Nutrition for Special Groups

Nutrition for Special Groups 3(3+0)

Lesson 15: Nutrition for the Lactating Mothers

Lipids

Lipids Though the total amount of fat in breast milk is not influenced by mother’s diet, the composition of milk fat reflects the composition of the mother’s diet.
Maternal intake of fats does not affect the fat content of milk but fatty acid composition of milk is altered. If mother consumes more of oils, her milk will have more of omega 3 fatty acid and DHA which are found abundantly in the brain. Breast fed infants are found to score higher than formula fed infants in visual and developmental tests.

Table: RDA of a lactating mother

Nutrients	Adult woman	Lactating mother
		0- 6 months	6 – 12 months
Energy (k.cal) Sedentary Moderate Heavy	1900 2230 2850	+600 +600 +600	+520 +520 +520
Protein (g)	55	77.9	70.2
Fat (g)	25	30	30
Calcium (mg)	600	1200	1200
Iron (mg)	21	25	25
Retinol (µg)	600	950	950
β – carotene (µg)	4800	7600	7600
Thiamine(mg) Sedentary Moderate Heavy	1.0 1.1 1.4	+0.3 +0.3 +0.3	+0.2 +0.2 +0.2
Riboflavin (mg) Sedentary Moderate Heavy	1.1 1.3 1.7	+0.4 +0.4 +0.4	+0.3 +0.3 +0.3
Niacin (mg) Sedentary Moderate Heavy	12 14 16	+4 +4 +4	+3 +3 +3
Pyridoxine (mg)	2.0	2.5	2.5
Ascorbic acid (mg)	40	80	80
Folic acid (µg)	200	300	300
Vitamin B12 (µg)	1	1.5	1.5

Nutrition Expert group, ICMR(2010)