Nutrition for the Nutrition for the Postpartum MotherPostpartum Mother

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Special Concerns of the Special Concerns of the Postpartum Mother Postpartum Mother

Restocking nutritional storesRestocking nutritional stores

Providing good quality milk for her Providing good quality milk for her breastfed babybreastfed baby

Losing weight graduallyLosing weight gradually

Restocking Nutritional Restocking Nutritional Stores Stores

Eat according to MyPyramidEat according to MyPyramid

Continue to take a daily multiple Continue to take a daily multiple vitamin and mineral supplement as vitamin and mineral supplement as prescribed by your health care providerprescribed by your health care provider

Continue to take an iron supplement Continue to take an iron supplement each day as prescribed by your health each day as prescribed by your health care providercare provider

Eat the MyPyramid Way Eat the MyPyramid Way

GrainsGrains

VegetablesVegetables

FruitsFruits

MilkMilk

Meat and BeansMeat and Beans

Food Guide PyramidFood Guide Pyramid

Grains Grains

1 slice bread1 slice bread 1 tortilla1 tortilla ½ cup rice, pasta, or cereal½ cup rice, pasta, or cereal 1-ounce ready-to-eat 1-ounce ready-to-eat

whole-grain cerealwhole-grain cereal ½ hamburger bun, bagel ½ hamburger bun, bagel

or English muffinor English muffin 3 – 4 plain crackers 3 – 4 plain crackers

Vegetables Vegetables

½ cup chopped raw or ½ cup chopped raw or cooked vegetablecooked vegetable

1 cup raw, leafy 1 cup raw, leafy vegetablesvegetables

¾ cup vegetable juice¾ cup vegetable juice

½ cup scalloped potatoes ½ cup scalloped potatoes

Fruits Fruits

1 piece fruit or melon 1 piece fruit or melon wedgewedge

¾ cup fruit juice¾ cup fruit juice

½ cup chopped, ½ cup chopped, cooked or canned fruitcooked or canned fruit

¼ cup dried fruit ¼ cup dried fruit

Milk Milk

1 cup milk or yogurt1 cup milk or yogurt

1-½ ounces natural 1-½ ounces natural cheesecheese

2 ounces process 2 ounces process cheesecheese

Meat and BeansMeat and Beans

1 ounce cooked lean beef, 1 ounce cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, veal, poultry, or pork, lamb, veal, poultry, or fishfish

¼ cup cooked dry beans¼ cup cooked dry beans

1 egg1 egg

2 tablespoons peanut butter2 tablespoons peanut butter

½ ounce of nuts or seeds ½ ounce of nuts or seeds

Fats, Sugars, and Salt Fats, Sugars, and Salt (Sodium) (Sodium)

Make most of your fat Make most of your fat sources from fish, nuts, sources from fish, nuts, and vegetable oilsand vegetable oils

Limit solid fats and Limit solid fats and foods containing solid foods containing solid fats fats

Choose food and Choose food and beverages low in added beverages low in added sugars and sodiumsugars and sodium

Breast Feeding…Best for Breast Feeding…Best for Baby Baby

Breastfeeding Benefits for BabyBreastfeeding Benefits for Baby

Superior to all other milk substitutesSuperior to all other milk substitutes Favorable balance of nutrientsFavorable balance of nutrients Easily digestibleEasily digestible Promotes physiological developmentPromotes physiological development Improves cognitive developmentImproves cognitive development Protects against infections and diseasesProtects against infections and diseases Decreases risk of food allergiesDecreases risk of food allergies Reduces Risk of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) Reduces Risk of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS)

syndromesyndrome

Breastfeeding…Good for Mom Breastfeeding…Good for Mom TooToo

Breastfeeding Benefits for MotherBreastfeeding Benefits for Mother Contracts the UterusContracts the Uterus Lengthens Birth IntervalsLengthens Birth Intervals Conserves Iron StoresConserves Iron Stores Reduces Risk of Breast and Ovarian CancerReduces Risk of Breast and Ovarian Cancer Decreases risk of Type II diabetesDecreases risk of Type II diabetes Increased weight loss and fat lossIncreased weight loss and fat loss Protects Bone DensityProtects Bone Density Saves MoneySaves Money Offers Convenience Offers Convenience

Special Concerns of the Special Concerns of the Breastfeeding Mom Breastfeeding Mom

