Life with a three- month baby can be very exhausting. It’s not at all possible to do a proper exercise and take adequate rest for the first few demanding months. It becomes challenging to make an appropriate diet, as well.
But even if you spend a lot of time taking care of your three-month-old baby, it is equally important to take care of yourself. You must choose healthy habits by eating the right food items in your meals. You must plan a simple yet effective eating strategy to boost your energy levels even if you are busy days and nights.
You should start with a balanced diet. A balanced diet helps you to provide the essential nutrients required in the body. Make sure that you are hydrated and drink plenty of water daily. If possible, remind yourself to drink water every hour. Try to make time to sit down to prepare a quick meal or snack. You can hand your baby to your partner or a helper for a few minutes in such a case.
Make sure to keep an eye on yourself and make every meal count. See to it that whatever you are pouring into your stomach is rich in minerals and vitamins. Simple carbohydrates lead you with a blood sugar level spike and make you sleepy. You can opt for complex carbs that give you long-lasting energy, make you feel full for a long time as well as provide you with enough minerals and vitamins.
What to eat for a new mother with a three-month baby?
Proteins like yogurt as well as eggs should be consumed. Complex carbohydrates such as cereals and whole-grain bread can be taken. They are better options available for your breakfast than sugar or simple carbohydrates. You can eat a simple carbohydrate such as a smoothie made with yogurt and fruits instead of a bowl of sugary cereal, oatmeal, scrambled eggs or a whole wheat toast.
Dates and Apricots:
Eating dates and apricots increases prolactin in the body. Prolactin is the hormone that sends a signal to the body to produce milk. Apricots include essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin A, as well as dietary fiber. Dried apricots are an easy option for snack when you are hungry. Fresh is always better than canned. If you are going to eat canned products, then better to avoid apricots that are packed in syrups.
Dates are rich in calcium, naturally sweet and also high in fiber content. Calcium is vital for developing bones of your three-month-old baby so make sure to take two or three dates daily. Dates are also suitable for hemoglobin, so if you or your baby is anemic, then it is the best option available to you, especially if you are vegan.
Yogurt:
Calcium is essential for the development and growth of your three-month-old baby. You must take a minimum of 1000 mg of calcium per day in your body. You can eat low-fat or Greek yogurt. Yogurt is a good source of protein and available in different flavors. You can taste the flavor you like. If possible, try to prepare yogurt at home as it will be a fresh one without added flavor and sugar. You can add granola or fruit to make it tasty. If your three-month has milk protein intolerance, then dairy items such as yogurt should not be consumed.
There are many food items that studies demonstrate are great for nursing mothers such as pumpkin seeds, garlic, avocados, curry, and fenugreek. The most important thing is eating natural and local food available in the market and not the processed ones. Pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds or any form of seeds are essential for the development of the three-months-old baby brain. So, make sure that you must add and eat them daily in your diet plan.
Foods new mothers must avoid for a three- month old baby:
Mothers must make sure that while preparing a meal plan for themselves, they should take care to prevent a few items. They must avoid the following list of food items that are dangerous and unhealthy for themselves as well as their three-month-old baby.
Chocolate:
You have an option not to exclude chocolate from your list entirely, but you must be aware that they are a source of caffeine. Some breastfeeding mothers experience that eating chocolate gives a laxative effect on their baby. You can watch the behavior of your baby as well as their diapers. If you feel that she has a runny poop or becomes fussy, then you must ensure that you must avoid chocolate altogether. Else, you can eat a bar of chocolate but that too rarely.
Alcohol:
Alcohol creates a negative impact on your baby as soon as it enters breast milk. So, the best thing is to avoid drinking alcohol. If you are addicted to it, then it is better to drink one not more than that. It takes around 2 hours for the metabolism of alcohol. Alcohol stays more in your bloodstream than your breast milk, so as soon as you feel sober, you can get back to breastfeeding.
It is advisable for new mothers who had a few drinks, not essential to pump and dump after taking alcohol. So, you can do nursing in such a case.
Lifestyle changes for new mothers with a three-month-old baby:
You might feel tired and want to take rest whenever you get a chance. But, exercise will help you in increasing your energy levels. It will make you feel better. Movement is what matters, so make sure that you exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
You can learn a few exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home. There is no need to go to the gym. You can also run or walk from home or at home if you want. And, in such a case, you won’t have to be worried about the travel time to go to the gym.
You can follow a weekly diet plan as per our diet chart as follows:
| Days | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Day 1 | Scrambled eggs with cinnamon tea | Dal, rice, and roti | Mixed vegetable soup |
| Day 2 | Oatmeal with ginger tea | Vegetables such as spinach or green leafy vegetable with dal and roti | Fried rice with yogurt |
| Day 3 | Slices of banana and apple with dry fruits | Mushroom curry with roti | Mixed dals with roti or rice |
| Day 4 | Avocado with green tea | Mixed vegetable with dal, rice, and roti | Vegetable pulao with mushroom soup |
| Day 5 | Spinach smoothie | Yogurt, cottage cheese curry with roti | Drumstick soup, vegetable curry, and roti |
| Day 6 | Green tea with whole wheat grain bread and eggs | Egg curry with roti and rice | Salad with fried rice |
| Day 7 | Dry fruits such as almond mixed with pumpkin seeds and dates smoothie | Vegetable curry with rice, roti, and yogurt | Chicken curry, roti, and rice |