How to eat rice when breastfeeding

Benefit or harm

Rice can and should be consumed while breastfeeding. It quickly saturates the body, and does not contribute to the appearance of excess weight. It will help a nursing mother recover after childbirth, and the baby, thanks to the beneficial properties of the cereal crop, will receive full development.

Rice has a positive effect on the baby’s mental abilities and strengthens bone tissue. In addition, grains promote the formation and growth of new cells, which is so important in the first year of a child’s life.

Rice performs a number of useful functions:

• Has a beneficial effect on the functioning of nerve cells;
• Stimulates brain activity;
• Prevents hair loss, improves structure and stimulates growth;
• Strengthens tooth enamel and bone skeleton;
• Cleanses the body, removes salts and excess fluid;
• Ensures normal weight gain in a newborn.
• Renews the body;
• Participates in the creation of new cells, which is important for newborns
• Provides energy;
• Strengthens the intestines and helps eliminate diarrhea in nursing mothers and babies;
• Improves lactation and increases breast milk production;
• Helps with kidney failure, heart and vascular diseases;
• Normalizes sleep;
• Improves skin condition.

But even such a useful product can be used with caution by a nursing mother. Rice rarely causes allergies, but it often causes constipation in both the baby and the woman. In addition, rice during breastfeeding causes bloating, increased gas formation and colic in infants.

Rice can be consumed with caution, as it increases blood pressure and the risk of diabetes, stone formation and atherosclerosis.

To avoid the above problems, consume rice in moderation while breastfeeding. Follow the recommendations of the lactation menu, which details what and how much you can eat during lactation.

The benefits of rice porridge for mother and baby

Rice porridge saturates the body well with complex carbohydrates, which do not allow women to gain weight. This is a major plus for nursing mothers who are afraid of gaining weight while breastfeeding.

Other beneficial properties of rice

• Many vitamins and minerals - PP, B1, B4, B6, E, a lot of silicon, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, etc. B vitamins strengthen the bones, nails and hair of mother and child, cleanse the skin, calm the nervous system, and participate in formation of brain cells.
• Choline contained in rice has a positive effect on the mental development of a child: the more it is present in food, the better the child’s brain will develop.
• Complex carbohydrates normalize the baby's weight, rice cleanses the mother's body of toxins and excess fat deposits.
• When a baby's stool is loose, rice helps firm it up without irritating the stomach walls or causing allergic reactions, since it does not contain gluten.
• Unpeeled rice improves the functioning of the kidneys, heart and blood vessels, helps with insomnia, and promotes sufficient milk production.
• Rice helps the mother's body recover: it is recommended to eat it 2-3 times every 7 days.

Can mothers eat rice porridge with milk while breastfeeding? Yes, if you or your baby are not allergic to lactose. But frequent consumption of milk rice porridge while breastfeeding harms the child’s body, oversaturating it with fats.

It is better to eat milk rice porridge once a week, and water porridge twice a week.

Compound

Types of rice

By processing method:

• Polished – smooth white grains without shell. In terms of usefulness, they are inferior to unprocessed varieties, but they are prepared faster;
• Unpolished - grains of red, brown, sometimes black color. They retain their beneficial properties, but require lengthy cooking. The end result is that the rice is firmer than white rice;
• Steamed – white grains with special steam treatment, which preserves the properties and increases the digestibility of rice in the body. It turns out soft and crumbly.

By form:

• Long-grain – grains with a length of 6-8 mm scatter and do not stick together. Rice is versatile in cooking and great as a side dish;
• Medium grain - grains with a length of 5-6 mm absorb more liquid, as a result of which they stick together, but the dish turns out to be tender and soft. Used in making soup, pilaf and risotto;
• Round grain – grains with a length of 4 mm contain a large amount of starch, which turns rice into a creamy consistency when cooked. Used for soup and porridge, casseroles and puddings, as well as for sushi.

Today there are over 150 varieties of rice in the world, each of which has a different aroma, taste, cooking principles and consistency. Let's look at popular types.

Introducing rice into the diet during breastfeeding

You can start eating rice from the first month of your baby’s life. Nursing mothers need to be careful with any new product, because it is unknown how the baby will react to it. For the first time, you can eat no more than a spoonful of rice cereal.

If the baby feels well after this (stool is not broken, there is no colic, gas or rash), then you can increase the portion to 100-150 g of cooked rice cereal. You should not exceed the norm and eat dishes containing rice every day, as this can contribute to the development of constipation in infants.

Varieties

Rules for eating rice during breastfeeding

• In the first two to three months after the baby is born, do not get carried away with rice dishes. It is enough to eat two to three times a week;
• When introducing the first course, carefully monitor your baby’s well-being for two days. If there is no negative reaction, rice can be eaten;
• At first, eat pure rice or pure porridge without additives. After three to four weeks, when the baby gets used to the new dish, you can add fruits and vegetables. Add one ingredient at a time so that in case of a negative reaction you know exactly which product you are allergic to;
• If your baby has colic, reduce the dose. If the frustration does not go away, remove the dish from the menu. You can try again after a month;
• When breastfeeding, choose unpolished brown and red grains, steamed and long-grain varieties of Basmati and Jasmine. Wild black rice will be beneficial;
• Select your rice carefully and rinse thoroughly before cooking;
• First of all, introduce rice soup into your diet. Liquid and vegetables will reduce the fixing effect of the rice;
• When cooking, do not use hot spices, garlic and onions.
• Prepare dishes with the addition of fish and meat, fruits and vegetables. You can add a little butter or vegetable oil.

