Is it possible to eat salmon and trout while breastfeeding?

Individual response comes first

We are all different, which means there can be no definite answer to this question. If during pregnancy the mother calmly ate all types of fish (which is very desirable), without experiencing allergic reactions or any discomfort from the digestive system, then after the birth of the baby you don’t have to worry much about this. However, most nutritionists and pediatricians agree that in the first three months after birth you should exclude any fish from your diet. It is at this age that the baby’s digestive system finally matures, and colic goes away. Now it’s important to figure out which fish can be eaten by nursing mothers, and which ones should be abstained from for now.

Fish: pros and cons

Fish is rich in fats and amino acids, vitamins and proteins. It should be emphasized that these elements are absorbed in the body very easily. By eating fish 3-4 times a week, you fully meet your protein needs, that is, it is an alternative to meat. Don’t forget about the wonderful fish oil, which will be useful both for the mother’s recovery after childbirth and for the growth and development of the child himself. However, despite all the beneficial properties, you should not eat only fish, much less eat it indiscriminately.

What harm can fish cause to mother and child? The only thing that can be said about this is that it is a fairly strong allergen. That is, first of all, you need to figure out what kind of fish is suitable for nursing mothers, and only then decide at what age and in what quantity to include it in the diet.

Precautions

It is not recommended to consume raw fish while breastfeeding.
It is important to know that the head of a fish is strictly prohibited from being used for cooking. The habitat of these fish may be replete with harmful components, despite the fact that trout prefers clean water bodies. It is in the head part that all substances accumulate, the entry of which into the human body is extremely undesirable.

It is undesirable to consume fish meat if you have severe stomach diseases. Complications are inevitable if dishes with trout (especially raw) are included in the diet of a patient with an ulcer.

Caviar lovers also need to know that this product is strictly prohibited in case of ischemia, high blood pressure, or atherosclerosis. Here nutritionists are unanimous - even small portions can cause irreparable harm to health.

Planning your diet

Of course, children need fish and seafood for normal growth, as well as for the formation of the skeleton. However, you should first pay attention to the characteristics of your own body. If during pregnancy a woman constantly ate fish, then after the birth of the baby you can continue in the same spirit, only more attention should be paid to the choice of its varieties. However, if during the period of bearing the baby you have not eaten a single piece of fish, this does not mean that you cannot continue to eat it. But in this case, the question of what kind of fish can be fed to nursing mothers is even more pressing. And you can introduce it into the diet only in small portions, constantly monitoring the reaction of your baby. A doctor may advise a complete avoidance of fish dishes if the child is prone to severe allergic reactions. In this case, fish is introduced into the diet much later, when complementary feeding begins.

Choosing fish

First of all, you need to give preference to the most familiar varieties. Most often, for our country, river fish or low-fat sea fish are recommended for breastfeeding. Excess Omega 3 means an increased risk of allergic reactions, which is something you don’t need right now. If you decide to try fish for the first time after giving birth, it is best if it is pollock, hake, pike perch, cod, sea bass, carp and herring. These are the white meat varieties. If your choice is exclusively river fish, then give preference to species such as trout, bream, river perch, burbot and pike. This fish contains a minimum of allergens and is easily digestible. Let us emphasize once again that how you prepare it is also very important. Any fish is fried in about 15 minutes, and during this time all useful substances are destroyed. At the same time, the same amount of steaming time allows you to preserve them in their original form.

If you really want to, then...is it possible?

It is recommended to introduce dried and dried fish into the mother’s diet after six months, consuming small pieces (no more than 30 grams per day). In this case, you need to carefully monitor the baby’s reaction to such an innovation. If he becomes worried, it is better to refuse such fish completely until the end of the breastfeeding period. It is recommended that before eating such fish, consult a doctor who will tell you how much to start with and how to properly monitor your baby’s reaction.

If the desire to enjoy dried fish while breastfeeding is still irresistible, then it is better to go to a trusted seller to purchase. When choosing fish, you need to pay attention to appearance and smell. If they are in doubt, you should not risk the health of the baby and mother.

