An adequate, but not necessarily perfect diet is important to ensure proper nursing and prevent burnout.
Nursing mothers have higher energy requirements, roughly 400 kcal more each day during the first year of lactation. Canada’s Food Guide recommends 2 to 3 extra servings from any food group. Divide your servings into 3 meals and snacks to help maximize your energy.
The nutritional needs (especially vitamins A, C, and B12, zinc and protein) of nursing women are greater than those of non-nursing women. A varied and balanced diet helps meet these increased nutritional needs. At each meal, choose 2 different coloured vegetables and include foods from at least 3 of the 4 food groups. As for liquids, simply drink enough to quench your thirst. Insufficient consumption will result in dark urine. But there doesn’t seem to be any link between hydration and the amount of milk produced. Proper hydration helps in the absorption of nutrients.
Extra vitamins and minerals are recommended when a deficiency is detected during nutritional assessment. It’s worth noting that Santé Canada recommends a vitamin D supplement for breastfed babies until the age of one year. The dose is 400 IU per day.
Nursing moms can occasionally drink very small quantities of alcohol. The alcohol consumed by the mother passes into the breast milk and depending on her body weight, it can take between 2 to 3 hours for each glass of alcohol to be eliminated. Ideally, you shouldn’t nurse for 2 to 3 hours after having a glass of alcohol.
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