Garlic during breastfeeding

Compound

Garlic bulbs contain vitamins, fats, chemical elements, polysaccharides, and vegetable protein. Vitamin row of vegetables:

• ascorbic acid (strengthening the immune system, protecting the body from fungi, infections, bacteria, improving mood);
• carotene (antioxidant effect, increased stress resistance);
• thiamine (normalizes bowel function, strengthens the nail plate);
• riboflavin (regulates the functioning of nerve cells, improves the condition of hair and skin, slows down the aging process);
• nicotinic acid (normalization of metabolism, resistance to free radical attacks).

Attention! Only garlic contains thiamine; it is not found in other vegetables. Garlic promotes the absorption of thiamine from foods.

Garlic contains 17 chemical elements:

• phosphorus (strengthens bones, improves brain activity);
• potassium (necessary for the functioning of skeletal muscles, supplying the brain with oxygen);
• copper (prevents changes in blood composition);
• iodine (involved in the regulation of water-electrolyte and vitamin metabolism);
• titanium (protects the body from premature wear and aging);
• sulfur (destroys pathogenic fungi, carcinogens, dangerous bacteria);
• germanium (maintains the elasticity of blood vessels, strengthens their walls);
• molybdenum (activates the work of antioxidants);
• zirconium (promotes rapid healing of wounds);
• selenium (regenerates skin cells, disinfects toxins);
• sodium (maintains the water-salt balance of cells, normalizes neuromuscular and renal activity);
• lead (participant in metabolic processes of bone tissue, activates some enzymes);
• calcium (acts as a building material for teeth, bone skeleton, nails);
• cobalt (stimulates the growth and development of red blood cells);
• vanadium (increases endurance, promotes hormone production);
• magnesium (lowers cholesterol, fights toxins);
• manganese (supports proper cell development).

Garlic phytoncides are characterized by a strong antibiotic function and kill the tuberculosis bacillus in 5 minutes!

Foods you can feed chickens

In a chicken’s diet, 70% is grain feed, the rest is protein feed (plant and animal) and green. The food needs to be crushed to make it easy to peck.

• Animal food: boiled ground meat, fish, bone meal.
• Vegetable – mushrooms, vegetables, fruits. Depending on the season, nutritional proportions change.
• In summer there is more plant and green food, in winter - animal and grain food. If the birds are not freely grazing, then they must add salt and sand, which are necessary for digestion.
• Sand helps to grind food inside the intestines and digest it.

• To ensure that the bird has enough minerals, seashells are crushed, chalk, limestone, and eggshells are added. The shells are washed and crushed, otherwise the chickens, in search of delicacies, begin to peck at their own eggs.
• Millet, millet, barley, rye are the grain base of chicken feed. Millet boiled in water can be given to chickens. Corn is a fatty grain, so it is added to about 5-6% of the grain base.

In private farming, birds are sometimes fed table scraps or leftover food from other animals, but some products are harmful to the health of animals or lead to death.

So, for example, to the question whether chickens can be given salt, the answer will be negative. They contain substances that chicken is not able to digest due to the lack of the necessary enzymes in the body.

List of products:

• Spices: salt, pepper, curry harm the stomach and intestines and irritate the mucous membranes. Therefore, food left over from lunch or dinner shortens the life of the bird.
• Fresh bread creates a lump in the crop and stomach, which is difficult to digest and leads to volvulus. White bread is given to birds in the form of dried, crushed crackers. Black bread is more dangerous, it leads to diarrhea, polyuria (increased urine production), it has high acidity, which impairs egg production.
• Whole milk is not digested due to the lack of lactobacilli in the intestines. Therefore, products soaked in milk are not beneficial. Bread soaked in milk is a double blow to the bird’s body.
• Butter and cheese are harmful to the liver due to their high fat content and salt.
• Chocolate and cocoa are deadly poisons for animals due to the substance theobromine they contain. The metabolism of chickens is designed in such a way that theobromine is processed very slowly by the body, which leads to poisoning. Even a small piece of chocolate or cocoa powder can kill.

