Use of pomegranate during breastfeeding

The breastfeeding period is no less difficult for a woman than the pregnancy itself.On the one hand, many medicines and familiar foods can harm the child, and on the other hand, the mother should receive as many vitamins and other beneficial substances as possible. Among natural sources of health the most popular is pomegranate.

Ripe pomegranate is easy to find on the counter of any supermarket. Today, this unusual fruit is known in all corners of the world, because its useful properties can not be overestimated. Since ancient times, for example, in ancient Greece, the seeds and peel of these fruits were used as a food additive and a full-fledged medicinal product.

Modern medicine has not only not abandoned such methods, but also vice versa, has studied in more detail the biochemical properties of ripe pomegranates, due to which this product has opened up to us from a new side.

So, today it has been proved that grains of ripe pomegranate contain approximately the following combination of bioactive substances useful for our body.

• Carbohydrates in the form of glucose, fructose, sucrose. This is the most valuable and simplest source of energy for our body. Carbohydrates are the basis of all nutrients, so they will be useful as a nursing mother, and the baby, whose body only adapts to the consumption of these elements.
• Various trace elements and minerals, including iron, magnesium, zinc, sodium and many others. As part of pomegranate juice or grains, they are in their simplest condition, so they are easily digested, even by a young, immature organism. Most of these substances are indispensable for a child who is actively growing and developing.
• A huge amount of vitamins. Among them are representatives of group B, C, E and R. The concentration of these useful components is so high that the garnet is rightly considered the most useful among all products.
• A nicotinic acidwhich in medicine is known as a stimulator of the central nervous system. It stabilizes neural connections, improves brain function, improves concentration, reduces fatigue.
• Fatty Organic Acidsindispensable for the normal functioning of the immune system. Their consumption is very useful for infants, and due to the presence of a complex of vitamins and a simple structure, these components easily penetrate into breast milk.
• Folic acid. It is necessary for better assimilation of almost all the above bioactive components of pomegranate seeds. In particular, this substance improves the absorption of iron elements.

The use of pomegranate is most often recommended for people who have suffered a serious illness, blood loss, or complicated surgery. This is due to the fact that the main value of the fetus is a high concentration of vitamins, folic acid and iron. However, eating a pomegranate or drinking fresh juice from it can be any person who cares about their health, proper nutrition and strengthening the immune system.

Here are just a few healing properties of ripe pomegranate.

• Increases the activity of the endocrine organs. This is especially useful for the mother during lactation, since lactation is normalized and improved as soon as possible, the risks of blocking the milk ducts and the development of inflammatory diseases are reduced.
• Normalizes hormonal balance. Most women find it difficult to return to normal immediately after childbirth and begin regular feeding of the baby. Hormonal imbalances often provoke a decrease or complete cessation of lactation. Regular consumption of grains or pomegranate juice can solve this problem.
• Stabilizes the motility of the gastrointestinal tract. Pomegranate based remedies are often recommended for those suffering from chronic diarrhea, as this fruit has mild astringent properties.
• It has a pronounced effect to strengthen the immune system. This is due to the large amount of vitamins and related components like nicotinic, folic and other organic acids. They contribute to the active production of interferon, help the body in time and as quickly as possible respond to pathological changes in it. All these nutrients in moderation go to the baby with milk in HB, thanks to which his immune system adapts more quickly to the environment.

• It has antioxidant properties. With regular use of pomegranate helps remove all unnecessary substances, improves the filtering function of the liver and kidneys. This product is recommended for all mothers who live with a child in regions with high air pollution and a radioactive background.
• Tonic effect. Improves the work of the central nervous system, skeletal muscles, internal organs.
• Strengthens metabolic processes. Due to this, the quality of mother's milk is improved, the child’s digestion is normalized, and later he adapts himself more easily to complementary foods.
• It has anti-inflammatory effect., accelerates the processes of natural regeneration and recovery.

It is believed that the most dangerous complication from the use of pomegranate is the development of food allergies. By itself, this reaction is not fatal and practically does not cause any harm to health, however, it causes serious discomfort. The mother is allergic to pomegranate can manifest as red spots on the skin, slight swelling of the lips, the appearance of nasal discharge, tearing. A similar reaction may also occur in the baby during breastfeeding. In infants, as a rule, individual intolerance to such products is manifested in the form of rashes and intestinal disorders.

Of course, if you or your baby has a similar clinical picture, you should completely abandon the use of pomegranate. You should also avoid pomegranates and products with their addition if the mother or child has:

• acute or chronic diseases of internal organs, in particular, of the liver and kidneys, which reduce the excretory functions of the body, it may be glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis, hepatitis or hepatosis;
• ulcerative diseases of the stomach or duodenum;
• acute gastritis;
• congestion in the intestine;
• the child has prolonged colic.

Nursing mothers should eat only ripe grains of pomegranate and completely abandon tinctures or decoctions based on the rind of the fruit. The fact is that pomegranate peels contain numerous toxic substances that can be used as a medicine, but are extremely dangerous for a young child. These include alkaloids that can produce a pronounced anthelmintic effect, but also considered toxic for children under two years of age.

It is often possible to find the opinion of experienced pediatricians that breastfeeding mothers should refrain from eating pomegranates, especially in the first months of a child’s life. This caution is due to the fact that pomegranate is a product that is very rich in bioactive substances. Most of them are in a form that easily passes from the digestive tract into breast milk, so that it begins to contain an increased concentration of organic acids, minerals, trace elements, vitamins and iron.

The best time to start using pomegranate is the age of a child from 6 months. During this period, a mother can eat a pomegranate or drink juice from his seeds without much concern; however, in the first days of such a diet, it is necessary to monitor the baby’s response after feeding and increase the dosage gradually.

Whole grains of pomegranate are believed to be more beneficial. However, doctors recommend nursing mothers to abandon them. The fact is that the seeds of the fruits contain a large amount of estrogen, which can harm the baby or even cause a serious hormonal imbalance in the mother.

On the other hand, the juice is more concentrated, therefore it is necessary to strictly adhere to a certain dosage. Pediatricians recommend to use such a drink only when the child is at least 6 months old. To introduce a new product should be gradually starting with very small dosages and tracking the reaction of the child. First of all, you should be wary of allergies or chronic constipation, which can develop in a baby because of the high content of tannins in breast milk.

It is best to immediately abandon the purchase of ready-made drink in the store. Despite the active advertising that juices are completely natural, this is not the case. A nursing mother needs to drink only freshly squeezed pomegranate juice prepared at home from ripe fruits. The drink is quite concentrated, so it can be dangerous for the baby. It can not be used in its pure form and should be diluted with plain water at room temperature at a rate of 1: 1.

In the next video, Dr. Komarovsky will tell how a woman who is breastfeeding a baby can make her life as easy as possible without harming the baby.