Watermelon pulp rarely leaves indifferent not only the sweet tooth. Delicate aroma, delicious juice and sugar sweetness give real pleasure. It is difficult to refuse the generous gift of nature, especially if you are in a position or have just become a mother.
Can a watermelon be pregnant and breastfeeding?
There is an opinion that watermelons are strictly contraindicated for pregnant and lactating mothers. Many women do not eat them themselves and do not give them to children, fearing at least poisoning.
Indeed, a giant striped berry can absorb a lot of toxic nitrates and other nastiness into its juicy flesh, which is processed by watermelons during irrigation and during transportation over long distances. At special moments in a woman’s life, sending her to her is completely useless, because this is not only about her own health.
Therefore, it is important to follow certain rules when choosing watermelons:
• naturally ripened berries appear on the territory of Russia not earlier than the last week of August. Therefore, September watermelons are safer to buy. Earlier gifts of nature are collected from melons prematurely and are clearly processed by chemistry;
• a ripe and healthy watermelon has a delicate, easily traumatic skin with pronounced stripes, and the flesh is bright, with sugar grains, of a heterogeneous color;
• ripe watermelon is quite easily served inside when squeezed;
• if the cut is too smooth, yellowish or pale pink, has hard veins - you can’t eat a watermelon.
A proven way to ensure the safety of gourds is to throw a slice of pulp in clean, cold water. If it does not change color, the watermelon is safe. If it becomes reddish, you have to get rid of it. There is no such product.
In addition to administration by nitrates, for women in position and after birth, the berry can be dangerous for other reasons. Can a watermelon be pregnant and breastfeeding, depends on the presence of chronic diseases in the mother and allergies in the newborn. Watermelon is contraindicated in large kidney stones, diabetes mellitus, acute diarrhea and other intestinal diseases.
As for allergies, diathesis in a newborn or urticaria can become its symptoms. Is it possible for a nursing mother a watermelon, and depends on the age of the child. In infants up to two months old, an immature intestinal system can respond to the inclusion of watermelons in the mother’s diet with painful gas formation and intestinal upset.
Can a watermelon be pregnant, what are its benefits
Exclude watermelon from the diet of a pregnant woman is not worth it. Moreover, many obstetrician gynecologists recommend consuming seasonal watermelons during the gestation period of “summer” babies. Why?
The fact is that a sweet melon culture brings considerable benefits both to the mother's body and to the emerging fetus:
• in the watermelon pulp a lot of iron, which helps to avoid anemia;
• juicy berry has a diuretic effect, and therefore perfectly fights swelling;
• watermelon calms the nervous system, helping the expectant mother to maintain a good mood;
• berry removes toxins from the body, cleanses lymph and blood, is an excellent prevention of constipation, normalizes digestive processes due to the high content of pectins;
• watermelon is a source of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Minerals help the heart and blood vessels of a pregnant woman to work well, folic acid has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and contributes to the proper formation of the fetus.
Despite the sweetness, the calories in the pulp of watermelon are only 25 per 100 grams, and therefore eating berries will not lead to weight gain. The main thing is not to overeat: abuse will cause bloating and fermentation.
By the way just two slices of watermelon - this is the daily dose of ascorbic acid. It is vitamin C that helps turn nitrates into safe chemical compounds and remove them from the body. This fact should be borne in mind when thinking about whether it is possible for pregnant women and when breastfeeding.
Is it possible for a nursing mother a watermelon and why
There is no absolute ban on the use of watermelons for lactating women. The reasons are the same: a rich natural vitamin-mineral complex. Especially valuable is the abundance of folic acid and vitamin B5, which are rich in watermelon flesh. With the milk of the mother, the baby receives them, which ensures harmonious development.
As for concerns about allergies, you should not worry in advance. Many modern babies are allergic to potato starch or gluten in wheat. But do they refuse bread, pasta and potatoes for fear of provoking an allergy in a newborn?
Another thing is if after eating a watermelon the baby's skin reacted poorly: a rash, itching, redness appeared. Can a nursing mother watermelon in this case? Certainly not. To test the reaction, you need to literally eat a tablespoon of pulp and wait a day. If during this time nothing bad happened to the baby (not colic and rash), there is no allergy.
One of the arguments that should force a woman in labor to exclude watermelon pulp from the diet is to reduce the nutritional value of milk. But this is a myth: in fact, there is no connection between the fat content of milk and the use of watermelons. Is it possible for a nursing mother a watermelon if she does not exceed the norm and does not eat only watermelons? Of course, it is possible and very useful. The intestines will work like clockwork, postpartum depression will recede.
The only thing you need to pay attention to is the age of the child. Until the baby is two months old, you should not use watermelons. They are really very sweet, and if mom will not have any consequences from a delicious meal, the immature intestines of the baby can react with colic and bloating. If this happens, you need to stop drinking watermelons and try again when the baby reaches the age of four months.
How to eat watermelon for pregnant and breastfeeding
It is important for pregnant and lactating mothers that the purchased watermelon ripen in the wild. But no less important is how to wash and eat a striped berry. The rules are simple.
The watermelon is washed thoroughly under hot water, soaped with a sponge with baby soap or a completely rinse-off detergent for dishes. After cutting, the rest should be stored in the refrigerator. It is suitable for food during the day. After daily storage, the answer to the question whether a watermelon can be pregnant and breastfeeding will be negative. The mother is not entitled to risk the health of the unborn child or newborn.
Pregnant women should not eat watermelon at night, especially if the period is already long. Excess pressure on the bladder is a direct path to painful insomnia. In addition, it is worth checking with the obstetrician-gynecologist's doctor exactly how much watermelon pulp can you eat per day for you. The fact is that the volume of water during pregnancy is regulated as a woman. The total volume of liquid is also taken into account, including in the form of juices, tea, soups and, of course, watery watermelon (which consists of more than 90 percent water).
Important: do not eat watermelon with other foods, especially brown bread. Digestion will be hit, which is completely unnecessary for a pregnant woman.
Gnawing the berry to the crust is also not worth it: it is in the crust that the most nitrates are concentrated.
These recommendations apply, of course, to lactating women.
To check the amount of nitrates, it would be good to have a special analyzer in the farm. It is useful for checking the suitability of not only watermelons, but also other plant products, water, juices. Is it possible for a nursing mother to watermelon, largely depends on the quantity.
In order not to harm either yourself or the baby, it is worth taking into account a primitive, but rather accurate calculation.
If we assume that a kilogram of berry pulp can contain 100 mg of nitrates, then two kilograms is the daily dose of the maximum permissible amount that is safe for life.
Therefore, if a young mother eats three or four slices, then there will be no harm to her health, and therefore to the health of the baby.