• Sweets: jam, marmalade, cookies, cakes, muffins contain a lot of sugar. This leads to fermentation inside the body, and then to poisoning, to thickening of the blood.
• Sausage, frankfurters, and sausages harm the liver due to their fat content, and also irritate the mucous membrane with spices.
• Raw, green potatoes contain a plant poison - solanine, which poisons the body and leads to diarrhea. There is especially a lot of this substance in potato peelings.
• Nightshades: tomatoes (including tops), eggplants, tobacco, vegetable peppers, nightshade. They, especially unripe ones, contain solanine.
• Grain with mold leads to severe poisoning.

In addition to prohibited foods, there are those that are harmful only in large quantities, and beneficial in small quantities. For example, an apple causes diarrhea, which leads to dehydration, so constantly feeding chickens apples is dangerous.

Giving one fruit per 4 chickens once a week is beneficial because the apple contains iron. All juicy fruits act by analogy with an apple: zucchini, cucumbers, bananas, pears.

When choosing additives to the diet, many questions arise: can chickens be given mushrooms, can chickens be given salt, and what if the diet is based on millet or peas and beet tops?

Let's look at the foods that you can supplement with. List of products:

• Mushrooms contain a lot of protein and are liked by chickens; they are good for raising the mass of meat breeds. Any boiled or dried mushrooms that can be eaten by humans are suitable for food. If eaten raw, birds may refuse the treat.
• Banana and banana peel. The fruit itself can be given by analogy with an apple, that is, rarely, little by little. Banana peels should be washed well with hot water and soap to remove the chemicals used on the fruit. The crushed peel is added to the feed.

• The fish is cooked to such an extent that the small bones are softened: they can damage the esophagus, stomach or intestines, leading to bleeding and death. The backbone is ground into flour. The fish itself is very healthy, but raw fish can cause worms.
• Citrus peels (tangerine and orange peels) can be useful in dried, crushed form. The fruits themselves are too sour for poultry and are not suitable as food.
• Boiled potatoes are often used to feed broilers. It contains a dangerous poison, but if it was not initially green, then you can add it. Potatoes are a source of vitamin B and starch, which increases the weight of the chicken. Can chickens be given potatoes? Yes, but not earlier than the 20th day of life. There is a common myth that solanine disappears when cooked, this is not true. The poison solanine does not disappear from plants during heat treatment, so the danger of poisoning remains.

• Cottage cheese, unlike whole raw milk, is accepted normally by the chicken’s body in small quantities. It is often fed to chickens because it is a source of calcium.
• Table salt as a mineral supplement causes a lot of controversy: can chickens have salt? Sodium chloride is necessary for the vital processes of the body, maintains water-salt balance, but it is poison. If a laying hen roams freely, eats worms, and digs in the ground, then she does not need additional salt. If the chicken lives in a chicken coop, then salt must be added. It is dissolved in water and added to the mash at the rate of 3-5 g per 1 kg of feed.
• Legumes (peas, beans, beans) are given boiled so that they are well absorbed. Before cooking, they are soaked in cold water for 5-6 hours to release oligosaccharides that are not digested by the chicken body.
• Carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips are sources of vitamins in winter, when there is no fresh grass. So that chickens can peck, you can slightly chop the vegetables with a blender or grate them on a coarse grater.
• Boiled and raw beets and tops are a strong laxative, but the question of whether red beets can be fed to chickens is causing lively debate. Some poultry farmers claim that it is possible and necessary, others are categorically against this vegetable. If you add beets a little at a time, this will not lead to dangerous consequences, if this is the basis of nutrition - dehydration is possible.
• Yellow fodder beet does not cause diarrhea and can be part of the bird's diet.

An important part of the diet of hens and chicks is fresh green grass. Birds get vitamins, minerals, and fiber from it. The supply of these substances obtained over the summer helps animals to survive the winter easily and without disease. But not all grass is beneficial: some types of plants are a threat to the bird’s body.

Such plants include:

• Black nightshade and all shoots and flowers of the nightshade family (eggplant, tomato, potato, tobacco);
• Henbane;
• Juniper;
• Belladonna;
• Elder;
• Burdock;
• Buttercup;
• Ambrosia.

