Awareness of the diet of breastfeeding mothers. Survey and review of the latest recommendations

Introduction: A breastfeeding mother using elimination diets limits the intake of certain products only for herself and not for her baby because breast milk has a relatively constant composition and largely comes from supply accumulated during pregnancy. During lactation, it is recommended to eat healthy, easily digestible and varied meals, following the principles of the food pyramid. Aim: The article presents the current knowledge of the surveyed women about dietary recommendations during breastfeeding and current recommendations regarding this problem. Material and methods: The study used an original questionnaire on the diet of a breastfeeding mother. Responses were collected from 630 women aged 18–44. Results and discussion: The most questionable concern during lactation is the consumption of raw fish and raw meat. The respondents were also careful with spicy products. They had the least doubts when asked about milk, dairy produce and pickled produce. It is also worth mentioning that 10.3% of respondents consider drinking a glass of wine during lactation acceptable. The study also found health inequalities. There is a statistically significant relationship between the place of residence and the respondents’ knowledge about the diet of a breastfeeding mother. Residents of large cities gave the most correct answers. Conclusion: When educating a breastfeeding mother about the diet, special attention should be paid to the harmfulness of alcohol and debunking myths related to the fear of eating raw fish and raw meat. Women living in the largest cities are better informed on the subject. This indicates the need for education about the diet during lactation, addressed primarily to women living in rural areas and small towns.