Watermelon is a delicious berry that perfectly quenches your thirst in the summer heat, plus it carries great benefits in the form of vitamins and macronutrients. A pregnant girl can eat it in plenty, of course, observing the measure. Folic acid contained in watermelon is vital for a growing fetus, therefore, in the first trimester, watermelon will be an additional source of this useful substance. But is it possible to eat watermelon while breastfeeding? This is a very important and interesting question that we will try to deal with right now.
It is logical to assume that watermelon will have a good effect on lactation, because it consists of 90% water. And after giving birth, this is generally a godsend - watermelon has an excellent anti-inflammatory and diuretic effect, even antipyretic. It would seem, eat and be healthy.
But all these positive qualities can be crossed out at once if you buy a watermelon out of season, even just a couple of weeks ahead of the potential ripening period. The trouble is that at an incredible speed, like a sponge, it absorbs all kinds of nitrates, with which the soil and the seedlings are processed for early ripening. Having eaten such a specimen, a young mother will receive at least an upset stomach and a malfunction of the digestive system.
But the most unpleasant thing is that nitrates can easily pass into breast milk. The body of a child under one year old is clearly not able to cope with such a load on the organs. Therefore, if you decide to eat a watermelon, make sure that you purchase a natural product that should inspire confidence in you externally - no cracks, dents. Moreover, do not buy cut watermelons.
How to test a watermelon for usefulness
You can check the berry for the presence of nitrates (chemicals) at home, after a little experiment. Take a glass, pour clean tap water into it. Cut off a slice of watermelon, along with the green skin and pulp. Throw a piece into a glass of water, stir. Has the water become cloudy, cloudy? So this watermelon is not worth eating. Natural watermelon will not affect the condition of the water in any way, it will remain the same transparent and clean.
Watermelon while breastfeeding can solve the problem of anemia, as it contains a lot of iron. This should be noted for mothers with low levels of hemoglobin in the blood.
But there is one more BUT. Watermelon has red juicy flesh. Highly colored foods, most of which are reds and oranges, carry a high risk of allergic reactions. A baby with breast milk will receive allergenic substances, and if their rate is exceeded, an allergy is guaranteed.
Acute allergic reaction is dangerous in that it is characterized by a sharp, almost instantaneous deterioration in the child's condition, redness and rash. Or the allergen can gradually accumulate in the body, and when its maximum amount, only then give a reaction. Reading about allergies.
How to choose a watermelon? - Choosing a ripe, tasty and sweet watermelon
If there are allergy sufferers in the family, one of the family members has asthma, then postpone eating watermelon during breastfeeding. You can start using it three to four months after giving birth, when the mother's lactation is well established, and the child has become acquainted with many products through milk. Try to introduce a small piece of watermelon into the mother's diet per day, maximum two to three skiba.
Take care of yourself and eat only healthy foods!
Further:
- Fruit when breastfeeding
- Melon with HS - is it possible or not?
- Breastfeeding apples
