The birth of a child is a joyful and grandiose event for the whole family. Every young mother tries to protect her newborn baby from various negative factors that can adversely affect the general condition and digestive system of her beloved child. Very often, when breastfeeding, mothers refuse their usual diet for fear of harming their baby, because everything she eats directly affects the taste and composition of breast milk.
What should the diet be like?
In order for breast milk to be as healthy and tasty as possible for the baby, the diet of a nursing woman must be correct and balanced. However, while breastfeeding a newborn baby, young mothers really want something tasty, especially on the eve of the holidays, when the smell of different delicacies comes from the neighbors’ doors.
In the first month of a newborn’s life, pediatricians strongly recommend that nursing mothers limit their menu as much as possible and consume a variety of foods only after consultation with a specialist. So, during this period, beneficial bacteria, which are very picky about food, populate the baby’s intestines.
The second and third months of a baby’s life are also a very important and responsible period. New foods should be added to the nurse's diet carefully and in small portions. Fruits are very useful during breastfeeding; they can or even should be included in the menu in the first months of lactation, but of course in moderation and not all fruits in a row, but only those recommended by the doctor.
In the first months of breastfeeding, it is recommended to completely avoid eating exotic and citrus fruits. In order to exclude adverse consequences for the newborn.
Disassembling the salad components
On Russian holiday tables, Olivier salad is considered one of the popular dishes. And many caring mothers, before sitting down to the table, wonder whether a nursing mother with breastfeeding can eat Olivier salad?
Undoubtedly, this is a very satisfying and healthy salad, but not all the ingredients included in this dish are safe for a baby who is fed breast milk.
According to pediatricians, it is advisable for mothers during lactation to avoid eating this salad, due to the fact that the usual preparation of Olivier contains harmful and allergenic ingredients that can cause disruption of the digestive system and a severe allergic reaction in infants. Such as:
- Mayonnaise, which can cause allergic rashes in the baby, worsens the taste of mother's milk;
- Sausage, in which the high content of preservatives provokes disturbances in the digestive system of a newborn;
- Canned peas - can cause colic and bloating;
- Pickles – due to their high salt and pepper content, may impair the quality of breast milk;
- Chicken eggs contain cow protein, which can be classified as an allergenic product.
But a nursing mother does not have to completely give up the Olivier salad; you can slightly change its composition by replacing harmful and allergenic foods with healthy and safe ones for infants.
Classic Olivier recipe
Salad “Olivier” is the most frequent guest on festive tables; it is adored by most of the population of our country; without it it is difficult to imagine celebrating the most important holiday, the New Year.
There are a great many Olivier recipes, each housewife prepares it using her own technology, the variations of the dish are varied, but most of the main ingredients remain the same.
Product set for classic Olivier
So, to prepare the traditional Olivier salad you will need the following products:
- Boiled potatoes;
- Boiled carrots;
- Boiled sausage;
- Canned peas;
- Boiled eggs;
- Pickles;
- Mayonnaise.
Even an inexperienced young mother understands that most of the ingredients in this dish are unacceptable during breastfeeding.
But don’t be upset, you can prepare a variation of the salad by replacing prohibited foods with permitted ingredients. With the right approach, a woman can treat herself to something tasty and not harm her baby.
What can you replace harmful ingredients with?
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise can be replaced with homemade sour cream, consisting of milk protein, amino acids and bifidobacteria, which are very useful for the full development of the child.
Sausage
An excellent substitute for store-bought sausage will be cooked turkey, rabbit, and chicken meat, which is perfectly absorbed by the baby’s body without creating problems in the tummy.
Egg
A chicken egg contains a lot of useful substances, it is a valuable source of vitamin D, amino acids, macro- and microelements (calcium, iodine, iron, manganese, magnesium and other minerals), improves brain function. But if a baby has an allergic reaction to a chicken egg, it is best to replace it with quail eggs.
Eating dietary and hypoallergenic quail eggs is very beneficial not only for the child, but also for the mother herself. Very often, after giving birth, young mothers do not have menstruation in the first month, and for some even several months. Quail eggs, rich in high content of B vitamins, help a nursing mother restore her monthly cycle.
