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Nutrition for Mother and
Child
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 |
|
Proteins
(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 |
|
Niacin
(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)
by Dr. Vimal Verma
**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
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