Cooking fish

Of course, this is a valuable and useful product that is very important for every little one. However, fish during breastfeeding should be chosen very carefully. Not only the variety matters, but also the quality, as well as the method of preparation. Choose only trusted suppliers and fresh, beautiful products. To ensure that the fish retains all its beneficial qualities when defrosting, do this using a salty solution. The most beneficial is boiled, stewed or steamed fish. It may not be as tasty as fried foods, but in your case the benefits are more important. Salted fish is also undesirable.

The benefits of fish during lactation

Ocean or sea fish have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, blood vessels, nerve cells and heart function. This is especially important for the developing baby’s body. The benefits of fish are enormous, so different types of fish should be included in the human diet. This product, created by nature, contains a large number of microelements necessary for the functioning of various human systems and organs.

Useful properties of fish:

• High presence of fatty acids - Omega-3.
  This component strengthens the cardiovascular system and improves immunity.
• B vitamins.
  Active participation in the metabolism of cells and their structures. Source of easily digestible protein.
• Vitamin D.
  An essential vitamin for the absorption of calcium, strengthening bone and muscle tissue.
• Normalization of intestinal function
  , ease of digestion of food (unlike meat protein).

According to experts, if a woman did not consume seafood while carrying a baby, it may be administered during lactation. Sometimes the taste affects the taste of the milk. Red fish are represented by: salmon, pink salmon, chum salmon, trout, salmon. These seafood are allowed during breastfeeding in small quantities.

What to avoid

We all love to treat ourselves to something tasty, but when you have a baby in your arms, you have to weigh the expected benefits and harms. In particular, salted fish is not healthy at all. Excess salt is harmful to the baby. When choosing a product, you must also take into account that dried, smoked and dried fish often hide spoiled goods. No matter how much you love sushi, now is not the time for exotic delicacies. It’s good if the manufacturer uses salted fish to prepare them, but in the original it should be raw. It may contain organisms that are not at all beneficial for a nursing mother, and especially for her child.

Despite the obvious benefits, red fish is not very useful for nursing women. Excess Omega-3 fatty acids can be too much for a child's body to handle and cause various digestive problems. This is primarily our favorite mackerel, herring and salmon. This includes sea trout, salmon, as well as some other varieties that contain a lot of fat.

A lot of seafood has appeared on the shelves today. These are mussels and clams, crabs and shrimp. Of course, they are tasty and healthy, but this fully applies to the fresh catch, and not to what we usually see on supermarket shelves in the form of preserves. Mom's diet should not contain products of such dubious quality. We have described in sufficient detail what is most useful for a nursing woman, and what may pose a threat. The choice is yours.

Fish is a source of protein and Omega-3 acids, which help the child’s brain development. It should be consumed during lactation. What kind of fish can a nursing mother eat?

The benefits of fish for nursing mothers

The protein contained in fish is easily and quickly absorbed by the body. Dishes made from it have a high nutritional value and are low in calories.

The product contains such useful substances as:

1. Unsaturated fatty acids that have a positive effect on the development of the baby's nervous system. In addition, they regulate metabolism and hormone production.
2. B vitamins are presented in a complete set - B1, B2, B12, B6. They help with the functioning of the nervous system.
3. Vitamins C, A, E support the immune system and are responsible for skin regeneration processes. Vitamin D helps the child's body absorb calcium completely.
4. Minerals are contained in large quantities. Calcium and phosphorus participate in the formation of the skeletal system, strengthen blood vessels and capillaries. Iodine ensures proper functioning of the thyroid gland and nervous system.

If during pregnancy a woman regularly consumed fish and other seafood, then the baby is already familiar with the taste of the product. Therefore, most likely, problems will not arise during lactation.

How to introduce it into the diet

However, as a protein product, fish can provoke an allergic reaction. Therefore, it is recommended to use familiar varieties when breastfeeding, especially in the first months after childbirth.

If no unpleasant reactions are observed on the part of the baby, you can diversify the menu with new types of seafood. But this should be done carefully.

Necessary:

• start with small quantities;
• take a break for several days;
• if the baby is not allergic, you can re-use the product in the same quantity;
• monitor the baby’s reaction, since each subsequent intake of food can make negative manifestations more pronounced;
• If any negative reaction occurs, the product should be immediately excluded from the diet and replaced with another type of fish.