Salted cucumbers
Pickled cucumbers are best consumed at home canned in small quantities, and it is best to replace them with fresh ones.
Polka dots
Fresh boiled peas can be included in a salad recipe instead of canned ones.
Useful Ingredients You Can Keep
Potato
Boiled potatoes are the best and safest vegetable for children, one of the first products introduced into the complementary feeding of an infant. Already at the end of the first month, after the birth of the child, nursing mothers add potatoes to their diet. Potatoes are a hearty and tasty vegetable used to prepare a variety of dishes; they are also an indispensable component in various salads. This product is rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutritional and beneficial elements.
Carrot
Boiled carrots are also included in the recipe for the modified Olivier salad. A bright and healthy vegetable, popular as a rich source of vitamin A, which plays an important role in the body of mother and child, improves the condition of the skin and hair, vision, and normalizes the psychological state.
Composition of Olivier for nursing
Boiled potatoes are the safest product for infants. Mashed potatoes are one of the first to be introduced into the diet of a nursing mother and into the baby’s first feeding. Already in the third or fourth week of lactation, you can eat boiled and stewed potatoes. This is a versatile vegetable that is suitable for preparing soups, main courses and salads.
Nutritious and satisfying, potatoes contain a lot of useful vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, ascorbic acid, calcium and magnesium, phosphorus and other useful elements. However, it extremely rarely causes an allergic reaction, stool and digestive disorders.
Salads for caring mothers
Preparing the salad does not take much time and mothers will have time to prepare it while their beloved child is sleeping. So, we offer a detailed recipe for a safe Olivier salad for nursing mothers. We take:
- boiled meat (chicken, turkey, rabbit) – 50 g;
- cucumbers (fresh or salted, but only homemade) – 50 gr.;
- quail eggs – 3-4 pcs.,
- potatoes – 250 gr. and carrots – 50 gr. (boiled and peeled).
Cut all these ingredients into small pieces, add salt to the sour cream, whisk and season the salad, add a little herbs for taste.
You can add another useful product to the recipe for our updated Olivier salad - grated cheese, which will add satiety to the dish and can replace some missing component.
Rules of use
After the Olivier salad recipe has been slightly changed, breastfeeding mothers can eat it, but subject to certain rules:
- Introduce it into your diet no earlier than 2 months;
- The first tasting of the salad should be done with a small portion (70-80g) and not on an empty stomach;
- Also, you should not eat it at night;
- You need to increase the portions gradually and only after 2 days, after you are sure that the dish did not cause bloating, colic or an allergic reaction (in the form of rashes on the body) in the child.
What products to include in Olivier
Ingredient | When can it be included in the diet during lactation? | Daily consumption rate |
Potato | In the first 7-10 days | 4-5 medium tubers |
Carrot | From 4-5 weeks | 1-2 medium carrots |
Eggs | At 3-4 weeks the yolk is introduced, by the second month - white | 1-2 eggs |
Fresh cucumbers | For 3-4 months | 1-2 medium fruits |
Salted and pickled cucumbers | After 6-8 months | 1-2 pieces |
Onion | From 2-3 months | ⅓ bulb |
Fresh green peas | From 3 months | 60-80 grams |
Fresh herbs | From 2 weeks | 150-200 grams |
Hard cheese | In 4-8 weeks | 40-60 grams |
Recipes for other salads for nursing mothers
Beetroot
Boiled beet salad is very healthy for both nursing mothers and babies. After all, beets contain a huge amount of nutrients and vitamins; this root vegetable is an excellent immunomodulator.
The recipe for beet salad is very simple:
Take 1 baked or boiled beetroot, grate it, add 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil, salt to taste.
Fruit
Fruit salads are also very beneficial for nursing women.
We present a recipe for a simple salad with the addition of fruits, which mothers can eat after 3 months of lactation. We will need:
- peeled green apple;
- feta cheese;
- avocado.
Cut everything into small pieces, add boiled peas. You can season it with olive oil.
Vitamin
Ingredients:
- one small zucchini;
- one bunch of lettuce leaves;
- kiwi 1 piece;
- curd cheese;
- hard cheese.
