Lactating mothers need more calories and calcium while breastfeeding
Post by on Tuesday, July 27, 2021
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Breastfeeding mothers generally need 500 kilocalories more to meet their nutritional needs while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers should take approximately 2,300 to 2,500 kcal per day verses 1,800 to 2,000 kcal per day for moderately active, non-pregnant women who are not breastfeeding.
Breast milk is designed to provide the appropriate amount of calories and optimal nutrition to support the growth and health of the infant. Good nutrition for the mother during pregnancy and breastfeeding is important to support the health of both the mother and her infant.
Breastfeeding also affects a mother’s bones. Studies have shown that women often lose 3 to 5 percent of their bone mass during breastfeeding, although they recover it rapidly after weaning. This bone loss may be caused by the growing baby’s increased need for calcium, which is drawn from the mother’s bones. The amount of calcium the mother needs depends on the amount of breast milk produced and how long breastfeeding continues. Women also may lose bone mass during breastfeeding because they’re producing less estrogen, which is the hormone that protects bones. The good news is that, like bone lost during pregnancy, bone lost during breastfeeding is usually recovered within a few months after breastfeeding ends.
Dr Suhail Naik
Lecturer Pediatrics G B Pant children hospital Srinagar