It is advisable to purchase fresh fish, or at least frozen. Pediatricians answer negatively to the question of whether a nursing mother can eat canned, salted or smoked fish. These foods contain chemicals that are harmful to children. In addition, salt tends to accumulate in the ducts of the mammary glands and affect the taste of milk. For this reason, the baby may be unable to eat.

Useful tips

Types of trout
You can prepare for the lactation period even during pregnancy. Weekly meals with fish will help get rid of problems after childbirth. If a pregnant woman regularly eats trout, food allergies in the baby are extremely rare.

Before you start using trout meat in dishes, a nursing mother must conduct a small test to determine the baby’s tolerance to the product. This is easy to do - after trying a small piece of trout, carefully monitor the child’s condition for several days. If there is no negative reaction, you can safely include fish meat in your daily menu.

Having carefully and carefully checked the reaction of a small organism to fish, you can use different varieties for cooking. They should only be prepared by steaming or boiling. It is better for mom to exclude fried, smoked, canned or dried foods from the menu for now.

Which one to choose

During the period of breastfeeding, women are recommended to eat low-fat sea fish, such as perch, mullet, tuna, hake, sole, halibut, sea bass, saury, pollock, herring. Eating river species is very beneficial, as they contain a minimal amount of allergens, such as bream, pike, burbot, carp, and lake trout.

During lactation, all types of red fish (for example, river salmon) should be excluded from the diet. Despite the existing benefits and nutritional value, it contains too much unsaturated fatty acids and calories, and this can be harmful to the baby’s health.

For the same reason, fatty varieties such as mackerel and herring are not recommended. Excess fat can cause indigestion in a child.

It is forbidden for a nursing mother to eat the meat of large ocean fish. Species such as shark and king mackerel contain significantly higher than permitted safe levels of mercury. This carcinogenic substance harms any organism, but for a small child there is a high risk of negative effects on the nervous system.

Pros and cons of use

Nutritional value of trout
The beneficial properties are numerous, but before you start using fish for cooking, you need to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons.

With the help of tasty meat, you can reduce cholesterol, strengthen your arteries and nervous system. It is also recommended to consume dishes with trout for cardiovascular diseases and coronary disease.

Pregnant women especially benefit from including nutritious and healthy meat in their diet. This will help a nursing mother consume the product without any problems after giving birth - the baby will not feel any discomfort.

You definitely need to know the precautions when consuming trout meat. Mothers during lactation need to be especially careful when preparing dishes with this product. Some varieties may contain small amounts of mercury, which will negatively affect the health of the child. It is simple to prevent such a danger - purchase the product only from trusted sellers, after reviewing the accompanying documents.

River fish are often infected with parasites, which, together with food, easily occupy the body of a nursing mother. Careful processing and proper preparation will help protect against health problems.

Trout cutting

Cooking methods

To reduce allergenicity, fish should be thawed in cold salted water. It is better to prepare fresh product immediately, as it spoils quite quickly. In the diet of a nursing mother, fish should be boiled, baked or steamed. This way it retains all the beneficial substances in full.

When fried under high temperature, it loses most of its vitamins and fatty acids. Fish stewed with vegetables will be tasty and healthy. You can diversify the menu with steamed cutlets or minced meatballs.

Fish broth is a nutritious and tasty product. In addition, it enhances lactation. To prepare soup based on it, it is recommended to pour cold water over the fish, bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. This broth is discarded because it contains many extractive substances that are unnecessary for the body of the mother and child.

A secondary decoction should be used. You can prepare meatball soup by seasoning it with a small amount of vegetable oil or butter.

According to pediatricians, fish should be included in the diet no more than 2-3 times a week. It is not advisable to eat dishes made from it in the first month after childbirth. For some time, the baby’s body must adapt to the environment, and fish, as an allergenic product, can manifest itself in a negative way.

Recommendations for use during lactation

During the first months, the diet should include boiled or steamed cod. By the age of six months, it is allowed to bake fish in foil with the addition of a minimum amount of spices. To avoid intestinal disorders, do not combine cod with cheese.

A nursing mother needs to know that cod liver can only be eaten with any other foods. It could be a sandwich or salad. The main thing to remember is that this delicacy should not be consumed separately. Cod liver is very convenient to prepare. Most often it is sold in canned form. When purchasing, pay attention to the production time and whether there is any damage or swelling.