Cut all the ingredients into pieces, add a tablespoon of olive or sunflower oil and lemon juice, and salt to taste. All this can be sprinkled with chopped nuts.
Nutritious salad
We take 1 bunch of clean lettuce leaves, do not cut them, but tear the lettuce into pieces with our hands. Cut 1 sweet pepper into pieces, add 1 can of anchovies or tuna, cut 1 boiled egg into cubes. Season with low-fat sour cream.
The recipe for this salad is simple and does not take much time from mothers, but it is very healthy and satisfying, and is also enriched with amino acids and proteins.
Is it possible to eat Olivier while breastfeeding?
For breastfed children, the mother's diet is very important. Homemade dumplings can be eaten while breastfeeding. They contain high-quality products rich in fiber, magnesium, zinc, iron, and B vitamins. The filling, which includes meat, is also very healthy, as it contains animal protein valuable for the body. These semi-finished products practically do not cause allergies.
However, many doctors believe that dumplings during breastfeeding can be eaten no earlier than the fifth week after birth. At the same time, cook them yourself from fresh, lean meat and without spices.
But can nursing mothers eat store-bought dumplings? Not every young mother may have free time to create her favorite dish. In this case, nursing mothers can also buy store-bought dumplings. However, you need to carefully look at the composition of the product to exclude the presence of preservatives, dyes and other substances harmful to the newborn baby.
Often, store-bought dumplings may use stale meat, and sometimes it is replaced with a cheaper analogue. In the production of semi-finished products, spices may be used that cause allergies in children. The dough should consist only of flour, eggs (if the baby is not allergic to them), salt, water and vegetable oil. In addition, you definitely need to look at the expiration date and storage conditions of the dumplings.
However, preference should be given to homemade dumplings when breastfeeding. You need to eat them according to the same rules as other foods. Start with a small portion and monitor the child’s well-being. If there is no negative reaction to this dish, then you can slightly increase the next portion.
What should a nursing mother eat?
In the first three months of a child’s life, digestion is formed, and the process of “populating” the intestines with beneficial bacteria occurs. At this time, most mothers experience infant colic. Doctors have not found a direct relationship between the diet of nursing mothers and abdominal problems in the baby, while some foods can cause increased and painful gas formation in the child, which means they should be excluded from the diet.
It is impossible to predict in advance what foods the baby’s intestines will react to with colic; the mother must focus on her body and sensations. In most cases, it is necessary to determine the culprits of gas leaks empirically. For three months you should not overuse cabbage, potatoes, dairy products and legumes (peas, beans, lentils).
We suggest you read: How to properly wean a child from breastfeeding
Choice of filling
To prepare dumplings at home, you need to decide on the choice of filling. It is its composition that determines whether they can be eaten while breastfeeding or not. Minced meat can be:
- Beef. Many people believe that beef is the best option while breastfeeding. It is easily digestible and can be easily found in stores. Beef meat contains a lot of iron, so doctors recommend it for low hemoglobin. Pediatricians allow beef as complementary food for infants. However, if a child is allergic to cow's milk, you should not get carried away with this type of meat.
- Pork. Pork is a fatty type of meat. But it has one positive property: it is hypoallergenic. When choosing a part of a pig, it is advisable to give preference to pulp with a small amount of fat.
- Chicken. Chicken meat is known as a dietary product. But you should not eat it in the first months after birth, as it often causes allergies in infants.
The most useful meat for breastfeeding is rabbit and turkey meat. It does not provoke allergies, contains few calories, and is well absorbed by the body. Unfortunately, these products are not so easy to find on store shelves. And they are more expensive than other types of meat.
It is not recommended to eat dumplings during lactation at night to avoid digestive problems.
Features of salads for nursing mothers
What salads can nursing mothers eat? At this time, you are allowed to eat light salads: boiled beets with prunes, grated carrots with green apple, pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, salad with beef, herbs and vegetable oil. As a dressing, you can use vegetable oil, low-fat yogurt or a couple of spoons of sour cream. If a feast is planned, then a nursing mother can try harmful, “Crab” or “Olivier”, but no more than two tablespoons.
