The best recipe for breast milk

There are times in everyone’s life when circumstances demand more from the body and it is vitally important that we prepare and adjust our nutrition by ensuring we not only have adequate fuel for our task, but nutrient dense fuel to sustain our health and thrive in times of high demand. Breastfeeding is one of these times and it is about ensuring that both mother and baby are given the best possible nutritional status to grow, thrive and enjoy these precious early years and beyond.

Is there a recipe for the best breast milk? Well we like to think that there is a basic recipe you can follow that can be adapted according to mother and baby’s needs. It doesn’t need to be complex if you already have a good diet but what is a good diet? Read on for some guidelines for you to consider when making your food and lifestyle choices during breastfeeding.

Lifestyle Factors

It may be a little ironic, but breast milk production is often compromised by sleep deprivation & exhaustion. Obviously, this is largely dictated by your circumstances, but try to get as much rest and sleep as you can and aim for 8 hours in every 24 hours. If your baby is particularly restless or difficult to calm, there may be some deficiencies or aggravating factors in the milk itself. If you are concerned at all seek advice from your naturopath who can assess your nutritional status and supplement where necessary.

It may be difficult to find time to exercise, but a good walk every day or two can really improve your mood, energy levels, sleep quality, stress adaptation, and therefore breast milk quality & production.

The more relaxed you are the better your breast milk will flow. To help you settle we recommend listening to the Be Fertile Guided Relaxation for breastfeeding while you’re feeding. Start to do this in the hospital and continue at least once daily until a routine has been well established.

What should I be eating?

Breast milk is enriched by a mother’s diet. A healthy, well balanced maternal diet will ensure that all the necessary nutrients are present to facilitate growth and well-being in your baby. Breast feeding definitely increases your appetite and you need to make sure you are getting enough good quality, nutrient rich food to support yourself and your baby.

It is also important to keep your blood sugar and energy levels balanced. We recommend plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates, as your milk supply and baby require both! Try to eat organic produce as much as possible, as pesticides, hormones and drug metabolites can be passed through breast milk and into baby.

Eat Plenty:

  • Protein – ensure you eat protein at every meal (such as red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, coconut, legumes including chickpeas, beans & lentils, yoghurt, goat or sheep milk dairy, tofu).
  • Healthy snacks – eat at least two snacks each day. Nuts and seeds are full of protein, fibre and essential fatty acids and are a great quick and easy snack for during the day. Have a bag sitting next to you while you’re feeding bub.
  • Calcium – eat plenty of calcium containing foods such as salmon & sardines with bones, broccoli, buckwheat, eggs, figs, green leafy vegetables, almonds, sesame seeds, natural yoghurt, soy beans, tofu. Most women also benefit from supplementing with calcium during breastfeeding  (talk to your naturopath about your requirements).
  • Iron – eat plenty of iron-containing foods, including red meat, eggs, lentils, white beans, brown rice and dried apricots.
  • Good fats – eat plenty of foods containing essential fats (including sardines, mackerel, salmon, nuts & seeds, avocados, cold-pressed nut oils, extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, organic butter) which are essential for babies’ brain and nervous system development. Most women & bubs benefit from supplementing with omega 3 oils during breastfeeding.
  • Complex carbohydrates – eat plenty of whole grains especially brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, oats & brown rice.
  • Fresh fruit & vegetables – we recommend 2 pieces of fruit per day & 5 or more serves of vegetables (1 serve = 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked veg) for fibre and a wide range of vitamins. You may also want to juice your vegetables or make smoothies.
  • Garlic – as long as your child doesn’t suffer from colic, garlic is very good for promoting lactation and the mother & babies health. It helps to reduce bacterial & fungal infection and promotes good gut health, potentially reducing the incidence of mastitis & thrush infections.
  • Hydration – Drink plenty of water (3 litres daily) and always have water available while breast feeding – the oxytocin release with letdown can make you thirsty. Herbal teas, fresh fruit & vegetable juice and soup broths are also excellent for breastfeeding mum’s hydration requirements. Slow-cooked bone broths are wonderful if you have lost a lot of blood during the birth.
  • Milk promotion – some culinary herbs and spices can be useful for lactation. These include- caraway, fennel, dill, aniseed, cumin, coriander & fenugreek. Warm porridges and thick, grain-based soups are used traditionally to support milk production.