How to properly introduce it into the diet?

A new product during breastfeeding is always exciting. In fact, you need to follow the doctors’ instructions and your baby will receive only the best from his mother’s milk. You should start with a small portion: half a teaspoon of boiled fish is enough. If your little one feels great, eat to your health.

When the toddler’s body gets used to dietary meat, introduce the liver in the same way. Since cod liver is a rather fatty product, it is necessary to combine it with other ingredients during meals. It is not recommended to introduce something new in the evening, otherwise a restless toddler will not let you sleep at night.

Eating liver on an empty stomach will upset the digestive system.

Daily and weekly norm

During the lactation period, according to doctors' recommendations, you should eat no more than 10-15 g of cod liver per day or 100-150 g per week. As for cod, eat fish 1-2 times a week, about 120g per serving.

By the age of one year, the daily norm of fish in a child’s diet is 30–60 g per day, per week 120–160 g. Giving your baby fish is allowed no more than 2-3 times a week, no more than 6 servings per month. If your baby has an allergic reaction, experts recommend limiting it to 0.5-1 servings per week.

Video

You can learn about proper nutrition for a nursing mother from our video.

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If a woman is breastfeeding, then her nutrition must meet two main parameters: ensure full recovery of the mother’s expenses for feeding the child and not cause allergic reactions in both of them. On the one hand, fish is a source of many useful microelements and vitamins, but on the other hand, it is quite capable of provoking unwanted reactions in the body. Should it be included in the diet? What kind of fish can a nursing mother eat?

What are the benefits of fish and its derivatives for women and children?

According to many nutritionists, fish dishes should make up the majority of a nursing mother's diet. There are enough reasons for this:

• Any seafood, including fish, is the main supplier of B vitamins to the mother and baby. Pyridoxine, riboflavin and pantothenic acid help a woman recover after childbirth, as they stabilize hematopoietic processes, increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, and restore cellular structure teeth, hair, skin and nails.
• Many white varieties of fish can be a source of large amounts of protein, which is vital for a young mother to fully feed her child. If meat proteins are digested in the gastrointestinal tract for 6 - 7 hours to enter the tissues of the female body, then for seafood proteins 3 - 4 hours are enough for a similar procedure.
• Some varieties of fish, especially those caught at sea, contain many useful trace elements: phosphorus, calcium, selenium and iodine. The baby needs all these substances for rapid skeletal growth, bone strength, and regulation of hormonal processes in his body.
• The process of stabilizing metabolism and restoring hormonal balance during lactation is extremely important for a young mother. Unsaturated fatty acids, which are found in sufficient quantities in most types of fish and many seafood, will help her with this.

Women are often afraid to include fish dishes in their diet because of the seemingly high allergic activity of sea and river products. A certain percentage of young mothers simply do not like seafood.

Pediatricians and local gynecologists need to carry out explanatory work with such a contingent about the benefits of a fish diet during lactation.

What varieties can be used for feeding a nursing mother?

If a mother is wondering what kind of fish she can breastfeed, it is better to give preference to white varieties. Bream, catfish, crucian carp, carp, grass carp and pike are well suited for good nutrition.

Marine inhabitants are not far behind in their positive properties. For lactating women, sea bass, halibut, pollock and other species can always become an important source of nutrients, proteins and vitamins.

Red fish during breastfeeding requires some restrictions on consumption. If white varieties can be introduced into your diet 2 - 3 days a week, then trout, pink salmon and chum salmon are recommended for young mothers to eat no more than once every 2 - 3 weeks. This is associated with higher allergic activity.

Thanks to long-term observations of the diet of lactating women, it was possible to establish that certain types of fish can cause rejection. This often depends on the chemical composition and fat percentage.

It is recommended that if an allergic reaction occurs in a mother or child, for example, when eating pollock, not to completely exclude fish dishes from the diet. You can try replacing the unsuitable variety with another type.

Types and methods of preparation permitted and prohibited for use during breastfeeding

In addition to different varieties, fish may also differ in the way it is prepared. It is necessary to consider whether all treatment options are suitable during lactation.

