Lactation

Importance of nutrition in lactation:
• During lactation adequate nutrition is required as infant derives all its nutrition
from the mother’s milk
• Mother needs extra nutrition as she has to nourish a fully developed and
rapidly growing infant
• She needs extra nutrients to meet the baby’s need in addition to her own
requirement
• Any inadequacy in mothers diet influence both the quality and quantity of
mother’s milk secreted
• Nutrient deficiency can lead to lower level of nutrients in the mother’s milk
Nutritional requirement during lactation
Energy requirement
• Lactating mother needs additional energy for the production of milk
• During pregnancy approx. 600-850ml milk is secreted daily
• During first 6month of lactation additional 550kcal/day energy is required
• During 6-12month of lactation additional 400kcal/day energy is required
Protein requirement:
• During lactation protein needs also increases as mother milk contains 1.15g of
protein/100ml
• For proper milk production adequate amount of good quality of protein and good
quality of protein should be included in mother’s diet
• During first 6month of lactation 75g of protein is required everyday
• During 6-12 month of lactation 68g of protein is required everyday
Vitamin A (950ug/d)
• Breastmilk is rich in vitamin A so lactating mother needs vitamin A in their diet
• Average amount of vitamin A secreted in mother’s milk is 350ug/d retinol
Vitamin B6 (2.5mg/d)
• Its requirement increases during lactation
Vitamin B12 (1.5ug/d)
• Additional vitamin B12 is required to meet the needs of lactation
Folic acid (150ug/d)
• Additional folic acid intake will meet the needs of the lactation
Vitamin C (25mg/d)
• Appreciable amount of vitamin C is secreted in breast milk. Additional intake will
meet the needs of lactation
Nutrients
• The nutrients in breast milk may be categorized into two groups:
Group 1 nutrients in breast milk depend on dietary intake
Group 2 nutrients are secreted into breast milk regardless of intake or health
status
• Therefore, group 1 nutrients is very important for both you and your baby,
while group 2 nutrients is mostly important for you
Group 1 Nutrients
Below are the group 1 nutrients and some common food sources:
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): Fish, seeds, nuts and bread
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Cheese, almonds, nuts, red meat, oily fish and eggs
• Vitamin B6: Seeds, nuts, fish, poultry, bananas and dried fruit
• Vitamin B12: liver, fish, eggs, breakfast cereals
• Choline: Eggs, beef liver, chicken liver, fish and peanuts
• Vitamin A: Sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, organ meats and eggs
• Vitamin D: Cod liver oil, oily fish, some mushrooms and fortified foods
• Selenium: Brazil nuts, seafood, fish, whole wheat and seeds
• Iodine: Dried seaweed, cod, milk and iodized salt
Group 2 Nutrients
Below are the group 2 nutrients and some common food sources:
• Folate: Beans, lentils, leafy greens, asparagus and avocados
• Calcium: Milk, yogurt, cheese, leafy greens and legumes
• Iron: Red meat, poultry, seafood, beans, green vegetables and dried fruit
• Copper: Whole grains, nuts, beans, organ meats and potatoes
• Zinc:Red meat, poultry, beans, nuts and dairy
Group 1 nutrients will benefit both you and your baby, while group 2 nutrients will
prevent you from becoming deficient yourself
Diet and feeding patterns:
• Lactating mother needs larger quantities of body building and protective foods and
additional energy yielding foods to facilitates the formation and secretion of breast
milk
• Fluid intake should be increased as fluid is essential for the adequate quantity of
milk production
• No food should be restricted except highly spiced and strong flavoured food, as
they impart flavour to milk which may be repulsive for the body
• Breastfeeding women should limit their intake of caffeine and alcohol
• Some babies may be allergic to cow's milk protein in their mother's diet
• Nutrient needs of lactating mother are greatly enhanced during lactation hence she
should have snack in between the meals
• Lactating mother should have 5-6 meals in a day
Diet essentials of lactating mothers
During lactation make sure you get enough nutrients, not just more calories. It can make a
difference in the quality of your breast milk and affect how quickly your body rebounds from
childbirth
• Plenty of beverages like soups, milk, juices, water
• Fresh fruits
• Milk and milk products
• Eggs/paneer/chicken/fish
• Dry fruits
• Vegetables which are easy to digest and are not strongly flavoured
• Salads; can be grated to make them easy to digest and not strain the stitches by adding to
bulk
• Eat more of whole grains and cereals
• Breast Milk Producers- Methi seeds, Fennel seeds, Ajwain, til seeds, ginger powder-saunth
Food pyramid for lactating mother
Chart of Daily Food Group Servings For
Breastfeeding Mothers
FOOD GROUP SERVING PER DAY SERVING SIZE
Rice
Rice : 1 cup
Rice porridge : 2 cups
Noodle
8
Bread : 2 pieces
Bread
Breakfast cereal : 1 cup
Cereals
Green leafy veggies : 1 cup (raw veggies)

Root veggies (carrot) : ½ cup
Vegetables 3
Fruit veggies (tomato) : 2 medium-sized tomatoes
Guava : ½ whole
Watermelon : 1 slice
Fruit 2
Orange : 1 medium-sized
Fish
Chicken : 1 piece of medium-sized drumstick
Beef : 2 slices (matchbox-sized)
Poultry 4
Eggs : 2 eggs
Eggs
Legumes 1 Beans and legumes : 1 cup (cooked)
Milk : 1 glass
Yoghurt : 1 cup

Lactation

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Importance of nutrition in lactation:

FOOD GROUP SERVING PER DAY SERVING SIZE

Green leafy veggies : 1 cup (raw veggies)

Legumes 1 Beans and legumes : 1 cup (cooked)

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