Nutrient and calorie intake for breastfeeding mothers who participate in Ramadan fasting need special attention. This is important, considering the needs of mothers who still need to breastfeed their little ones when they have to fast for more than 13 hours a day. However, apart from food and fluids, do breastfeeding mothers still need to take supplements to meet their nutritional needs during fasting?
Moms, for mothers who breastfeed in countries where the fasting time is relatively shorter, it will not actually experience a significant decrease in breast milk production. Even so, it is natural for mothers to feel worried about whether fasting can affect milk production and nutrition in infants.
So moms, so that you don’t get confused anymore, let’s understand a few things related to the consumption of supplements for breastfeeding mothers who are fasting below.
Explanation of Supplements for Fasting Breastfeeding Mothers
Some breastfeeding mothers may feel hungrier while fasting. So, when it’s time to eat, sometimes it can make the intake that enters the body become unbalanced. Moreover, to meet the needs of balanced nutritious food, the time is shorter during Ramadan fasting, namely during sahur and iftar.
According to medical expert Dr. Naomi Mirza, M.D., MPH of New Jersey’s St. Joseph’s Health, it doesn’t matter if breastfeeding mothers want to take supplements as long as they can pay attention to the health of themselves and their babies. This supplement in its nature can help provide any nutrients you missed from other meals or snacks when your mealtime is more limited.
“You can take multivitamins and multi-mineral supplements. You can take vitamin D supplements at dawn,” said dr. Mirza as quoted from The Daily Star.
But keep in mind, taking supplements alone will not meet the nutritional needs needed during breastfeeding, especially when you are fasting. The most important thing is not to skip meals and meet fluid needs. Yes Moms, breastfeeding mothers are strongly advised to increase fiber-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables so that the quality and quantity of breast milk is maintained.
In addition, The Healthy Muslims launches, it is very important for breastfeeding mothers to keep a regular schedule of breastfeeding during fasting. If you are at work or have to go outside for a while, you can pump breast milk. In addition, don’t forget to drink lots of water to avoid dehydration and feeling weak while fasting.