Any woman who is breastfeeding, especially during the period of a newborn’s baby, is very attentive to her diet. Many products are “under suspicion” during this period. They are “accused” of bad stool in the child, colic. But the most dangerous phenomenon is food intolerance.
One of the most pressing and controversial questions – is honey possible for a nursing mother? After all, this bee product is capable of causing an allergic reaction. How dangerous is the introduction of beekeeping products into the menu of a nursing mother? And does such food really adversely affect the baby?
The content of the article
- 1 Benefit
- 2 Possible harm
- 3 Which variety to give preference
- 4 About quality
- 4.1 About temperature
- 5 About the diet of infants
- 5.1 What do the doctor’s say
Benefit
Natural bee honey is a high-calorie, easily digestible and healthy product. For women in the first 2-3 months after childbirth, its use is especially beneficial. Because the mother’s body needs a speedy recovery.
Honey product is mainly rapidly absorbed into the blood simple carbohydrates… Glucose and fructose are found here in different proportions, depending on the variety. These proportions, of course, affect the calorie content, but the benefits for the body remain in any case. A woman quickly replenishes energy reserves, her stamina and performance increase.
The second important component is microelements… Honey eaten on an empty stomach is a balanced product, the chemical composition of which is enriched with phosphorus, iron, fluorine, sodium, potassium, calcium. In total, there are up to 200 micro and macro elements.
The darker the color of the variety, the more microelements it contains.… For example, the buckwheat variety is rich in iron. It is recommended for anemia, general weakness.
The third important point is vitamin content… The honey product cannot be called the record holder for vitamins, but they are present in it.
Moreover, the most important:
- Biotin regulates blood sugar levels, helps the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins.
- Ascorbic acid has a beneficial effect on digestion and the immune system.
- Pyridoxine maintains blood sugar levels, restores the potassium-sodium balance in body fluids, and takes part in metabolic processes.
- Pantothenic acid promotes cell regeneration and hormone production.
So, is honey possible with breastfeeding, given so many beneficial properties of the bee product? Of course yes. But you need to eat it wisely.
If all contraindications are taken into account, the dosage is not exceeded, the woman:
- feels vigorous and vigorous;
- she has a sound sleep and a good mood;
- no signs of vitamin deficiency or stress.
And perhaps most importantly – breast milk from such a mother is more saturated with useful substances… Its quality is noticeably higher.
Possible harm
But at the same time natural honey can harm the health of both mother and baby.
Is it possible to use honey with HS depends on the following factors:
- whether the mother has a food intolerance to the product (congenital or acquired);
- the presence of the same intolerance in the baby (the child may receive intolerance as an “inheritance” from the mother);
- problems with weight in the mother (with obesity, the honey product creates an additional load on the pancreas, liver, and with excessive consumption it contributes to weight gain);
- the presence of inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract in the mother;
- the presence of diabetes mellitus in the mother (even women who are not breastfeeding are forced to strictly control their well-being by measuring the blood sugar level after consuming honey, but with hepatitis B, such experiments with nutrition should not be performed).
It would be best to contact your family doctor for recommendations regarding the introduction of a medical product into your diet.… It is necessary to take into account all existing chronic diseases, the state of health and condition of the mother, child.
Read: How to recognize and treat honey allergies
Which variety to give preference
The requirements for the daily diet of a woman after childbirth are increased. Whether honey can be nursing is determined by the following factors:
- the quality of the medical product;
- lack of contraindications.
If the mother herself eats honey, there are no age restrictions for the baby… That is, the product can be:
- when breastfeeding a newborn;
- when breastfeeding in the first month;
- when breastfeeding at 2 months, and so on.
The rule is very simple: there is no allergy in the mother, any even minor contraindications – honey during lactation can be at any period of feeding the baby. It makes no difference on the first day of life, it was introduced into the menu or at the age after one year.
Of the varieties, it is preferable to choose light varieties. For example, acacia. This is the most hypoallergenic variety… It is gradually introduced into the menu, even with a slight allergy to sweets and, in fact, honey.
