What are the nutritional requirements of lactating mother?
Lactating mother will need extra amounts of all nutrients at levels somewhat greater than those present in milk, depending on the efficiency of incorporation in milk of the nutrients present in the diet. The ICMR Nutrition Expert Committee assumed the average amount of milk secreted by lactating mother in India and other developing countries to be 600 ml. The nutritional requirements of nursing mother suggested by ICMR group is discussed below:
1. Energy: The lactating mother needs an additional amount of 600 kcals during the first six months of lactation and for the next six months, she requires an additional 520 kcals. This extra amount can be supplied by whole grain cereals, pulses, milk, curd and its products, fruit juices, soups, vegetables etc.
2. Protein: The requirement is at its highest when lactation reaches its maximum, but it is a need which should be anticipated and planned during pregnancy. The nursing mother needs about 13-19 g of protein over and above her normal requirements. This extra protein can be obtained by including protein rich foods like milk and milk products, egg, meat, fish, poultry and cereal pulse combination.
3. Minerals: The ICMR Nutrition Expert Committee recommended an additional 600mg of calcium, i.e. a total of 1200mg calcium during lactation. This can be provided by extra milk and milk products, cereals and green leafy vegetables. If calcium and protein are adequate in the diet, phosphorus is also bound to be adequate. Some amount of iron is secreted in milk, but otherwise milk is a poor dietary source of iron. No additional requirements have been advised by ICMR Nutrition Expert Group. Because of lactational amenorrhea, 1 mg. of iron which would have otherwise been lost, is saved and this would compensate for the iron secreted in milk.
4. Vitamins: Additional need of vitamin A during lactation is calculated on the basis of vitamin A secreted in milk, which is 350 mcg of retinol per day. Vitamin D requirements may be higher during lactation but in the absence of any experimental data, no definite additional intake has been suggested. The additional need of 40 mg vitamin C has been calculated on the basis of vitamin C secreted in milk in an average yield of 850 ml/day in a well-nourished mother. The additional need of thiamine, riboflavin and niacin is based on the additional energy intake. Additional intake of vitamin B6’ folic acid and vitamin B12 are recommended to the tune of 0.5mg, 100mcg and 0.5mcg respectively.