A few words about waterfowl that live in our rivers and lakes. As most fishing enthusiasts know, such prey contains a large number of bones, which makes it difficult to eat. However, when properly prepared, river fish is an almost optimal dish for a nursing woman. You can use a double boiler for cooking or cook fish broth - all these dishes can diversify the diet of a young mother.

The above facts indicate that if a pediatrician is asked whether a nursing mother can have salted fish, he will definitely answer in the negative.

We recommend reading the article on nutrition during lactation. From it you will learn about the peculiarities of the appetite of a nursing woman, the possibility of consuming dairy and meat products, vegetables and fruits, and a sample menu for the day.

Recipes for nursing mothers

During the breastfeeding period, any food requires proper processing so that the baby’s body reacts as calmly as possible. There are several recipes with which a mother can easily diversify her daily diet and will not harm the baby.

Steamed hake

We will need:

• hake - 2 medium fish;
• large onion;
• salt, black pepper if desired.

Preparation:

• clean the fish (remove the entrails, head and tail), cut into portions;
• sprinkle the pieces with salt and place on the steamer rack;
• cook for 20 minutes.

Serve steamed fish hot.

Quick fish soup

Products:

• burbot fillet - 0.5 kg;
• pickled cucumbers - 3 medium;
• vegetables - tomato, onion;
• bay leaf, salt;
• a couple of tablespoons of sunflower or olive oil.

Preparation:

• cut the fillet into small pieces;
• chop the onion, place in a frying pan greased with vegetable oil, sauté until a light golden hue appears;
• add chopped tomatoes to the onion, cook everything together for another 2-3 minutes;
• put the vegetables into a saucepan, add the fillet and add water;
• after boiling, add bay leaf, salt and cook for 20 minutes;
• 5 minutes before cooking, add chopped pickles.

Tender fish in sour cream sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh pollock;
• large onion;
• 230 g sour cream (it’s better to take thicker);
• 50-70 ml low fat cream;
• 2 tbsp. l butter;
• 30 g 1st grade wheat flour;
• salt to taste.

Cooking process:

• Place clean pieces of seafood in a preheated frying pan and lightly fry on both sides;
• add onion, cut into half rings;
• after 5 minutes, pour in boiled water (so that it completely covers the fish);
• cover with a lid and simmer for another 10 minutes, meanwhile mix flour, sour cream, salt, add the mixture to the fish;
• simmer for another 10 minutes, pour in the cream and keep the dish on the fire for another 30-50 seconds.

This dish is ideal with a side dish of mashed potatoes, buckwheat and rice.

Fish stewed in apples

Products:

1. Cod fillet – 0.5 kg
2. A couple of apples.
3. 50 g butter.
4. A glass of sour cream.
5. Salt.

Sauté the onion until golden brown. Divide the fillet into small pieces and add to the onion. Cut the apples into half rings, place in a frying pan, add water. Simmer with the lid closed for 15 minutes. Mix salt with sour cream, add to the dish and simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Or put the frying pan in an oven preheated to 200 degrees and cook at this temperature for half an hour (to do this, take a dish with a removable handle so as not to melt the plastic). Bon appetit.

Fish (sea or river) is a valuable and useful product - this is a well-known truth, which hardly anyone would think of challenging.

Beloved by many, healthy and tasty pink salmon during breastfeeding is considered an allowed variety, which cannot but please nursing mothers suffering from a meager diet. This type of fish is optimal for this period, the main thing is that it meets all quality requirements - then there is no doubt about its usefulness for a nursing mother and baby.

Pink salmon is a type of red fish that is known to be considered allergenic. But it is this type of fish like pink salmon that is acceptable for breastfeeding, since it is not grown artificially.

Pink salmon is a special type of salmon that lives in both sea and fresh water.

Its distinctive feature is the color of pink salmon, which changes when migrating from sea to fresh water.

In terms of its composition, pink salmon is rightfully considered a vitamin-rich fish variety. They are easily absorbed in breast milk, which means they enter the child’s body in the required quantity.

• Pink salmon contains a lot of protein, healthy amino acids, and fats.
• It contains vitamins of groups A, B, E and D, as well as many other valuable elements such as phosphorus, iron, calcium, selenium, potassium, sodium, etc.

All of the above elements contribute to the full development of the baby and the normalization of the well-being of a nursing woman. Therefore, pink salmon can and should be consumed during breastfeeding.