Avoid:

  • Sugary & refined carbohydrate foods- yes they do give you short bursts of energy when you are feeling exhausted from lack of sleep, but consuming sugar and processed carbohydrates decreases your protein consumption, increases the likelihood that you will have hypoglycaemic episodes, and also increases the risk of nipple thrush & mastitis (as the sugar directly feeds the bacteria). And they reduce post-natal weight loss! Ever wondered why some women lose the weight easily and others not so much?? Sugar is usually the answer….
  • Caffeine – caffeine affects babies, even at low levels. In adults the half-life of coffee is 4 hours. In infants it is 19 hours. It only takes 1 coffee a day to cause caffeine to be in your babies system ALL OF THE TIME! This of course affects their sleep, mood, weight gain and stress adaptation.  Caffeine also increases the excretion of nutrients from your body, leading to increased deficiencies.
  • Alcohol – ideally we recommend no alcohol during the bubs first 6 months of breast feeding. After this time no more than 2 drinks per week and wait at least 2-3 hours before the next feed to ensure the alcohol is clear from your blood stream and the breast milk. Alcohol causes babies to become drowsy and they are unable to feed properly when affected. It also affects milk production by compromising oxytocin levels along with increased risk of possible neural and liver damage to bub.
  • Any foods that you may be allergic to (see section below for further information)

Supplements

  • We recommend nutritional supplements for breastfeeding mums, as nutritional requirements increase for both you & your baby after the pregnancy (amazing!). For example, iron deficiency can cause poor milk supply and lead to anaemic babies (causing sleep issues & developmental delays). Consult with your naturopath after your birth and ensure you maintain your supplement regime, despite your tiredness and focus on bub. It is our goal to support you as best we can so you can do the same for your baby.

Colic or restless baby

If your child is prone to colic or restlessness, you can try to minimise or avoid certain foods that can be irritating to baby.  It is also advisable to seek professional advice before eliminating whole food groups to ensure you replace these foods with nutritionally equivalent foods.

Avoid or minimise:

  • Onions, garlic
  • Spicy foods
  • Dairy – including cow’s milk, cheese, ice cream, cream, yoghurt etc.
  • Wheat and gluten-containing foods (e.g. bread, cereal, pasta, biscuits etc.)
  • Sugar
  • Alcohol and caffeine
  • Brassica family of foods: cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, turnips, radishes, kale
  • Capsicums, eggplants, beans, lentils, chickpeas

A baby may react to only one or two foods from the above list. Some babies may have no issue with any of the foods.

Allergies

If your baby is intolerant or allergic to certain foods, baby will react to them via your milk. This may cause your baby:

  • Skin rashes e.g. eczema
  • Digestive upset e.g. colic, constipation, diarrhoea, explosive bowel movements
  • Red ring around the anus (this is a classic sign of a food reaction)
  • Runny nose, frequent blocked/snotty nose
  • Irritability, difficulty settling

Removing the offending food from your diet will help reduce your baby’s exposure to the problem food and often results in an improvement in their symptoms (however, please note it is also possible the above list of symptoms may not be related to allergies or intolerances). If you are uncertain you should always check with your health care provider or naturopath.

How long should I cut out the suspect food?

If you suspect a food is causing problems for your baby, then discuss this with your naturopath. It is important to make sure that your diet is nutritionally adequate particularly if you are removing a large food group (e.g. wheat or dairy). It is often the case that you need to remove the offending food for 2-3 weeks to ascertain if it is contributing to problems like eczema. However, removing foods that are causing colic for your baby often provides results within 1-2 days.

