Lactation is the physiological process that begins after the birth of a baby and is a greater nutritional challenge for the mother as compared to any other stage in her life. Lactating mother’s nutritional needs are high in order to meet her own daily nutritional need and for the production of breast milk to nourish of fully developed and rapidly growing infant.
All the nutrients contained in breast milk are derived from maternal body stores. During lactation she draws upon her own body stores of nutrients to produce sufficient breast milk.
Ironically despite a mother’s diet being faulty the quality of breast milk does not suffer, though it may be secreted in smaller amounts. Hence good diets during pregnancy help the mother build up stores of nutrients in preparation for successful lactation.
While breast-feeding baby, mothers must focus on making healthy food choices. Mothers need an additional 600 Kcal of energy and 13.6 gm of protein in their diet during the first six months of lactation and 520 kcal and 10.6 gm of protein from seven to 12 months of lactation. These extra calories and protein should be obtained through small and frequent meals from nutrient rich sources only. Apart from energy and protein the iron, calcium, vitamin C and vitamin A requirements of a lactating mother are also increased.
The daily diet should include whole grain cereals, sprouts, dals, nuts and dry fruits, milk and milk products, egg, fish, meat, chicken, fruits and vegetables particularly green leafy vegetables and yellow orange vegetables as consumption of these foods help meet the increased nutrient needs.
Butter, ghee and oil are energy rich foods that help meet the increased energy requirements but should be used in moderation.
Both pregnant women, and lactating mothers should eat freshly cooked home food and avoid canned and processed foods.
As is the common practice, these foods should not be prepared using too much of ghee as it leads to undesirable weight gain.
Foods that cause gas and flatulence should be avoided and a mother should observe and avoid foods which she suspects to cause colic in her infant.
Lactating mothers should avoid smoking, chewing tobacco or gutka or consuming alcoholic beverages and artificial sweeteners.
Medications and herbal products including natural supplements should be taken only on medical advice.
For sufficient hydration, mothers should aim for at least eight glasses of water a day. Be wary of fruit juices, soft drinks and fruit flavoured drinks as they contain sugar. Drinking jeera or badishap water is beneficial, as they aid digestion and prevent the formation of gas and flatulence.
Whenever mothers can, must exercise to shed the excess weight gained during pregnancy.
The success of lactation depends not only upon a balanced diet, but also upon the mother’s desire to breastfeed, freedom from emotional disturbances and adequate rest.
(The writer is a consultant nutritionist with 26 years of experience)