You should not give tops of legumes (peas, soybeans, beans) because they cause constipation and flatulence. The controversial issue is whether it is possible to give chickens dandelion and celandine. These plants do not cause obvious changes in the body if they do not form the basis of the daily diet.

Green feed is introduced to chickens from the first day of life. It could be green onions or scalded nettles. Young nettle contains a lot of iron, manganese, zinc, copper and vitamin K; it is useful for all chickens without exception.

Clover, alfalfa, parsley, and radish tops are also good for birds; young green pine needles and tree leaves are mixed into the food.

Chickens are very fond of an ornamental plant called kochia. This fluffy bush is medicinal; medicines for people are made from it, but it also helps chickens strengthen the immune system and fight various diseases.

A balanced and proper diet is the basis for egg production, fertility and quality of chicken meat. Feed poor in nutrients leads to diseases, chickens pecking each other, their own and other people's eggs. A weakened body does not cope well with viruses, bacteria, and parasites, which is why epidemics and deaths of birds occur in the chicken coop.

These are poisonous or harmful herbs, tops, branches. Of course, your feathered pets themselves can distinguish safe plants from dangerous ones. But anything can happen. Therefore, you need to be careful, especially when harvesting meadow grass for winter feeding.

You should not give chickens:

• burdock;
• cockle;
• hemlock;
• henbane;
• belladonna;
• elderberry;
• broom;
• celandine;
• hellebore;
• spotted hemlock;
• white acacia;
• juniper;
• horse chestnut

The golden general rule when choosing herbs is this: if in doubt, don’t give it. Moreover, even medicinal herbs and plants in excessive quantities will be dangerous.

So, as you can see, you can introduce many foods into your chickens’ diet. Take care of their proper nutrition, and the bird will delight you with excellent health, good weight gain and eggs, even in winter.

Today, many farmers are engaged in breeding domestic animals. The most important thing is to know how to do it correctly. Any poultry farmer knows that proper feeding plays an important role when raising chickens. Only if the chickens receive a balanced, healthy diet will the farmer be able to obtain quality products.

Is it worth it or not? Owners of large farms talk about the convenience of using compound feed. It is recommended to select specific feeds designed for your type of poultry. For example, there are certain foods on sale today that increase egg production. If you are raising meat breeds, then the food should not contain components that reduce weight gain.

In terms of nutritional value and composition, ready-made food is in no way inferior to natural food. From 60 to 70% of the composition is oats, bran, millet and barley. 20-30% are corn and legumes. The food also includes berries, vegetables, vitamins and minerals, bone meal, milk powder and dried herbs.

Beneficial features

Garlic protects the body from the development of infectious and colds. Strengthening the human immune system is the main function of the vegetable. In the body of a nursing woman, it is involved in the following processes:

1. Reducing cholesterol, triglycerides, blood purification.
2. Reducing the risk of developing fungus in the vagina (candidiasis, thrush).
3. Improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Normalization of blood pressure due to dilation of blood vessels.
5. Reducing the risk of developing malignant tumors, heart attacks, strokes.
6. Stimulation of immunity.
7. Improving selenium absorption.
8. Reducing the effects of oxidative processes.

Attention! Scientists at the Pittsburgh Medical Center have determined that consuming garlic, as well as extracts from its vigorous cloves, has a positive effect on the vaginal microflora and reduces the manifestations of hypersensitivity syndrome.

Harm of garlic during breastfeeding

You can’t argue about the benefits of garlic, however, there are negative effects on the body of mother and child:

1. Increased appetite. Overeating by a nursing mother can cause constipation in the baby after feeding.
2. Burns of the gastrointestinal tract. Excessive consumption of the product damages the intestinal mucosa. This can provoke perforation (through hole) of the intestine, cessation of lactation due to treatment of the mother.
3. Botulism. If the raw product is stored in vegetable oil, toxins develop that can be fatal to the consumer.
4. Allergy. Garlic, like any other product, can cause an allergic reaction in a baby: vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, bloating.
5. Scientific studies dating back to the 1950s claim that garlic toxins desynchronize brain waves and are a specific poison for brain cells.

How to serve grass?

In general, no. If yes, then it is very desirable to use yeast-free, whole grain, in the form of crackers and mash. Very rarely - white bread crackers. If possible, exclude bread, replace it with crushed bread and bran.

