Its told that 'The moment a child born, the mother is also born'. Becoming a new Mom will be most happiest and exciting moment at the same time terrifying adventure with plenty of challenges like Do's and Don'ts, diet and many more. From generations to generations, our tradition has passed on many practices to help face these challenges. Here is one such diet plan and tips to follow as told by my mother to me when I became a Mom...
Things to ponder upon -
- Stay warm. Always cover your ears with cotton swabs, wear scarf and socks to keep your feet warm for minimum of three months.
- Do oil massage and take head bath on alternate days. Plan the days such that mother and baby will not be given head bath on same days.
- Rub little turmeric powder to your feet, on your back and elbow joint after taking head bath for up to three months. Stop using in case if you are allergic to turmeric powder or getting rashes.
- All food to be cooked with ghee only and to be cooked fresh every time. Leftovers of food cooked for lunch is strictly not to be consumed for dinner.
- Preferably use old tamarind for cooking, as this will avoid getting cough and cold.
- Choose food which are nutritious at the same time easy to digest.
- No pickles. For all pickle lovers like me, not to worry as we have yummy alternatives to use like ginger thoku.
Having good portion of vegetables and greens is very important as it aids in easy bowl movements. At the same time having all varieties of vegetables is not advised during breastfeed. Here is the suggested list of veggies and green that are safe and aid in breastmilk supply.
- Carrots
- Beans
- Spinach, Dill leaves (Sabsige soppu), Moringa leaves (Nugge soppu), Agathi leaves (Agase soppu)
- Bottle gourd
- Beetroot (can be used after 2 months, once or twice a week)
Its important to stay hydrated during breastfeed and nothing more soothing than sipping hot beverages. Here are some of them which are tasty and at the same time boost lactation -
- Shathavar kalpa granules : Can be mixed with hot milk and consumed. It improves lactation and has many other benefits like boosts immunity system, relive cough etc.
- Bajra milk
- Methi/fenugreek seeds milk
- Coffee : Good to have occasionally. Routine intake might disturb baby sleep pattern.
Keeping an eye on calorie intake is as important as having nutritious food. Having more calories than required will make us obese and becomes extremely difficult to loose at later point in time. So my mother use to serve me with a very light breakfast and a big meal :) where I can eat stomach full. She use to serve varieties of chutney pudis during meal. Here is the list of them -
- Black Urad dal chutney pudi
- Sabsige soppu (Dill leaves) chutney pudi
- Jeera chutney pudi
- Thoor dal chutney pudi
- Garlic chutney pudi
- Methi (fenugreek seeds) chutney pudi
- Daniya (Coriander seeds) chutney pudi
- Pepper (menasina) rasam
- Paalu kura made of bottle gourd, sabsige soppu and milk
- Dal kattu rasam
My mother had planned different menu for different months, gradually adding up on varieties which made it more interesting and rejoicing for a food craver. Here is my first 3 months menu she had planned by my mother -
- First month -
- Breakfast options : Hot beverages and 1 or 2 slice of bread or vegetables palya
- Lunch to be taken early say 12PM : Steam rice, vegetable palya, rasam, milk, chutney pudis
- Evenings : Can pick one from hot beverages
- Dinner to be taken early say 7PM : Steam rice, vegetable palya, rasam, milk chutney pudis
- Post lunch and dinner have a spoon of ajwain seeds with warm water and a spoon of sweet beeda which she had prepared at home.
- Second month onwards -
- Breakfast options : Hot beverages and any of the below -
- Idli
- Neeru dosa
- Vaamu (ajwain) rice
- Sabsige soppu rice
- Roti made of rice flour
- Lunch to be taken early say 12PM: Continue as first month with raagi/methi mudde add ons. To start with have it once or twice a week based on digestive capacity.
- Dinner to be taken early say 7PM: Steam rice, vegetable palya, rasam, milk chutney pudis
- Post lunch and dinner have a spoon of ajwain seeds with warm water and a spoon of sweet beeda
- Post 3 months gradually increase dal, chapati, fruits(papaya, apple), antu unde (sweet made up of edible gum and dried fruits) in take.
