is recommended before childbirth. Physiologically, the body is conceived very wisely and at the beginning of labor, the intestines are emptied on their own. So this argument is not a reason to torture yourself with hunger in childbirth.

Conclusion

Eating before childbirth should not cause discomfort. Small portions of allowed foods will help you rejuvenate and cheer up. What you can eat before childbirth - you already know. For the rest, rely on your body, just listen to it.

Hello dear blog readers.

During lactation, a woman is forced to adhere to strict diet so as not to harm the growing baby. But sometimes you really want to treat yourself to something sweet, for example, a small bar of chocolate. Let's find out if chocolate is possible for a nursing mother, as well as its effect on the child.

One of the well-known qualities of sweet tiles is the ability to improve well-being and mood. This is due to the fact that the consumption of chocolate contributes to the production of endorphins - hormones of happiness. This substance also levels the emotional background of a young mother, relieving anxiety and nervous tension.

Chocolate is also valued for its ability to have a beneficial effect on the state of the body. It has useful properties:

• improves brain activity;
• reduces the risk of developing a heart attack;
• normalizes pressure;
• strengthens bone tissue;
• has a tonic effect;
• improves skin condition.

Do not forget that this product is very high in calories. This must be remembered by women who have gained excess weight during the period of bearing a child, and are now striving to lose a few kilograms. In this case, excessive consumption of chocolate can negate all the efforts of a nursing mother.

What is chocolate

There are three main types of this delicacy:

Lactic

It contains milk or dry cream. Such a product is contraindicated for mothers whose children are prone to allergies to cow protein.

Dark

The most common type. It, in turn, is divided into classic and bitter chocolate. Contains crushed and past heat treatment cocoa beans, and powdered sugar.

White

It does not contain cocoa beans, but contains a large amount of carbohydrates. Easily absorbed by the body.

Dark chocolate is considered the most valuable. It is 70% grated cocoa beans and has no artificial flavor additives. But for a nursing mother, dark chocolate is not recommended. It can cause a severe allergic reaction in a child.

The original type of product is white chocolate. It does not contain cocoa beans, but it contains a large amount of carbohydrates. The use of this delicacy can lead to a violation in digestive system baby, cause increased gas formation and colic.

Classical dark chocolate does not have such a large concentration of cocoa beans in its composition, so its effect on the body is milder. It is this chocolate, without flavorings and fillers, that is most preferable for women during lactation.

Differences in treats by production method

There are two types of chocolate produced in different basis- organic and fructose. In the first case, the basis is cocoa beans collected in ecologically clean areas. They are crushed and fried at temperatures up to 45 degrees.

This method of roasting helps to preserve maximum amount useful substances in the product. The taste of this chocolate is different from the traditional. It is considered a quality product. confectionery production. The composition of organic-based chocolate excludes additives and dyes, and the product quality mark must be on the packaging.

The production method, in which fructose is the basis of chocolate, is used to prepare a treat that is allowed for people with diabetes. For nursing mothers with such a diagnosis, it is better to exclude even this type of chocolate from the diet so as not to harm your child.

Who Should Not Eat Chocolate?

Nursing mothers need to be careful when introducing this product into the diet. If she or her relatives are diagnosed with diabetes, then the use of any kind of chocolate should be abandoned.

With a tendency to allergic reactions, the use of chocolate is possible, but not before the child is 6 months old. Before trying a sweet tile, a mother should consult a pediatrician to rule out the possibility of developing a severe allergy in the baby.

The answer to the question: is chocolate possible when breastfeeding a newborn, negative. This delicacy can cause both allergies and indigestion in the baby. Therefore, in the first month after the birth of a child, the use of chocolate is prohibited.

