Healthy Diet for Nursing Mothers

Is essential to nursing mothers to eat a healthy diet. A nursing mother needs more calories than women who do not breastfeed. Nutritional needs of mothers who are breastfeeding can be met with a balanced diet and get the maximum rest. In the state of breastfeeding, a woman's body will make milk production as a priority to the exclusion of other health effects overall, so it's important to get all the nutrients it needs. diet during breastfeeding

Lactating women need about 2,500 calories each day. Women who continue to breastfeed their babies for more than three months need to increase their daily intake to 2,800 calories. Highly recommended to eat more protein while breastfeeding, as well as more vegetables and lean meats. Fish are not guaranteed source should be limited during pregnancy and lactation, due to concerns about mercury and other pollutants in fish and other processed fish products. The general rule for breastfeeding mothers is that they should consume at least 2 grams of protein for every kilogram of their body weight. Therefore, a lactating woman who weighs 60 pounds must be added to 120 grams of protein daily diet. Women who are breastfeeding also need to ensure that they get the essential fatty acids that your baby needs for healthy brain growth. Nuts, seeds and vegetables are the main source of natural fatty acids.


Instead of two or three large meals every day, nursing mothers better share their meals with frequency more often in a day. Breastfeeding mothers should eat at least five meals a day that include healthy food choices such as vegetables and fruits. A nursing mother can divide it into breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and then dinner. Most people do not get enough vitamin B9 and folic acid in their diet, This is especially for lactating women as vitamin B9 is a very important part of a healthy diet. Folic acid is found in vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, corn, and asparagus. Wheat and orange juice is also loaded with folic acid and certainly contains a lot of vitamin C as other essential nutrients.

Do not forget to take vitamin and mineral supplements if you think you need supplements. A nursing mother can usually get all the vitamins and minerals they need from food, but sometimes supplements may be needed. Follow the instructions your doctor or midwife to take supplements, because the mother must take into account the nutrients and other substances that can be channeled to her baby through breast milk.

Breastfeeding mothers need to drink at least three liters of water every day. Water consumed by nursing mothers is essential for milk production. It is very easy to become dehydrated while breastfeeding, so the need to increase the total water consumption during breastfeeding. But do not drink more than 3 liters of water per day, because the milk may be diluted.