The fact is that fresh bread and flour can cause congestion in the gastrointestinal tract, swelling and turning into an indigestible lump. Birds also don’t really need yeast.

So what do you need to know about it? Many novice farmers are interested in what they can and cannot feed domestic chickens. Typically, garden and kitchen waste is used for this purpose. Poultry can be given potatoes that are unsuitable for use. Green, too small or sprouted tubers are suitable. Chickens are also given potato peelings. One bird can eat 50-100 grams of such food per day.

It is also advisable to give chickens bread in dry or soaked form. You can also include ground bones, leftover meat, and fish offal in your diet. Beet and carrot tops, leftover berries and fruits are great for laying hens. You can make a mash from these ingredients.

If you want to run a successful farm, you definitely need to know what you should absolutely not feed your chickens. These birds are practically omnivorous. Many breeders use this. They use stale and spoiled food as food. This can lead to disease and eating disorders in birds.

The feed mixture may contain 15-30% green components. Adults should be given herbs such as plantain, nettle, alfalfa, wood lice, dandelion, wheatgrass, clover, cereals, spurge, and sorrel. You can also include legumes and durum vegetables in your chickens' diet. Cabbage leaves are a good source of vitamins.

Birds can either independently peck greens in the place where they grow, or consume them together with the feed mixture. Experts recommend hanging tufts of grass near the feeding area. This way the chickens won't trample them. As a rule, birds independently choose which greens suit them best.

The main requirement for a balanced diet for chickens is the presence of nutritional and beneficial elements such as fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. In this regard, a completely logical question arises: “Is it possible to give chickens bread?” Opinions on this matter vary greatly. The type of baking is of great importance here.

If you mix bread with bran, cottage cheese, meat, herbs and potatoes, you will get a good complete food for birds. Such food will not harm the health of chickens and will have a good effect on the level of egg production. As for fresh bread, it is not recommended to give it to birds. Such a product can adversely affect the health of the chicken and also reduce immunity.

The fact is that in chicken stomachs, fresh bread swells and turns into a dense lump. This may even lead to the death of the bird. Black varieties of bread are especially dangerous. They contain salt and yeast, and also have a high level of acidity. This composition helps to activate the fermentation mechanism, which reduces egg production.

Many household owners believe that spoiled bread can be given to chickens. However, moldy baked goods can cause serious harm to birds. It can lead to poisoning and metabolic problems. To deprive moldy baked goods of the negative impact, you need to keep them in the oven.

Can any bread be given to birds? What should you not feed chickens? In no case is it recommended to give sweet buns and pastries with various fillings. This type of diet contributes to blood thickening and can lead to digestive disorders. Since white bread is also high in carbohydrates, it can only be given in the form of crackers.

But even in this form, you should not be zealous with feeding. In winter, bread can be an excellent source of energy for birds. However, if chickens are kept in cages or small enclosures, it is better not to use such food. This type of food, combined with a lack of exercise, can cause blockages in blood vessels.

Is it possible for breastfeeding women to garlic: effect on lactation

There are pediatricians who recommend excluding vegetables from a nursing woman’s diet because they continue to believe myths:

1. Changes in the smell of milk. The garlic flavor is due to the presence of sulfur in the product eaten. When it enters the blood, it is eliminated from the body through the respiratory tract. “Garlic breath” is not associated with a change in the smell of milk.
2. Change in the taste of milk. While still in the womb, the baby begins to get used to the food that the mother eats. Therefore, the child is not confused by the specific smell of milk if it is not new to him. The baby may not like it if the mother eats this product more than usual. Some women start eating the savory vegetable to wean their baby off the breast. However, 99% of children do not stop breastfeeding after this seasoning.
3. Garlic provokes colic during breastfeeding. The child’s intestines learn to work, so women stick to a diet. Colic in a baby appears regardless of the food of a nursing woman. But if the product causes discomfort to the mother’s body in the form of flatulence, then the child also suffers due to increased gas formation.
4. Decreased lactation level. This vegetable does not affect the amount of milk in any way.