Project Author . checked it on myself. Acacia honey can be eaten one to two teaspoons for 5-7 days without any harm to health, even if there is a slight allergy to natural honey.
What are the other requirements for honey when breastfeeding?
It:
Its natural origin… Purchase the product only from trusted beekeepers. If you buy from the market, use a small jar. Be sure to check for impurities at home. And only after that take a large batch.
Read: How to determine the natural origin of honey at home
Regular consumption of bee products in moderate doses, which will provide a therapeutic and health-improving effect. You can eat from one to two to three tablespoons without the top per day. Either drink an aqueous solution on an empty stomach or at night (1-2 teaspoons per glass of boiled chilled water). You can also drink warm milk at night. This calms the nerves, makes sleep deep and fulfilling (even frequent waking up for feeding will not be so tiring).
About quality
Quality honey product:
- can be candied or liquid (crystallization does not reduce nutritional value, many varieties are candied very quickly);
- have a pleasant floral scent;
- have a delicate taste (depending on the variety, a slight bitterness or astringency may be felt);
- in a liquid state, drain from the spoon in a continuous thin stream without the formation of separate droplets;
- have no sediment at the bottom, signs of fermentation (foam on the surface, turbidity);
- have a weight of 1,4 kilograms per liter, which corresponds to maturity (moisture level not more than twenty percent).
About temperature
Remember! Honey does not tolerate heating above 40 degrees, especially long-term… This leads to the destruction of plant antibiotics, vitamins, and a change in the composition of sugars.
Do not purchase a bee product if you suspect that it has been warmed up before selling. Many buyers believe that honey should be liquid. Sellers follow customer demand – they heat up the candied product, sometimes not observing the thermal regime.
Read: On the correct heating (melting) of candied honey
What should be suspicious? If 3-4 months have passed after downloading, and the honey is still liquid. Exception – acacia variety… It crystallizes the slowest. The pumping season runs from late May to mid-August inclusive.
Is it possible for a nursing mother to have honey with tea? Not allowed if the drink is hot. This is also a violation of the thermal regime. You need to drink warm tea with a bite of honey. It is even better to suck a teaspoon or dessert spoon of healthy sweetness in your mouth, and after 15-20 minutes drink warm or hot herbal tea. In this way, seasonal colds are treated.
About the diet of infants
Another important question – is it possible for babies to receive honey? With the beginning of the introduction of complementary foods (according to the WHO recommendations for hepatitis B this is the age of 5-6 months), the child’s menu may contain natural honey.
Up to six months (even better up to a year), the honey product is not used, since theoretically it may contain causative agents of botulism.
In adults, the pathogen is destroyed in the digestive tract without harming health. And in babies, the digestive system is still immature, which increases the risk of infection.
Read: Honey in baby food
The product is introduced literally at the tip of a teaspoon, carefully monitoring the reaction of the child’s body. The daily norm in the absence of allergies is no more than half a teaspoon.
What do the doctor’s say
In this case, the opinion of pediatricians is unequivocal – honey is prohibited for breastfeeding for both mother and small child. Moreover, children are forbidden to give it up to 2,5-3 years.
The diet of a nursing mother is very strict. Porridge is cooked exclusively in water. Vegetables are boiled or baked. Fruit is also baked. Rabbit and turkey meat are eaten boiled. But all sweets and delicacies, including honey, pastries, chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits, are removed from the menu.
Whether it is worth following such a recommendation is up to you. Probably, a lot here depends on the propensity to allergies in the baby. Many mothers do not follow any diets, feeding children up to 1,5-2 years old. Others are less fortunate – the child’s digestive system reacts sharply to any non-dietary product in the mother’s menu.
By the way, traditional medicine advises to treat cough in children with six months of recipes, including natural honey. That is, in practice, medotherapy is not as scary as pediatricians claim. Still, you can eat honey for a nursing mother. Subject to the well-being of the mother and child.