ProteinProtein

FatFat

Vitamin BVitamin B1212

Vitamin DVitamin D

Vitamin KVitamin K

Folic AcidFolic Acid

CalciumCalcium

ChromiumChromium

IronIron

SeleniumSelenium

ZincZinc

FluidsFluids

Adequate Calories Adequate Calories

Protein Protein

Protein needs are higher during Protein needs are higher during breastfeeding than at any other time breastfeeding than at any other time in lifein life

While breastfeeding, you can get While breastfeeding, you can get enough protein from a nutritious dietenough protein from a nutritious diet

Fat Fat

Composition of fats in breast milk is Composition of fats in breast milk is determined by the mother’s dietdetermined by the mother’s diet

Breast milk contains docosahexaenoic acid Breast milk contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)(DHA)

DHA is important for baby’s visual and brain DHA is important for baby’s visual and brain developmentdevelopment

Include one serving of fish in diet each weekInclude one serving of fish in diet each week Best sources of DHA are fatty fish, such as Best sources of DHA are fatty fish, such as

salmon salmon

Vitamin BVitamin B1212

Vitamin BVitamin B1212 is found only in foods is found only in foods from animal sourcesfrom animal sources

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products are excellent sourcesproducts are excellent sources

Some vegetarians may need a Some vegetarians may need a vitamin Bvitamin B1212 supplement supplement

Vitamin D Vitamin D Breast milk is low in Vitamin DBreast milk is low in Vitamin D Food sources include Vitamin D-fortified Food sources include Vitamin D-fortified

cow’s milk and soy milkcow’s milk and soy milk Yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products Yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products

are not usually fortified with Vitamin Dare not usually fortified with Vitamin D Sunlight helps the body produce Vitamin DSunlight helps the body produce Vitamin D Some vegetarians may need a Vitamin D Some vegetarians may need a Vitamin D

supplement supplement

Vitamin KVitamin K

Vitamin K is produced in the small Vitamin K is produced in the small intestineintestine

The newborn infant has a sterile The newborn infant has a sterile intestine for several days after birthintestine for several days after birth

Breast milk may be low in Vitamin KBreast milk may be low in Vitamin K The doctor may prescribe a Vitamin The doctor may prescribe a Vitamin

K supplement for the infantK supplement for the infant

Folic Acid Folic Acid

Leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes, Leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, legumes, and nuts are excellent sources of folic and nuts are excellent sources of folic acidacid

Grain products like breads, cereals, pasta Grain products like breads, cereals, pasta and rice are enriched with folic acidand rice are enriched with folic acid

Make sure you get enough folic acid, Make sure you get enough folic acid, especially if planning another pregnancy especially if planning another pregnancy in the near future in the near future

Calcium Calcium

Main mineral in bones and teethMain mineral in bones and teeth

Important mineral in nerve transmission Important mineral in nerve transmission and muscle contractionand muscle contraction

A breastfeeding mother loses 200 – 300 A breastfeeding mother loses 200 – 300 mg of calcium in breast milk each daymg of calcium in breast milk each day

Inadequate intake – The body draws from Inadequate intake – The body draws from calcium reserves in the mother’s bonescalcium reserves in the mother’s bones

Calcium-rich Foods Calcium-rich Foods The postpartum mother should consume The postpartum mother should consume

at least three servings of milk each dayat least three servings of milk each day

Nonfat and low-fat milk and milk Nonfat and low-fat milk and milk products are excellent sources of calciumproducts are excellent sources of calcium

Some vegetables and fish with edible Some vegetables and fish with edible bones are also good sources of calciumbones are also good sources of calcium

Chromium Chromium

Helps produce high quality milk in Helps produce high quality milk in breast-feeding mothersbreast-feeding mothers

Low intake of chromium can increase Low intake of chromium can increase the mother’s risk for developing high the mother’s risk for developing high blood sugar and heart diseaseblood sugar and heart disease

IronIron

An important component of bloodAn important component of blood

Iron concentrations in most women are Iron concentrations in most women are depleted after pregnancydepleted after pregnancy

Most women should continue to eat iron-Most women should continue to eat iron-rich foods and take iron supplements rich foods and take iron supplements

The body absorbs iron best from foods The body absorbs iron best from foods from animal sources from animal sources