After the child is 3 months old, you can expand the diet. A new dish is introduced once every 3-4 days to monitor the reaction. Eggs, chicken meat, tomatoes, fruits and other products that mother had previously denied herself are gradually being added to the menu. Thus, if the child does not have allergies, all food restrictions on the mother’s menu can be lifted by the baby’s six months.
During this period, it is allowed to diversify the diet of a nursing mother with salads containing poultry, chicken and quail eggs, tomatoes, peppers, olives and other products. In the spring, you can try to supplement the menu with vegetable salads: radishes with sour cream and herbs, boiled eggs with young green onions and sour cream.
In autumn, vinaigrette and fried eggplants are added to the diet. Mayonnaise salads should still be consumed with caution and in small portions, as they can provoke allergic reactions.
We suggest you read: Soy milk for infants
Homemade dumplings recipe
Mayonnaise is the most popular dressing for meat and vegetable salads. Unfortunately, store-bought sauces cannot be called healthy in any way - a whole range of preservatives, additives and flavor enhancers can adversely affect the health of the baby and mother. An alternative to store-bought sauce can be homemade mayonnaise. The recipe impresses with its simplicity and speed of preparation. For homemade mayonnaise you will need:
- milk (any fat content) - 100 ml;
- vegetable oil of flavor - 250 ml;
- mustard - 1 tsp;
- lemon juice - 1–2 tbsp;
- salt (to taste) - 0.5 tsp.
Cooking process. Beat milk with vegetable oil in a blender until thick. This will take 10-15 seconds. Add mustard, salt and lemon juice, beat the mixture with a blender for another 10 seconds. The output is 400-450 ml. mayonnaise.
To prepare homemade dumplings for the filling you need to take:
- 800 grams of minced meat;
- 2 small onions;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- 700 grams of flour;
- 2 eggs;
- 1.5 glasses of warm water;
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Preparation:
- First you need to prepare the dough. To do this, mix eggs with water and salt. Pour all this into the flour and knead into a thick dough. At the very end you need to add oil.
- Then take the minced meat. It can be prepared from one type of meat or from several. Scroll the meat through a meat grinder along with garlic and onions. Add spices and a little water to it for juiciness.
- Roll out the dough and cut out circles using a glass. Place some minced meat in them and wrap the dumpling, pressing the edges of the circle firmly with your fingers.
- Or you can roll out the sausage from the dough and cut it into small pieces. Then roll out each piece, add minced meat and make a dumpling.
For those who are allergic to eggs or simply do not have them in stock, you can prepare a different dough. For it you need to take:
- 3 cups flour;
- 1 glass of cold water;
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
- 1 teaspoon salt.
Mix flour and salt and make a funnel. Pour in water and knead into a stiff dough.
Salads on the menu while breastfeeding - what is possible and what is not?
Then add the oil and knead it for a few more minutes. Now you can make dumplings.
Cook the finished dumplings in boiling water. If these are freshly prepared semi-finished products, then just wait three minutes and enjoy your favorite dish by adding butter, sour cream or other dressing.
Salt, add sugar and season with oil. Instead of regular white cabbage, you can use iceberg lettuce.
This is a healthy product that contains all the necessary vitamins, micro- and macroelements necessary for the growth and development of a child. In addition, it will be very useful for the mother during breastfeeding.
Beets are the most valuable product for nursing mothers. This vegetable is an excellent immunomodulator. It contains vitamins and many other nutrients. Even after heat treatment, the beneficial properties of this product are preserved. This vegetable should be introduced into the diet gradually, starting with small portions.
Beetroot salad with sunflower oil is an easy and very healthy dish for both mother and baby.
- To prepare it you will need: boiled or oven-baked beets - one piece and one teaspoon of vegetable oil.
- Season the grated beets with vegetable oil and add salt to taste.
- Is it possible for a nursing mother to have a salad with mayonnaise? The use of mayonnaise and salads in which this product is used as a dressing is strictly prohibited.
Crab salad, mimosa, as well as Olivier can be consumed no earlier than three months after pregnancy and only in small portions. Due to the fact that mayonnaise and eggs are products that provoke allergies, especially in children, they should be eaten with extreme caution and without fanaticism.
Marianna Pavley
Pregnancy, children
baby4u.ru