Nutrition Needs During Lactation
Kim, a 24-year-old female, had her baby and currently is breastfeeding. She worries her baby is not receiving enough milk. She does not want to pump because she heard this may reduce the amount of milk that comes out of the breast and it may confuse the baby when exposed to a bottle and then a breast. She knows she needs to eat more, but wants to lose her pregnancy weight within 6 months; a reasonable goal in her view. She gained 34 pounds during this pregnancy, but was 14 pounds overweight prior to pregnancy. She also was a gestational diabetic, but so far her blood sugars are within normal limits. She continues to take her pre-natal vitamins, but does not know what more she needs to eat to keep her milk up.
1. What nutrients will she need to consume more of during lactation than she did during pregnancy (include the RDAs)?
2. What advice would you have for her to lose the weight, but also keep up her milk with proper diet?
