Articles & Advice for Expecting Moms
Nutritional Needs for Breastfeeding Moms
The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life for healthy, term infants. Breast milk is the optimal food for infants, and breastfeeding may continue for up to two years and beyond.
But moms who are breastfeeding have special nutritional needs. Since breastfeeding moms, like you, require adequate nutrition to maintain nutrient reserves, you follow Canada's Food Guide for Healthy Eating.
Calorie and protein requirements
As a breastfeeding mom, you will likely have to increase your calorie and protein intake. It is important that your number of portions be increased to provide for increased energy and protein needs.
During lactation you will require:
- An additional by 450 cal/day
- An additional 25g of protein per day
Making smarter choices
Although we all try to eat well, it isn't always easy to work healthy foods in to our diets.
Check this comparison table of meals and snacks and their nutrient content to see how your choices stack up:
| Nutrient content | Similac Mom (1 bottle) | Glass of 2% milk (250 ml) | Chicken sandwich, condiments and vegetables | Granola bar (Nuts and raisins) | Bran muffin | Chips (one small bag) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 225 | 129 | 335 | 127 | 159 | 202 |
| Protein (g) | 12 | 9 | 33 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Fat (g) | 6.0 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 8 |
| Calcium (mg) | 275 | 372 | 70 | 24 | 18 | 54 |
| Vitamin D (mcg) | 1.25 | 2.8 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Iron (mg) | 3.5 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| Folic acid (mcg) | 60 | 13 | 83 | 8 | 38 | 0 |