Myths about garlic during breastfeeding

Thanks to entrenched stereotypes among breastfeeding women, there are many myths about whether a nursing mother can eat garlic.

This ban is based on long-standing prejudices:

• the smell of milk will change;
• the taste of milk becomes unpleasant;
• allergy to garlic;
• The baby's digestion will be impaired.

Often, a nursing mother is afraid that the smell of the milk will change, which is why the baby will refuse to latch on to the breast. The specific garlic smell is due to the sulfur content in it.

Indeed, unpleasant odors can be perceived negatively by infants. But if you know in moderation in everything, then no problem will happen. If mom eats a clove of garlic or an onion bulb, you can easily get rid of the pungent smell by eating a bunch of parsley. A child may find any other strong-smelling product unpleasant. When breastfeeding, it is enough not to overdo it with garlic consumption and problems will not arise.

There has long been an opinion among nursing mothers that onions and garlic will spoil the taste of milk and make it bitter. In practice, many children’s appetite even improves. Loss of appetite in a child is not associated with the use of this product, which has been confirmed by medical research. The first group of nursing mothers was given tablets with garlic extract, and the other "pacifiers".

The results of the study showed no obvious difference, and in some cases, children suckled more actively at the breast. If the baby’s appetite has worsened, then this is most likely due to individual taste preferences.

Often women are afraid of diathesis in their child. Infants are allergic to many foods, even hypoallergenic ones. It is impossible to predict this. Products should be introduced gradually and the child’s condition should be monitored.

Colic often occurs even in infants whose mothers adhere to the strictest diet possible. This is due to the immaturity of the intestines, which are not sufficiently seeded with beneficial bacteria. Any product eaten by the mother can cause colic in the baby.

Precautionary measures

It is recommended to introduce garlic into the diet 6 months after the baby starts feeding, when the child’s body has adapted to the mother’s food. However, you should not eat it in unlimited quantities. 1 clove a day during breastfeeding will not harm the child. If after the first consumption of the vegetable the child feels well and no rashes or colic appear within 24 hours, then the nursing mother can eat this product. If your child becomes irritable while eating or after eating, eliminate the vegetable from the diet.

It is forbidden to let your baby bite this vegetable. This will lead to burns of the mucous membranes and bloating of the intestines.

If a woman suffers from hypoglycemia or diabetes, then it is necessary to reduce the amount of garlic during lactation to 1 clove per day. It can lower blood sugar levels.

Garlic thins the blood. If a woman is taking anticoagulants (blood thinning drugs), she should eat vegetables in minimal doses.

Breastfeeding women can eat garlic. Doctors say that reactions to it are extremely rare. It is important that the baby is exposed to a variety of foods through breast milk. Sweet, bitter, salty foods should be present during the lactation period, but we must not forget about precautions.

Use wisely during breastfeeding

Can a nursing mother eat garlic? It is possible, but do not forget about a sense of proportion. To find out if your child likes this milk flavoring, start with half a clove. If your baby is not bothered by colic and is not bothered by the taste of milk, you can safely eat 1–2 cloves a day.

But you should be careful with garlic when feeding a newborn (the first month of life), since the baby’s digestive system at this age may be sensitive to its essential oils. Therefore, in the first month of a baby’s life, it is better not to use garlic for a nursing mother.

Precautionary measures

• Combination with medications. If you are taking blood thinning medications (anticoagulants), you should not rely on this seasoning, as it itself contributes to blood thinning (discuss with your doctor the permissible amount of the product).
• Allergy. Garlic is not a dangerous allergen, but it should still be administered with caution, because all children are different.
• Smell and taste. Most babies love the unusual smell and taste of breast milk, but if you see that your baby is irritated and reluctant to eat, eliminate this product from your diet for a while.
• Effect on sugar levels. If you have diabetes or are prone to hypoglycemia, you should be careful as garlic lowers blood sugar levels.
• Do not give to infants! Despite the many beneficial properties, do not offer your baby the product in its pure form - it can burn the baby’s delicate mucous membrane and cause digestive upset.

So, can a nursing mother eat garlic? Definitely yes! For it to be beneficial, eat it only raw. Watch your baby - if he is not bothered by the taste of flavored milk and colic, feel free to consume this most valuable product.