If you need further support we recommend a consultation with your naturopath for nutrition, digestive upset or suspected allergy issues.  Our osteopath Pria Schwall-Kearney is a certified breastfeeding counsellor and can counsel you through any tough times with positioning, postural considerations and attachment issues. Other helpful resources include the Australian Breastfeeding Association or an appointment with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who can offer expert advice.

The basic health needs of a child – help them grow strong

by Sarah Harris, FGHG Paediatric and Family Naturopath

Your special little person is trying to find their way in a hectic world; undergoing stress, having emotions, all within a dynamic group – be it family, childcare, or school – whilst simultaneously enduring an often multitude of dietary variations. So to ensure your child is ready for the year ahead – let’s focus on some key elements.

Building blocks for growing and developing requires an optimal intake of nutrients – essential for a healthy brain and nervous system. With many children not consuming the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamins and minerals during critical stages of development – growth may be adversely affected. Nutritional deficiencies interfere with neurological development and cognition in children. Optimal maturation is supported with vitamins B6, B12, and D and minerals zinc, magnesium, iron, iodine, selenium and folate. Dietary sources are key, though often a well absorbed, prescribed multivitamin may be needed to ensure intake and utilisation of these key nutrients.

Oil the kids with DHA (sourced mainly from fish oil); whilst it’s most abundant in our brain, childhood development requires the highest amounts for normal, healthy functioning of the brain, eyes, and nervous system. Essential for cells to function and communicate, fish oil from a high quality supplement and dietary sources may support healthy cognition and memory in children.

Good bugs are vitally important for digestion. From preconception – good gut flora assists the gastrointestinal health of the child, supporting baby’s behavioural and immune functions throughout life. Microbes, transferred from mother to newborn, initiate the establishment of the child’s own microbiome. A healthy gut and immune system is adversely affected by antibiotic therapy, stress and unhealthy food choices whilst probiotic therapy and dietary intake can help to promote beneficial bacteria numbers. Specific probiotic strains reduce the incidence and duration of tummy issues in infants; reduce the incidence of intestinal candidiasis; reduce atopic conditions such as allergy and eczema – all by supporting the development of a healthy microbiome balance early in life. Inclusion of probiotics, taken during pregnancy and throughout childhood, may also assist in minimising behavioural complaints in later childhood.

By prioritising optimal nutrition and healthy microbiome development during the early stage of life we can enhance the health of our growing people. Dietary and lifestyle advice with supplements to support their development or medicines to treat a wide range of childhood conditions can bring out the very best – from preconception, through childhood and beyond!

 

 

sarahharris_edited_colourSarah Harris is a qualified and experienced naturopath, herbalist and nutritionist with more than a decade of knowledge and practice in complementary medicine. As a mother of three children and highly skilled in providing  naturopathic care, Sarah has a special interest in treating children of all ages. Her empathetic and kind nature instills comfort and confidence when providing advice to parents about their child’s health and she works well with families and individuals to find solutions for health concerns.

Time for a mini-detox?

written by Gina Fox, Naturopath

Get ready for an internal Spring clean!

After a cold winter with lazy time on the couch the kilos can creep on.  Even if your weight’s the same this is a good time for a mini-detox to re-boot your body and feel energised and ready for more activity as the weather starts to warm up.

The concept of detoxing seems to get a lot of negative press.  Mainly this is due to a lack of understanding of what most detox programs hope to achieve.  Most of the negatives focus on the fact that our bodies can detox themselves through normal elimination pathways so further efforts in detoxing are not required.  There also seems to be a need to criticise the notion of “toxins” in our bodies.  So, we’d like to clear a few things up and show you why a detox can be a fantastic thing – if done correctly.  There are all manner of detox approaches out there from the sensible to the ridiculous.  We’re talking about eating clean, simple and wholesome foods that our bodies will thrive on. Here are our tips on getting it right and keeping it sensible, real and achievable.

