1. Colic
One in ten babies suffers from colic, which usually starts in the first few months and typically goes away by the time the baby is three to four months old. It is a distressing condition, which usually occurs in the evening with the baby crying loudly and continuously and frequently drawing the legs upwards and towards the chest. The stomach is usually bloated and tense and passing wind or stools usually helps. Colic is probably caused by a combination of various factors including an immature nervous system in the gut, over-feeding, or the wrong feeding posture, or it may be due to a cow’s milk or lactose intolerance or sensitivity to something else in the mum’s diet such as gas-forming foods. Common culprit foods to watch include dairy, chocolate, caffeine, melons, cucumbers, peppers, citrus fruits, juices, and spicy foods. In addition reducing gas-forming foods such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, red and green peppers, onions, beans, and legumes may help.
Discuss with your healthcare practitioner before avoiding these foods, as these are healthy foods, which should only be avoided if need be. Your practitioner can also check for potential problems such as lactose intolerance. Soothing herb teas may also be worth a try for mum as they may calm the baby’s digestive system. Chamomile, fennel, peppermint, and ginger can have a soothing and relaxing effect. Baby massage may also help.
2. Lack of beneficial bacteria…
Baby’s sterile gut is first populated with bacteria when they are born. They pick up beneficial bacteria from mum’s birth canal on their journey and this provides key immune support to the gut. If mum has low levels of good bacteria and thrush in pregnancy baby picks up less good bacteria but also picks up more yeast. This may lead to fermentation, bloating, and irritability in the baby. Baby specific probiotics can be given to support the baby’s gut health and are especially advisable if the baby was born via cesarean section and so was not as exposed to the beneficial bacteria in the birth process.
3. Allergies / intolerance
It is possible that avoiding potentially allergenic foods in pregnancy and babyhood will reduce the chance of the child developing allergies. WHO advises that if either parent is atopic (has inherited allergies such as eczema, asthma, or hay fever) they consider avoiding peanuts in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Peanuts are however only one of the common allergens. If the baby is not feeding well, is getting diarrhea or vomiting, is not growing well or is getting eczema or skin rashes, and their doctor has ruled out other causes, it may be wise to look at sensitivities to the food mum is eating.
Common triggers that may need to be removed from mum’s diet are wheat, coffee, tea, chocolate, citrus, soy, nuts, and eggs. Lactose intolerance is different to an allergy or sensitivity to milk as it is the inability to digest the sugar in milk rather than an immune reaction to the protein. This can be a problem in breast and bottle-fed babies and can be tested.
The body manufactures nourishing breast milk at the expense of the mum so although it is comforting to know that baby’s needs are prioritized, if mum does not get enough nutrients and is run down she is less likely to enjoy fulfilling the demands that babies bring.
Plan Ahead
Plan your first couple of weeks of food before the baby is born. That way when people offer to help you can be specific about what they can get or prepare for you whilst you focus on getting to know baby. Include foods that are easy to eat whilst feeding, especially meals which can be prepared in advance and frozen. Soups and stews make great meals in a cup. Include potatoes, brown rice or pasta, plenty of vegetables and some meat or beans, and keep the chunks small so they can be drunk without the need for cutlery. Avoid spicy foods, which may put baby off at first.
Balance blood sugar levels
When tired and busy it can be all too easy to reach for sugary quick fixes for fast energy. The sugars from processed carbohydrates are however quickly released into the bloodstream where, in excess, they can cause damage. The body tries to regain balance by storing excess fast carbs and turning them into body fat. This leads to weight gain, a slump in energy and mood, and cravings for more nutrient-depleted calories.
Eat at regular intervals to help keep blood sugar levels balanced. Eat within an hour of waking and include healthy snacks between your main meals.
Aim to have something to eat every three to four hours. Also, leave a snack and drink by the bed for night feeding.
Add some quality protein (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, and pulses) to each meal as it slows digestion helping you release steady useable energy rather than highs and lows.
Add vegetables and lower sugar fruits such as berries to each meal as the fiber help to slow digestion and keep energy steady.
Avoid caffeinated drinks, which can lead to a stress hormone release that can trigger the body to release stored sugar leading to high blood sugar and subsequently low.
Steady energy carbohydrates
Include fiber-rich complex carbohydrates such as whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, rye, and oats) which support blood sugar balance as well as supplying essential nutrients. Soluble fiber from oats and flax seeds is especially helpful in relieving constipation, which can be a problem post-birth. Fiber supports daily detoxification and helps prevent bloating. Beans and pulses are an excellent choice of complex carbohydrates as they provide, in addition to the carbohydrate content, protein, and fiber, and are low in saturated fat.
Nutrient rainbow
Go for 8-a-day vegetables and fruit, as this is where the health benefits evidence lies. They provide vital vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Focus more on the vegetables than the fruits, as they are lower in sugar. Ideally have five to six portions of vegetables a day and two to three of fruit. Include three different vegetables at lunch and dinner and fruit with Breakfast and one of your snacks and you will easily reach 8-a-day. The different colors provide different nutrients so include dark green leafy vegetables for minerals and orange, red and purple for vitamins and protective antioxidants.
Brain-building fats
Include omega-3 fats from small-sized oily fish, flax, and hemp seeds. These fats are essential for the baby’s brain, nervous system, and eye development. When cooking use olive or grapeseed oil for shallow frying and organic coconut oil for baking, and keep the temperature below 180°C. Keep polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower, sesame, flax, and hemp for cold use such as salad dressings or drizzling overcooked foods. Buy oils in glass rather than plastic bottles as fat can draw potentially harmful chemicals out of plastic.
Bodybuilding proteins
When pregnant and breastfeeding, mums need more protein than usual. Protein is a key food group as it forms the building blocks of the body and hence is required for building and repairing cells, muscles, organs, and tissues. Protein building amino acids are required for the immune system and mood. Protein is also required for milk production.
Include protein from sources unattached to saturated fats. Vegetable protein is ideal, include nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, and tofu. Dairy products provide protein; choose the types, which are lower in saturated fats. Whitefish and small-sized oily fish are also good protein sources.
Vital hydration
Plenty of fluid is required to prevent dehydration and maintain milk supply. Water is the ideal choice, ideally filtered and alkalized (from a built-in system or jug). Have this between meals and drink through the day rather than in large quantities to help prevent stress on the kidneys. Avoid water with meals as it may dilute digestive enzymes before a meal is ideal. Vegetable juices are a great way to add extra nutrients as well as fluids and they tend to be lower in sugar than fruit juices. Fruit teas and relaxing teas such as chamomile can also add a variety of flavor. Aim for one and a half to two liters of fluids a day, more if you are exercising or the weather is hot.
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Idah Muthama – VitabioticsKe
