Breastfeeding? Here’s What Will Boost Your Energy Effectively!

One word to describe being a parent: TIRING (yes, joyful too, but mostly tiring)! There are so many new, unfamiliar things you now have to get used to without any official training. Some things you planned previously may no longer go accordingly. Not to mention, you now have multiple roles to play than you previously had prior to your newborn’s presence in the house.  

 

Motherhood is an experience that can be both gratifying and exhausting. Having a lot of energy for breastfeeding moms is even more important because you could burn hundreds of calories just to produce milk. As you celebrate the little bundle of joy in your life, you’d also have to carry the new responsibilities your baby brings with them. 

Sure, in areas where food is limited, breastfeeding babies can still thrive. While certain nutrients such as iodine, choline, vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C and Omega 3-DHA may be lacking in breast milk, it is important to prioritise your own nutritional needs. The body will typically adapt to the demands of breastfeeding by increasing appetite, using nutrients more efficiently, and relying on stored fat from pregnancy while reducing energy expenditure.

For mummies, apart from a healthy and balanced diet, the main micronutrients that should be focused on are iron, calcium and folate. Breastfeeding mothers should ensure adequate intake of these nutrients to support both their own health and that of their baby.

We get that handling all these new parenting responsibilities and keeping in mind what nutrients to take will normally tire you out as they’re physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. 

One of these responsibilities is nursing your baby. Most breastfeeding sessions occur every two to three hours, depending on your baby. Because of this, you will inevitably lose sleep and energy. Regardless, it is essential that you take care of your body and get the nutritional requirements met so you can feed your baby well. Keep in mind that at this point, you are the sole provider of food and nutrition for them. We’ll share some types of food that help to boost your energy levels so you can sustain breastfeeding to ensure a smooth experience for yourself and your little one.

Oatmeal

Food rich in carbohydrates helps to increase energy. Oatmeal is an excellent one and will supply you with the energy to carry on your motherhood tasks. 

Additionally, oats are a good source of fibre which will help regulate your blood sugar and combat those hunger pangs that can strike in between your main meals throughout the day. Grab yourself some oatmeal for breakfast or for your afternoon snack and get the essential energy needed for the day. You can also consider making overnight oats, they take just minutes to prepare!

Natural Yoghurt

Apart from the recommendation to take 2 servings of low fat milk per day to achieve adequate calcium intake while breastfeeding, Yoghurt  too is rich in calcium, a mineral you require during the lactation period. Your bones provided adequate calcium for your baby during the strenuous nine months whenever your meals do not make up for it, and your newborn continues to depend on the little calcium left in your system. Get a pack of yoghurt every other day, and maybe add them as a dessert after every meal. Additionally, you will enjoy the probiotics in yoghurt, thus promoting a healthy gut system.

Chocolate

Among the many energy boosters for new moms there are out there, we know many will like this one the most! Not only it can boost your energy, but chocolates can lift your mood as well! Feeling down? Grab a bar of chocolate!

Make a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the benefits that come with it. Opt for dark chocolate, it is a good source of magnesium which may be helpful in promoting better sleep at night too.

Take a serving of it whenever you are craving for a dessert, especially late in the afternoon when you feel drowsy and tired. It will also boost your mood, and you will have the energy to perform your motherly duties.

Assorted Nuts

Nuts require no cooking unless you want to add a touch of salad dressing to make them more appetising. You can snack on them as you wait for Chinese confinement food dealers to deliver your food. 

Nuts will supply your body with omega six fatty acids, proteins, Vitamin E and fibre. They are a terrific energy booster that you should always keep within reach. They promote satiety for longer periods of time too, thus regulating and minimizing cravings for other snacks randomly throughout the day. 

Fruits

These are essential for everyone, but more crucial for lactating mothers. Include them in all your meals, or if you have a reliable confinement catering in Singapore, they will always include assorted fruits in your meal. 

Singapore Health Hub recommends the general population to have at least 2 servings of fruits per day! The fruits will give you Vitamin C which is essential in promoting collagen production and building healthy skin, muscles and body tissues. It promotes good skin health! A fruit smoothie mixed with yoghurt will fill your system with awesome goodness.

On top of that, you could also opt for certain fruits like papaya as it can do wonders for a nursing mom. Boiled papaya contains saponins and alkaloids which can affect the production of prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin, on the other hand, functions as breast milk production synthesis. Alkaloid stimulates all smooth muscles to express breast milk at the alveoli. Put simply, papaya is one of the best lactation boosters you can have!

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Preparing some of these meals in your current state may seem tiring to make, but that doesn’t mean you should or could skip them as that is a terrible mistake for a lactating mother. 

The good news is, you can still enjoy a confinement meal in Singapore without stressing yourself too much. Call and arrange a delivery service for your meals and you can rest while still getting all the nutrients you need. It’s something we like to call a most convenient energy booster for breastfeeding moms!

At Tian Wei, we take care of all your needs as a nursing mom. Every meal comes with 1 litre of red dates tea to ensure sufficient liquid intake for you. We also incorporate various lactogenic ingredients into our meals to boost your milk production. Interested to know more about food for breastfeeding mothers? Swing on by our homepage today to browse through our menu of confinement foods!