Is it possible to have chocolate with HB: advice and recommendations from experts

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Women breastfeeding need to follow a certain diet. After all, everything she eats goes into breast milk. And the child's digestive system is still imperfect, so some foods can cause allergic reactions, colic, and stool disorders. Therefore, nursing mothers are often interested in what they can and cannot eat. Especially a lot of questions arise about chocolate. With HB, many doctors forbid it to eat, as it is considered a strong allergen. But some women consume chocolate without harm to themselves and the child. You just need to follow certain rules and observe the measure.

Useful properties of chocolate

When breastfeeding, a woman needs additional intake of many substances that are lost in breast milk. Especially often there is a lack of glucose. Many women during lactation experienceincreased need for sweets. Especially often they want to eat a piece of chocolate. With HB, this product is prohibited by many doctors. But in Western countries, breastfeeding experts believe that a woman can eat everything, but little by little. This also applies to chocolate.

After all, this delicacy is not only tasty, but also he althy, however, this applies only to a natural product without chemical additives. Studies have found that cocoa beans contain many substances that have a beneficial effect on the body. First of all, it is an energy stimulator. Chocolate contains a lot of calories, it stimulates the production of endorphins and serotonin, and tones the nervous system. It helps to cope with stress, fatigue and depression. It contains carbohydrates that increase efficiency, potassium and magnesium, which stimulate the work of the heart muscle. In addition, chocolate has an antioxidant effect, improves immunity, protects against viral diseases and normalizes blood pressure.

What harm can it do

Many believe that chocolate should not be eaten during breastfeeding due to the fact that it contains caffeine and has a stimulating effect. But in fact, there is very little caffeine in it - a whole bar contains 6 times less caffeine than a cup of coffee. But chocolate can be harmful for other reasons:

• it often causes an allergic reaction due to the cocoa, milk, nuts and other components contained in its composition;
• chocolate can cause upset stools, constipation and flatulence;
• manysugar in its composition can lead to weight gain, and in the future will cause a child's predisposition to diabetes;
• for the same reason, mom and baby may have problems with their teeth.

Why can't chocolate with breastfeeding

In the first month after birth, the baby's digestion is still imperfect. He does not have enough necessary enzymes, the intestinal microflora has not formed. Normally, he can only absorb mother's milk. But it depends on its composition. Therefore, it is forbidden to eat certain foods with HB. Chocolate is one of them. After all, cocoa beans, from which it is made, are strong allergens. In addition, it may contain other components that can cause an allergic reaction. As a result, the child may experience the following symptoms:

• skin rash, redness;
• skin itching;
• peeling of the skin on the cheeks and under the hair;
• sweating and diaper rash.

The use of chocolate by mother also negatively affects the baby's digestive system. Even a piece of sweet tile can cause increased gas formation, bloating, and colic. The baby's stool is disturbed, most often constipation appears. Abdominal pain and vomiting may occur. In addition, everyone knows the tonic effect of chocolate. If the mother eats it, the baby may experience increased excitability, anxiety, and sleep disturbance. Moreover, the younger the child, the greater the likelihood of various negative reactions.

When you can eatchocolate for breastfeeding

Although this product is considered a strong allergen, there is no strict ban on its use. It is advisable not to eat it in the first month after the birth of a child. At this time, the baby's digestive system is still being formed and any unfamiliar product can cause indigestion or an allergic reaction.

Then mom needs to remember if she has ever had an allergic reaction to any food, how she tolerated chocolate during pregnancy, and whether her relatives were allergic to it. If there were no negative reactions, you can gradually start trying this product. First you need to eat a small piece and observe the reaction of the child. If he tolerated it normally, you can eat chocolate in small portions several times a week. If an allergic reaction or indigestion appears, it is better to refuse this delicacy for another couple of months. In such cases, doctors recommend not introducing such products into the diet of a nursing mother until 9 months.

Types of chocolate

When a woman thinks about whether chocolate is possible with breastfeeding, you need to consider that it can be different. And allergic reactions most often appear not on the cocoa beans themselves, but on various additives. What can be in chocolate:

• milk;
• soy lecithin;
• peanuts;
• palm oil;
• chemical additives.

All such components, especially synthetic ones, are excreted from the body for a very long time and may be present in milk forweeks. Therefore, a nursing mother should choose only natural chocolate, without additives.

There are several varieties of it, and each of them has its own useful and harmful properties. For example, dark chocolate with HS is not recommended because of the large amount of caffeine. It has a strong tonic effect, which can lead to overexcitation of the child's nervous system. Milk chocolate is he althier in this regard, but it contains cow's milk protein. This is a rather allergenic product, some babies have its intolerance. White chocolate is especially useful. With HB, it is recommended to use it. Its only harm is that it contains a lot of sugar, which can cause flatulence.

What is especially harmful in chocolate

Despite the fact that this product is classified as a strong allergen, most often negative reactions do not appear because of cocoa beans, but because of other components in its composition. It can be milk, peanuts, palm oil, various flavors and dyes. Only 3% of people are allergic to cocoa. Therefore, a high-quality natural product containing only cocoa and sugar is much he althier. But various chocolate bars, tiles, sweets - all this can cause a negative reaction. This is due to the presence of these components:

• milk often causes an allergic reaction due to the presence of casein;
• peanuts are a strong allergen;
• gluten is often added to cheap products, and recently more and more people are suffering from itintolerance;
• soy lecithin is also quite a strong allergen;
• synthetic flavors, dyes and flavor enhancers can cause not only an allergic reaction, but also poisoning in a baby.

Rules for its use

Many well-known doctors believe that small amounts of chocolate with breastfeeding will not be harmful if the mother follows certain rules:

• Do not eat it in the first 3 months until the baby's digestive system is strong.
• You need to make sure that the child does not have allergies, it is also important that relatives also do not have an intolerance to chocolate.
• The first time you need to start with a small piece - no more than 5 grams.
• The best time to eat this treat is in the morning, after feeding your baby.
• You need to introduce an unfamiliar product separately, there is nothing else new on this day.
• After that, you need to wait 2-3 days and watch the reaction of the baby.
• If nothing in his behavior and condition has changed, chocolate can be eaten by increasing the dose to 25 grams.
• You can consume it in such quantities several times a week.
• It is better to choose only natural dark chocolate for this.

What can replace

What about those women who are used to eating chocolate as a tonic or a regular treat? If the baby does not tolerate this product, you can replace it with other means. A cup of green tea or a walk will help to cheer up,and you can enjoy other sweets that are not prohibited during HB. It can be dried fruits, for example, prunes, dried apricots or dates are very useful and resemble sweets. It is allowed to eat such delicacies as marshmallows, marshmallows, marmalade, homemade jam. The main thing is that they are free of artificial additives.

Use reviews

The body of each person is individual. And everyone reacts differently to certain foods. Reviews about chocolate with HB are different. Someone writes that even a small piece led to diathesis and abdominal colic in the baby. For others, the child reacts this way only to milk chocolate. But there are mothers who use this delicacy without fear, since the child's condition does not change. Therefore, a woman must decide for herself whether she has chocolate. It is best, of course, to consult a doctor and not introduce this product into the diet in the first 3 months. But then its moderate use is quite possible. Many mothers note that a few pieces of chocolate along with morning tea do not harm their baby in any way. But you need to observe the measure and carefully observe the reaction of the child.