Rice, bread, pasta, and breakfast foods like granola can help keep your energy levels up. Sticking to whole grain sources of carbohydrates gives you extra fiber. This will help your digestive system. Consider making your own muesli for breakfast with bananas, chopped whole oats, granola, dates, and any other items you prefer. You burn calories when you breastfeed. For this reason, it is important to keep your energy levels high with sufficient carbohydrates. Just like when you were pregnant, incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet is a wise idea. Having five portions of fruits and vegetables daily is a good benchmark. Aim for fruits and vegetables with varying colors to maximize the nutritional benefits. Spinach, kale, and darker lettuces give you needed iron while citrus fruits like oranges or grapefruit provide Vitamin C. Make sure to wash all fruits and vegetables to remove any pesticides that might be on them. Organic vegetables and fruits should have fewer chemicals. The following amounts represent one portion: Half a grapefruit One apple, one banana, or one orange Half an avocado Half a green pepper One full tablespoon of dried fruit Fistful of berries or grapes Two apricots Two plums One slice of pineapple Three full tablespoons of cooked vegetables or beans 150 mL (5 oz.) glass of freshly squeezed orange juice Protein is very important for your muscular strength and overall health. Seek protein through meat (preferably lean), eggs, and legumes (kidney beans, pinto beans, lentils). Also consider having two servings of fish per week. "Oily" types of fish like salmon are particularly good. Eat fish that are low in mercury. Salmon, trout, shrimp, tilapia, anchovies, perch, oysters, and crab are good options. Avoid grouper, sea bass, mackerel, marlin, shark, and tuna. Oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to vital to your baby's brain and eye development. If you don't eat fish, consider taking an omega-3 supplement. Vegetarian mothers run the risk of having a B12 deficiency. Their babies also can have this deficiency, which causes decreased appetite, vomiting, muscular atrophy, and other problems. Talk to your doctor about taking a supplement. Also, you can get B12 through fermented soybean products. Although cow milk can cause problems for some babies, having a small amount of low-fat dairy products like yogurt is healthy. Goat milk products also can be a healthy alternative to cow's milk. If you remove cow's milk from your diet, your doctor might advise you to take calcium and/or Vitamin D supplements. If your child has an adverse reaction to cow's milk (ingested through your breast milk), your baby might display these symptoms: Bloating Rash Eczema Changes in excrement Insufficient growth Vomiting Diarrhea Itchy skin Swollen face, lips, eyes Coughing Constipation Although you do not need to drink excess water while breastfeeding, aim to have at least eight 8-oz glasses (about 2 liters) of water or other fluids (apart from alcohol) during the day. While breastfeeding, your body releases the cuddling hormone oxytocin, which causes you to be thirsty. Keep water handy while breastfeeding. Make sure that your urine is pale. If it is dark yellow or smells strange, you should drink more water. Check the chemical levels in your water. Although some tap water is healthy to consume, in other cities it is not. In the U.S., your water supplier must provide you with a copy of a Consumer Confidence Report, which shows what chemicals exist in the water. Consider buying a filter for your water. This can give you peace of mind that your water is safer and often improves taste as well.
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One-sentence summary -- Eat whole grains. Enjoy your fruits and vegetables. Add protein to your diet. Eat dairy. Stay hydrated.

Using a ruler or a tape measure, find the width of the gap so you can choose the right size tubing. Be sure to measure the gap on each side of the stove, as one side may have more space than the other! Using clear tube will make it close to invisible between your counter and stove. Using a slightly thicker tube will create a firm fit without it falling to the floor. Plastic tubing can be purchased at your local hardware store and is typically sold by the foot. While clear tubing is discreet, you can purchase other colors if it better fits the look and style of your kitchen. Make sure the end of the tube is butting the wall before securing it. Using your fingers, push the tube into the space between your counter and stove. Keep it flush with tops of the counter. If you go too far down, crumbs will still fall onto the tubing and be trapped. Match the length of the tube to the depth of your counter and use shears or scissors to make the cut. After making the cut, use your finger to push any excess tube into the gap until it is level with the countertop. The tubing can be removed and cleaned in a sink of soapy water. Let the tube air dry before putting back. If it gets dirty or stained, you can replace the tubing entirely.
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One-sentence summary -- Measure the size of the gap between your stove and counter. Purchase clear PVC tubing 14 inch (0.64cm) thicker than the gap. Push the tubing into the gap until it is level. Cut off excess tubing with a pair of shears.

Because these worms don't lay eggs, you will need a few live adult microworms to start your culture. Remember that not all nematode species are a good food source, and some may even make your fish sick. If your local fish store sells live food, check for microworms there. Try getting in touch with other local hobbyists through aquarist clubs. A member there may cultivate microworms and may be willing to either give or sell you a starter. For a few dollars, you can also order microworms online. They are sold everywhere from large general auction sites to small hobbyist forums. If the species is listed, check to make sure that it belongs to the Panagrellus genus. Panagrellus redivivus is the most commonly found microworm. Remember that microworms are tiny white worms that are barely visible to the naked eye. A started culture of a large group of worms should like a gray or light brown clump. If your starter looks significantly different from this, you may have another type of worm that has been misidentified. Almost any container can be used, as long as it's deep enough for you to fit your index finger inside. Clear containers with resealable lids are the most convenient. Some popular options include yoghurt tubs, mason jars, and resealable plastic food containers. Any type of human food-grade starch is usable. Common sources of starch include oatmeal, wheat flour, bread, cornmeal, mashed potatoes, and cereal. If you're using a sealable container, be sure to poke small slits in the lid with a knife. Air exchange is necessary for a microworm colony to thrive. If your container doesn't have its own lid, cover the top up with tin foil. Microworms don't actually eat the starch. Instead, they eat microscopic yeast that feed on carbohydrates. You can find conveniently packaged dry yeast in the baking section of most supermarkets. Some stores also sell fresh compressed yeast that must be refrigerated. If you bake bread or brew beer at home, you can also use the same yeast to culture microworms.
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One-sentence summary --
Find a microworm starter culture. Buy or repurpose a container and some type of food starch. Obtain some active yeast.