A detox basically involves some kind of elimination – usually things commonly known to make us feel less than amazing in one way or another (fatique, bloating, mood and blood sugar swings, dehydration, etc.).  Common exclusions are refined sugar, soft drinks, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, wheat, dairy, red meat, processed foods, fried foods and baked goods.  Eliminating these things means that while you are detoxing, your diet remains light, fresh, wholesome and very healthy and your body has less heavy processing to do on a day to day basis.

Am I likely to feel worse before I feel better?

Let’s face it, the adjustment period may be challenging to get through (cravings, headaches, nausea, fatigue, constipation or diarrhoea etc. usually kicks in on day 1-3 and usually lasts no longer than 3 days) but it will be worth it.  And once you break the habits and addiction cycle of some of these foods and substances, you will most likely find the cravings all but disappear as your body adjusts and begins to enjoy all the benefits of your hard work and perseverance. Cleaning up your diet and lifestyle with a detox is only challenging in the short term. Your body will thank you for it and reward you with a healthier, more vibrant and energetic you.

And to top it all off…..

The truth is, a few days, weeks or even a month of a detox program, restricting your diet and some lifestyle choices can make huge inroads to a healthier you.  The real goal is taking the pressure off: just giving your body time and resources to rest, recover, heal and make time for all the other things it is capable of doing – like making babies or running or healing your skin problems.  When your body is overloaded, these things get shunted down the hierarchy while it deals with more pressing issues. Restricting certain foods  whilst choosing to eat only fresh, whole, organic foods during your detox enables and boosts your natural detoxification and elimination pathways and lets your body heal long standing problems that it hasn’t had time to get to because it is so busy processing the things that don’t work for it.  After a short period of adjusting most people notice improvements in metabolism, immune system, energy levels, sleep, general bodily comfort, weight loss, appearance – particularly brighter skin and eyes, fresher breath and most importantly, smoother, easier, formed and satisfying bowel movements!

Finally, we believe one of the best things that can happen as a consequence of a detox, is that you notice or learn something that really works for you: a new recipe or food that you love, or you might notice how much you like plain water with lime instead of coke, or you might discover how tired alcohol is really making you and without it, you don’t need so much coffee either!  And then maybe one or two of these things become incorporated into your daily life – not just the detox period.  If you do a detox 2 or 3 times a year, that adds up to a continuous improvement process that really adds up over time and leads to an exponentially healthier you.

For help with a specific detox program book in with one of our FGHG naturopaths.

 

Gina-Fox3

Gina Fox, Naturopath, FGHG

Gina is a naturopath with over 15 years’ experience. She trained under Francesca Naish (author of Better Babies) and has a Masters in Reproductive Medicine. As well as being an experienced clinician she is a speaker, naturopathic lecturer and student clinic supervisor.

Gina is highly skilled in providing naturopathic care for women’s health issues, pre-conception health, infertility, IVF support, pregnancy care and through menopause.

 

 

 

 

Post natal care at Fertile Ground Health Group

At Fertile Ground Health Group (FGHG) we love caring for you throughout your fertility and pregnancy journey and when the baby comes the care does not end there! We offer a range of approaches to help support mums as they navigate the often challenging first months with a new babe.

If you have been a patient of FGHG throughout your pregnancy why not take advantage of Osteopathic baby check to make sure bub has bounced back from the stresses and pressures of being born.  And of course, we strongly believe babies need well rested, healthy mums and our “mother roasting treatment”, a regenerative massage treatment is ideal any time after you give birth – say any time in the next 12 years!

Below you will find information on how each of our modalities can help you and your family once your bundle of joy has arrived.  We are here to support you through any hiccups you might encounter or just to support wellness, enhance health and prevent future health issues for both mother and baby.  Prevention is key, but if either you or your baby are struggling in any way, one of our highly experienced practitioners will know how to guide you.

