The Additional Nutritional Requirements Of A Breastfeeding Mother

By Author: Payal Bhatnagar
Total Articles: 11
Comment this article

The quality of breastfeeding that a mother provides to her baby depends upon her diet. If she takes healthy breastfeeding diet, she will be able to keep up her own health and the health of her baby, through the breast milk that she would be nurturing him with. To produce the correct amount of milk, she would call for at least 500 extra calories intake each day. So, it is essential that she strengthens her diet appropriately so that the nutritional needs of the baby are met properly.

Why Diet for breastfeeding mothers Need to Be Twice as Nutritious
The nutritional requirements of a lactating mother are extremely high, as except the amount of breast milk required by the baby, the mother's individual requirements are supposed to be looked after, as well. If she does not take adequate diet throughout this period, the body will struggle to maintain the milk production, however at the cost of the health of herself. The diet for breastfeeding moms, as a result, essentially includes adequate amounts of balanced food. Even throughout pregnancy, the fetus ...
... requires most of the nutrition and after birth too; the baby needs almost 1000 calories from breast milk on a daily basis. This is the major reason why breastfeeding diet should have ample nutrition both for the mother as well as the baby.

Useful Tips for lactating Mothers

A nursing mother should have a nutritious diet that must consist of an optimum amount of water which should be approximately 3 to 4 liters each day.

Diet for feeding mother should provide minimum 2,500 calories to the mother and if the period of lactation is anticipated to be more than 3 months, the intake of calories is supposed to be minimum 2,800. Protein intake is also very important on a daily basis.

The calorie consumption of the lactating mother should be spread over equally all through the day in the form of 5 meals. She should keep on drinking water and take portions of fruits as well as a low-fat dairy diet. This will make sure a continuous production of milk.

If the lactating mother is on birth control medications, she must take diet supplements or nutritional beverages that are rich in Vitamins B 6 and B 12 as the medicines induce deficiencies of these vitamins. Also, breast-feeding mothers are supposed to take folic acid, which is vital for the baby's apt growth as well as development. Spinach, corn and chick-peas are rich sources of folic acid.

What breast-feeding Mothers should not indulge in?

Smoking as well as consumption of liquor is not advisable for mothers who are breastfeeding. Nicotine and liquor are both damaging for the baby, more so if the mother have them just before the nursing session. Also, medicines, particularly antibiotics, laxatives and pills with iodine components, must only be taken if prescribed by the doctor. Unsaturated fats are perfect for her as well as for the baby.

Lastly, every mother should be able to plan her own breastfeeding diet that will provide her the required nutrition and calories and keep both mother as well as baby hale and hearty.