|
Dr.
Vimal Verma***
Mother’s diet is one of the most important
determinants of the baby's health and development.
Regulation and attention to the diet should begin
before pregnancy. It is known that good nutrition
before child bearing is important because of the
amount of "resources" childbirth requires.
Pre-pregnancy nutrition is a process of "building
up" the immune system and is known as being one of
the major factors in determining the success of
having healthy children.
For the embryo, the time of conception, and the
subsequent weeks afterwards is the time when it is
most vulnerable, as it is the time when the organs
and systems develop. The energy used to create these
systems comes from the energy and nutrients in the
mother's circulation systems and around the lining
of the womb. For this reason correct nutrient intake
during pregnancy is important.
Low maternal weight, inadequate weight gain
during pregnancy and inadequate intake of protein
and calories by the expectant mother are associated
with increased mortality of the new born and
retarded growth in child.
During the early stages of pregnancy, the
placenta is not formed, so there is no mechanism to
protect the embryo from the deficiencies which may
be inherent in the mother's circulation. Thus it is
critical that the correct amount of nutrients and
energy are taken in by expectant mothers before and
during pregnancy. Nutritional recommendations during
pregnancy, stress the importance of adequate intake
of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. This is
essential for maternal health as also for foetal
development. Expectant mothers must not only
increase the total calorie and protein intake, but
must also enhance the vitamin and mineral intake to
cope with the nutrient requirements of the growing
foetus and maternal tissue. Many expectant mothers
develop nutritional anaemia which is mostly
associated with inadequate iron intake.
Nutrition During Lactation
Maternal milk is the best food for infants. It
provides a number of dietary components and hosts
resistance factors for the baby. Thus the nutrition
needs of a nursing mother are much more, because the
kind of nutrition she consumes, determines the
quantity and quality of milk that directly affects
the health of her baby. Under ordinary circumstances
breast feeding is recommended for all infants for at
least the first six months of life and preferably
for all of the first year in combination with
appropriate supplementation from solid foods. The
levels of most nutrients in milk such as calcium and
foliate are maintained at the expense of maternal
reserves.
The food that the mother consumes not just
fulfills her nutritional requirements, but is also
used in the production of milk. A nursing mother
produces 23 to 27 ounces of milk per day and thus,
there arises a need to consume about 600 extra
calories per day.
The nutrition for nursing mothers plays a vital role
in defining the quality of breast milk. There is a
possibility that the nursing mother might have a
healthy baby, despite the fact that she had not fed
herself properly during pregnancy. It is during the
time of lactation that the body makes milk
production as its first priority, leaving the
nursing mother deprived of nutrition.
Newborns generally double their weight by five
months of age. This means that within five months
the mother must supply the infant with the same
energy, protein and other nutrients through breast
feeding that she supplied during nine months period
in uterus via the placenta. Quite clearly, the
nutritional demands of lactating mother are much
bigger than the demand of expectant mothers.
|
Nutrient |
Recommended intake for non-pregnant
women |
Recommended intake for pregnant
women |
Recommended intake for Lactating
mothers |
|
Energy(kcal/day) |
2,200 |
2,600 |
2,800 |
|
Protien(g/day) |
50 |
+1 (fist trimester)
+9 (second trimester)
+31 (third trimester) |
+19 (0-6 months)
+13 (-12 months) |
|
Vitamin A (µg/day) |
700 |
770 |
1300 |
|
Vitamin D(µg/day) |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Vitamin C
(mg/day) |
75 |
85 |
120 |
|
Vitamin E (mg/day) |
15 |
15 |
19 |
|
Folate(µg/day) |
400 |
600 |
500 |
|
Thiamin(mg/day) |
0.9-1.2 |
+0.2 |
+0.3 |
|
Riboflavin (mg/day) |
1.1-1. |
+0.2 |
+0.3 |
|
Naacon(mg/day) |
12-16 |
+2.0 |
+4.0 |
|
Vitamin B6 (mg/day) |
2 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
|
Vitamin B12 (µg/day) |
2.4 |
2.6 |
2.8 |
|
Iron (mg/day) |
30 |
38 |
30 |
|
Calcium(mg/day) |
1000 |
1000 |
1000 |
|
Magnesium(mg/day) |
310 |
350 |
310 |
|
Iodine(µg/day) |
150 |
220 |
290 |
|
Nutrient |
Source |
Why? |
|
Protein |
Pulses, beans, tops, chicken, fish,
meat, eggs, nuts and oil seeds |
Essential for the growth of the baby. |
|
Calcium |
Milk and milk products, peanuts, dried
apricots, raisins, dates, sesame seeds
(if necessary supplements can be given)
|
Essential for development of the baby's
bones. For preventing tooth decay and
osteoporosis in mother. Most needed in
the last three months. |
|
Folic Acid |
Green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits
and legumes |
Important in the development of the
baby's brain and spinal cord. Most
needed in the 1st three months. |
|
Iron |
Green leafy vegetable, beans, lean
meats, eggs, whole grains, legumes,
jaggery |
Essential for both baby and mother for
proper development of red blood cells. |
|
Fiber |
Whole wheat, beans, fruits, raw
vegetables, dry fruits. |
Prevents constipation, a very major
problem during pregnancy. |
|
Fluids |
6 - 8 glasses of water, juice |
Needed to feed the increased blood
volume and for the amniotic fluid that
protects the baby. Too little fluid can
tax expecting mother’s kidneys. |
Some nutrition guidelines for the nursing
mother:
It is during lactation that the nursing mothers tend
to feel thirstier, owing to the fact that part of
their water consumption is utilized by the body for
the formation of milk. It thus becomes necessary to
increase water intake by one litre per day.
To increase the calorie consumption to about 2800
calories per day mothers should opt for healthy
foods that are rich in nutrients required by the
body.
She should eat more of protein rich foods.
She should eat multiple small meals. Follow a
five-meal routine: breakfast, lunch, after- noon
snack, an extra snack during the evening and dinner.
Keep away from tobacco, as the nicotine would get
transferred into the child's body through breast
milk.
Say no to alcohol, as alcohol can retard the
growth of the baby. (PIB Features)
*(Based on DGHS Handbook for Physicians, Diaticians
and Nurses, Authors- Dr.RK Srivastava, Dr. Yatish
Agrawal, D. BK Tiwari)
**Freelance Writer
Disclaimer : The views expressed by the author in
this feature are entirely his own and do not
necessarily reflect the views of PIB
RTS/VN
SS-98/SF-98/03.09.2009 |