Selenium Selenium Selenium helps both mother and baby Selenium helps both mother and baby

maintain a strong immune systemmaintain a strong immune system

It also aids in cell growthIt also aids in cell growth

Nursing baby’s selenium status is Nursing baby’s selenium status is directly affected by what the mother eatsdirectly affected by what the mother eats

Food sources include seafood, extra-lean Food sources include seafood, extra-lean meat, cooked dried beans and peas, and meat, cooked dried beans and peas, and chickenchicken

Zinc Zinc Essential for baby’s growth and Essential for baby’s growth and

developmentdevelopment

Breastfeeding increases the demand for Breastfeeding increases the demand for this nutrientthis nutrient

Many women don’t consume enough zincMany women don’t consume enough zinc

The body uses zinc from foods of animal The body uses zinc from foods of animal origin best origin best

Fluids Fluids Nursing mother loses about 23 ounces of fluid Nursing mother loses about 23 ounces of fluid

each dayeach day If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydratedIf you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated Drink at least six glasses of water in addition Drink at least six glasses of water in addition

to other fluids dailyto other fluids daily Drink a glass of milk, juice, or water at each Drink a glass of milk, juice, or water at each

meal and each time the baby nursesmeal and each time the baby nurses Low fluid intake could result in constipation Low fluid intake could result in constipation

and fatigue and fatigue

Practices Incompatible with Practices Incompatible with Breastfeeding Breastfeeding

Avoid:Avoid:

AlcoholAlcohol

Illicit DrugsIllicit Drugs

Cigarette Cigarette SmokingSmoking

Caution:Caution:

Medicinal Medicinal DrugsDrugs

Herbal Herbal SupplementsSupplements

CaffeineCaffeine

Getting Back to Your Getting Back to Your Pre-pregnancy Weight Pre-pregnancy Weight

Excessive weight gain during Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is an important factor in pregnancy is an important factor in postpartum weight retentionpostpartum weight retention

Avoid fad diets!Avoid fad diets!

Breastfeeding speeds up the weight Breastfeeding speeds up the weight loss processloss process

Success Strategies for Success Strategies for Weight Loss Weight Loss

Lose weight gradually – 1 to 2 pounds per Lose weight gradually – 1 to 2 pounds per weekweek

Reduce fat intake and eat more fruits, Reduce fat intake and eat more fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and nonfat/low-fat vegetables, whole-grains, and nonfat/low-fat milk and milk products, and lean meat milk and milk products, and lean meat productsproducts

If breastfeeding, don’t attempt weight loss for If breastfeeding, don’t attempt weight loss for the first six weeks postpartum, then aim for a the first six weeks postpartum, then aim for a weight loss of no more than a 2 pound weight weight loss of no more than a 2 pound weight loss per monthloss per month

Success Strategies for Success Strategies for Weight Loss (cont.) Weight Loss (cont.)

Eat regular meals and snacksEat regular meals and snacks

Watch portion sizesWatch portion sizes

Include high protein foods in your Include high protein foods in your meals (e.g., chicken breast, water meals (e.g., chicken breast, water packed tuna, grilled salmon)packed tuna, grilled salmon)

Begin to exercise as soon as your Begin to exercise as soon as your health care provider gives the okayhealth care provider gives the okay

Weight LossWeight Loss

Installation resourcesInstallation resources- How to get a referral to a dietitianHow to get a referral to a dietitian- The Weigh to Stay programThe Weigh to Stay program- Fitness and/or recreation centerFitness and/or recreation center- PPPT Program for postpartum mothersPPPT Program for postpartum mothers

Questions??Questions??

References References

The American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food The American Dietetic Association’s Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, and Nutrition Guide, Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD,

CFCSCFCS

Nutrition for Women: The Complete Guide Elizabeth Nutrition for Women: The Complete Guide Elizabeth Somer, MA, RDSomer, MA, RD

Position of the American Dietetic Association: Position of the American Dietetic Association: Promoting and Supporting BreastfeedingPromoting and Supporting Breastfeeding

Understanding Nutrition (8Understanding Nutrition (8thth ed), Whitney and Rolfes ed), Whitney and Rolfes

Enjoy Your New Baby!Enjoy Your New Baby!

ResourcesResources

http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/aboutwihttp://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/aboutwic/c/

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/