Which chocolate to choose

Many doctors do not recommend mothers during lactation to use this product. The main reason why chocolate should not be breastfed is the ability to cause allergic reactions. If mom still wants to treat herself to this delicacy, she must follow a number of rules:

• you can only use a high-quality product;
• it is necessary to abandon chocolate with various fillers and additives;
• give up dark chocolate in the first six months after the birth of a child;
• it is important to remember that dark chocolate has an exciting effect on the nervous system of the child, and white chocolate disrupts the digestive tract;
• from all the variety confectionery it is better to give preference to classic dark chocolate;
• the product should be consumed in small portions no more than 1 time per week.

According to the pediatrician Komarovsky, chocolate after childbirth can be consumed by those women who ate this product during pregnancy. Of course, remembering the norms and carefully observing the reaction of the baby. Those who refused sweet tiles before childbirth should introduce the product into the diet with extreme caution.

Rules of use

Mom, if she decides to diversify her menu with this delicacy, you need to follow the recommendations of experts:

• you can not eat a treat in the first three months after childbirth;
• eat the first portion of chocolate in the morning, remember that it is no more than 5 grams;
• over the next three days, watch the baby, if everything is fine - the next portion of the treat can be increased to 25 grams;
• eat chocolate no more than once a week;
• avoid chocolate bars low quality content various additives, such chocolate is harmful not only to the child, but also to the mother.

The best period when a nursing mother can eat chocolate is 6 months after the birth of a child. But if the desire to eat a treat is great, then it is permissible to eat a “square” of chocolate when the child reaches the age of three months and observe the reaction of the baby. If you have allergies or digestive problems, you will have to give up treats for 2-3 months.

controversial issue

There is no definite answer to the question: is it possible for a nursing mother to have chocolate? Different experts have their own opinion on this matter. In this situation, a woman should listen to herself and be able to measure the benefits and possible risks.

If a nursing mother wants to eat something sweet, it means that the body does not have enough glucose. You can get the necessary substance not only from chocolate, but also from more useful products, for example, from dried fruits.

If mom wants chocolate, then you should not deny yourself the pleasure of eating a treat, the main thing is to observe the measure.

Selection rules

When buying sweet tiles in a store, pay attention to the composition of the product. As part of good chocolate, without additives and fillers, should appear:

• cocoa beans;
• powdered sugar;
• cocoa butter.

Manufacturers often, in order to save and reduce production costs, use different harmful additives: Palm oil, preservatives, stabilizers. It is not recommended to use such chocolate for a nursing mother.

The color of the chocolate should be saturated, the surface of the bar should be even. It is unacceptable to use a product that has a white coating on the surface. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of the product and its price category. Quality product cannot be cheap.

conclusions

Chocolate is a strong allergenic product, so its use during lactation is undesirable. But you will not hear a categorical ban from doctors. Each mother must decide for herself whether she needs to eat this product, or if she can do without using it.

Another question: when can chocolate be breastfed? Here, the mother must take into account the health of her baby. If there is no tendency to allergic reactions, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, then the first sample of sweet tiles can be done when the child is 3 months old, but it is better to wait up to 6 months. By this time the immune system the child will get stronger, and the gastrointestinal tract will become sufficiently developed. In this case, the risk negative impact harmful components will decrease, and the baby will no longer react so sharply to an unfamiliar product.

A nursing mother should exclude chocolate from her diet if she has diabetes. If there are allergies in the family, then before starting to use this delicacy, it is necessary to consult with a pediatrician.

Of all the types of sweet bars, for a nursing mother and baby, classic dark chocolate is the safest. High Quality. It does not affect the nervous system of the child as aggressively as bitter, and does not harm digestive tract like white. Milk chocolate a nursing mother is also allowed, provided that the child is not allergic to cow protein.

A woman during lactation should remember that the first test of a sweet tile is carried out in the morning, mass portioned piece should be 5 grams. If everything is fine with the baby, the portion is increased to 25 grams.

Dear readers, leave your comments and share the link to the article with your friends in in social networks. Let other mothers also learn about the peculiarities of eating chocolate during breastfeeding.