You and your baby are, What you eat!!

Just like during pregnancy, a nutritious diet in the first 6-12 months post pregnancy (during the lactation period) is equally important.

For the first six months, the baby is only breast fed, and solely depends on the mother for all nutrient requirements. It is, therefore, very important for the mother to incorporate all the essential nutrients in her daily diet. Afterall, It is what she eat that eventually determines the energy, protein, nutrient and vitamin content in the breast milk.

The increased protein demand continues after delivery, well into the lactation period. Not meeting one’s daily protein requirements, significantly reduces the proportion of protein in the breast milk thereby affecting the baby’s growth.

Normal cow milk has only 20% Whey protein. In comparison, the breast milk, at time of birth contains 90% Whey protein and only 10% Casein. Gradually this proportion of Whey protein in the breast milk reduces & settles at about 50%.

Breast milk is also a vital source of micronutrients like Iron, DHA and Iodine. These are critical for the brain, vision and neuro-cognitive development of the baby.

Supply of Nutritious breast milk
is simply dependent on
what the mother feeds herself.

Nutritional demands are slightly higher during lactation than during pregnancy. Inadequate nutritional intake is known to have a negative impact on both baby and mother’s health. Optimum nutrition is also vital for mother’s post pregnancy recovery as it helps her heal, with better management of stress and tiredness.

A balanced diet in consultation with one’s dietician can help meet these requirements. However, with the baby around, a mother’s meal timings and sleep pattern become very unpredictable and maintaining the required diet can become a challenge. This is the time when she needs to pay special attention to her health and get accustomed to this altered pattern. During this phase, nutritional supplements can help her in bridging the gaps in the diet.

A comprehensive nutritional supplement, containing all the required nutrients in the right proportions becomes important, not only to ensure the mother’s health but also assure physical and cognitive development of the baby.

Please read the blog titled “Protein Supplements . Do I really need them?” to know more.

There is no doubt that a mother will do whatsoever it takes to give her baby a strong and healthy start in life. Nutritious breast milk is the first and most important gift she can give her baby for a healthy today & tomorrow!!