Contraindications to eating rice

Despite the fact that rice is a permitted product during breastfeeding, in some cases its consumption should be limited:

• when the consistency of stool in mother and baby changes;
• if the baby was born by caesarean section;
• with excess excess weight;
• with frequent constipation, colic in infants.

This product extremely rarely provokes the development of allergies in a child, but can cause constipation, colic, flatulence, and increased accumulation of intestinal gases. Therefore, after consuming the dish, it is necessary to observe the baby’s reaction.

The cereal in question should be introduced into the mother’s diet carefully, as it can increase blood pressure and increase the likelihood of diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and the formation of stones. To avoid the negative impact of the product during breastfeeding, it is recommended to eat rice in moderation. Eating brown rice can cause digestive upset as the product contains high amounts of fiber. This variety is not overcooked.

How to choose and cook rice

When breastfeeding, it is important to choose the right foods. Sometimes white rice is treated with chemicals. In this case, clean and fresh-looking rice loses its beneficial properties and provokes a number of problems. It leads to poisoning and constipation in mother and baby.

How to treat constipation in a mother while breastfeeding, read here. And the tips from this article will help eliminate constipation in a newborn.

When choosing, carefully inspect the packaging. Make sure that the grains are the same in size, shape and shade. There should be no garbage inside, and the GOST sign should be on the pack. Please note the date of manufacture. The younger the product, the healthier it is.

To determine quality, pour boiling water over a handful of cereals. Swollen grains indicate a high quality variety. If they spread, flake, or turn to mush, the rice has been heavily chemically treated.

The main rice dish during breastfeeding is porridge. In addition, you can prepare rice pudding and cutlets, stews with meat or vegetables, and add rice to salads and soups.

Snow-white crumbly and hard rice is used as a side dish. Steamed grains will not stick together, but are not suitable for risotto or casseroles. Such dishes require viscous thickness. For dessert (pudding), meatballs and meatballs, use medium-grain or short-grain rice.

When choosing a variety and dish, lean on the baby's chair. If stools are loose and frequent, it is better to eat thin porridge with water, soup with lightly boiled cereals, or a dense casserole of round rice. For constipation, choose fluffy, slightly undercooked long-grain rice or steamed rice with fruits and vegetables.

Rice porridge during breastfeeding

During the first 3-4 months of breastfeeding, eat porridge with water. Such food is easier to digest and reduces the risk of allergies. After all, a nursing mother should consume cow's milk with extreme caution, as it contains a strong allergen.

Milk porridge is more fatty, which makes it difficult for the baby’s still fragile body to digest food. This leads to colic, flatulence and other stomach upsets. Therefore, it is better to give preference to water-based porridge. In addition, it is not inferior in usefulness to dairy.

In the third or fourth month, you can start cooking porridge with milk. At first, mix water and milk 1 to 1. If the baby does not have a negative reaction, you can completely switch to milk.

To prepare rice porridge while breastfeeding, take a glass of rice and four glasses of water or milk (or half and half). Rinse the grains thoroughly and boil for 6-10 minutes in pre-boiled water.

Heat milk (water) and add salt to taste. Remove the rice and clean it using a colander. Pour in heated milk (water). Cook over low heat for 15 minutes and leave in a water bath for the same amount of time.

You can add a piece of butter or fruit to the porridge. Green apples, pears and bananas, raisins, prunes and dried apricots are suitable for a nursing mother. However, remember that some foods cause allergies in babies.

Rice casserole for nursing mothers

Rice casserole is a nutritious dish that will enrich and diversify your diet while breastfeeding. To prepare the casserole, you will need:

• Rice – 350 grams;
• Chicken or turkey fillet – 400 grams;
• Grated cheese – 150 grams;
• Low-fat sour cream – 150 grams;
• Chicken eggs – 2 pieces;
• Tomatoes – 1-2 pieces;
• Vegetable oil – 4 tablespoons;
• Salt to taste.

Tomatoes during breastfeeding sometimes cause allergies in newborns. To play it safe, take yellow fruits. Wash the rice and cut the fillet into pieces. Place the ingredients in a frying pan, add salt, mix and pour a glass of water. Simmer covered until the rice is ready.

When the rice has cooled, add the beaten eggs and sour cream and stir. Peel the tomatoes, cut them and place them on the mass. Sprinkle with grated cheese. You can add dill or parsley on top. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 200 degrees.

You will find more healthy and tasty recipes, including rice ones, in the article “Menu for a nursing mother.”
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How to cook it

Rice porridge can be a suitable dish for breastfeeding if you follow a few tips:

• cook from unrefined grains;
• if there is an increased risk of allergic reactions, replace cow's milk with other types, for example, goat's milk;
• add steamed prunes to the porridge (excellent prevention of constipation);
• cook rice in water with the addition of sautéed vegetables: broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, etc.

And rice soup during breastfeeding is an excellent basis for a proper lunch. Add lean meatballs to it - one option, fresh or frozen green peas with dill - another, and a broth of white fish such as cod - a third. By gradually introducing various foods into your diet, you can turn a banal rice soup with meat broth into many delicious dishes. In a word, rice for a nursing mother is an excellent way to diversify your menu with tasty and healthy food.