Naturopathic care can assist with energy and nutritional requirements needed for mothers post birth to ensure sufficient milk for breastfeeding.  It also offers a range of solutions for milk supply & mastitis, low mood, fatigue, baby colic or eczema, feeding, sleeping and developmental issues.  Advice on weaning, introducing solids, vaccination support and fever management is also available.  Naturopathic care also provides essential support and solutions for any mum or baby struggling with digestive or immune issues.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can treat many conditions including feeding problems (insufficient lactation, oversupply, mastitis, engorgement, pain, etc.), urinary incontinence, hormonal balancing, abdominal pain, back pain, post natal fatigue, mother and /or baby sleep issues, stress anxiety and depression. This ancient and traditional medicine deeply nourishes your energy like nothing else.  And the Melbourne Acupuncture Multi-bed Project makes appointments super accessible – in and out in 45 minutes!

Osteopathic care is highly beneficial for both mother and baby.  For mothers: helping the pelvis, spine and whole body return to the optimal position and function after the changes induced by pregnancy, labour and birth. For babies: gently releasing any tension in the head or body resulting from  labour and birth can relieve or avoid reflux, colic, unexplained pain responses, altered head and neck position/development or just generally support and relax unsettled babies.

Our Massage therapists offer mums “Mother roasting” for an enriching massage and moxibustion treatment using warming and nourishing essential oils and heat pack application.  This massage incorporates the use of specific acupressure points that have rejuvenating and regenerative properties for new mothers post birth. This makes it the perfect treatment to re balance new mums, increase body energy and relieve any muscular pain and tension.  Appropriate for all mums, no matter how you have given birth or how long ago!

Counselling. Pregnancy and birth involve significant change in a myriad of ways, with different and often unexpected feelings surfacing. Counselling during pregnancy and / or post birth can enrich your parenting experience and ensure challenges are unpacked and moved through for personal growth and a feeling of confidence and freedom. Preparing for labour & birth or debriefing your birth experience through our specialist counselling service is an essential part of this transformative life stage as you birth yourselves as parents.

Call or email reception to book in:

(03) 9419 9988
reception@fertileground.com.au

Gift vouchers are also available if you’ve got someone in mind that would benefit from some post natal care treatments at Fertile Ground.

WTF is MTHFR?

By Gina Fox (FGHG naturopath) and Joanne Sharkey (FGHG acupuncturist)

We are thrilled to announce the latest in our informative podcast series WTF is MTHFR – an interview by Joanne Sharkey with Gina Fox on the ins and outs of MTHFR.

Have you heard of MTHFR? What is it? Why is everybody talking about it? Could it be affecting your chances of conceiving a healthy baby? Implicated in miscarriage, sperm defects, neural tube defects like spinabifida, and even chromosomal issues like down syndrome, MTHFR needs attention in a practice like ours with a special focus on fertility and helping people conceive healthy babies.

What if you do have it? Can it be treated? Will treatment actually help? Is there a bigger picture than this reductionist approach?

There are so many questions when it comes to MTHFR. Get all of your answers here on this fabulous and comprehensive podcast with FGHG acupuncturist Joanne Sharkey interviewing FGHG fertility naturopath Gina Fox

Listen to the podcast now

Let’s talk about sex, baby!

By Charmaine Dennis, Naturopath and Co-director

 

It can be so easy to get caught up in the dos and don’ts of trying to conceive – don’t drink alcohol, go to your GP for testing, give up the cigarettes, exercise more … that we can forget to talk about the most important thing about getting pregnant – SEX!

When you first start consciously trying to conceive, sex with your partner may be the most potent love making you have experienced. To come together to make a baby is ultimately what it is all about – a culmination of your love together resulting in the formation of another human being whose every cell is made up of your union. Amazing times!

But it seems that it can quickly turn to stressful thinking, especially as we often assume that it will happen quickly and easily for us. We tried so hard for most of our reproductive lives to not get pregnant with intercourse, so it is easy to assume that it should happen on the first attempt without contraception. Right?

Continue reading Let’s talk about sex, baby!