A well balanced diet during nursing need not be vastly different from that suggested during pregnancy. An extra glass of milk, some citrus fruits, and some additional carbohydrates (cereal or bread) can provide the extra calories and nutrients needed. calcium and vitamin C are particularly important to the growing infant. Extra fluids may help to stimulate milk production. Water, juice, milk and soups are good sources of liquids. While it is not necessary to drink milk to produce milk, milk is a convenient and good source of calcium, protein and liquid. Drink 8 to 12 cups of liquid each day. Choose pure juices, water, and four cups of milk. Choose additional servings from the 4 food groups to help meet increased calorie needs. Avoid alcoholic beverages completely.

Milk and Dairy Products

• Eat four to six servings per day
• Examples of milk and dairy products include: one cup milk, 1/2 cup ice cream, one ounce cheese, one cup yoghurt, or one and a half cup cottage cheese.

Meat and Protein Foods

• Eat two to four servings (seven ounces) per day.
• Examples of meat and protein foods include: one egg, one ounce cheese, 1/2 cup dried beans, beef, chicken, pork, fish or turkey.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Choose four to six servings per day including one source of Vitamin C.
• These include: broccoli, orange juice, tomatoes or greens.

Breads and Cereals

• Eat six to eight servings per day.
• Breads and Cereals include: Cornflakes, Wholemeal bread, oatmeal.

Proteins

Protein-rich foods have the added advantage of containing iron and B vitamins. Two or three servings of protein foods a day will meet the requirement. Good choices are lean meats, fish, eggs, beans and tofu. Other sources like hot dogs, sausage, spare ribs, and especially bacon are poorer choices as they generally contain a high percentage of fat.

Vitamins

Three to five daily servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit are necessary to supply vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C. Recommended fruits include citrus (oranges, grapefruits) as well as apples, bananas, guavas, mangoes and dried fruit. Vegetables may be dark green – such as broccoli, spinach or a variety of others including carrots, cabbage, or baked white or sweet potato. Pure fruit juice is a wiser alternative over carbonated fruit drinks which contain added sugar and provide little in the way of nutritional value.

Carbohydrates

Among the grain products, whole grain and whole-wheat are best. 6 to 11 daily servings are recommended. Any of the following counts as a serving:

• one slice of whole grain bread,
• 3/4 cup ready to eat enriched cereal,
• 1/2 cup oatmeal,
• 1/2 cup enriched or brown rice, or
• 1/2 cup spaghetti or other noodles.

Calcium

Four servings a day of milk and milk products are suggested. These may include:

• one cup of milk,
• yoghurt or cottage cheese,
• two one-inch cubes of cheese,
• one cup pudding or custard,
• 1-1/2 cups soup made with milk, or
• one cup ice milk or ice cream.

Lactose Intolerant Women

For women who can’t digest the sugar in milk or are lactose intolerant, modified milk products are available in the dairy section of most major supermarkets. These include yoghurt-milk in cultured form and low-lactose substitutes. A woman who feels she is not getting enough milk products should talk with her health care provider about other sources of calcium.

Varying Your Diet

Adjustments in diet may be required to deal with some of the common discomforts of pregnancy. If you experience nausea (usually during the first trimester), smaller and more frequent meals may help, along with crackers as snacks and liquids in between – rather than with – meals. Frequent small meals also help to prevent heartburn. Do also avoid greasy or heavily spiced foods and caffeine. For constipation problems, which may occur at any time during pregnancy, but is more common during the latter part, helpful remedies include increased fluid intake, high fiber foods such as whole grains, and naturally laxative foods such as dried fruits (especially prunes and figs), and other fruits and juices, particularly prune juice.

Critics have pointed out that the so-called balanced diet could however lack certain essential vitamins and minerals required for health. The argument is substantiated by studies that point to the fact that many birth defects, behavioural problems and childhood intellectual handicaps can be caused by a deficient maternal diet before birth or poor eating habits in kids after birth.

The Influence on a Child’s Development

A good diet can influence intellectual and physical development. but there are other factors to bear in mind. These include heridity and certain environmental factors. What’s even more important is the maternal diet before conception, throughout pregnancy and during the early months and years of a child’s life especially if the mother breastfeeds her infant.

Maternal Health

The human brain develops throughout pregnancy but it reaches its peak growth during the last trimester and first 4 years of life. Thus dietary deficiencies are most harmful in this vital stage where the brain undergoes the greatest growth. Approximately 90% of the brain growth is achieved by this stage. If brain growth is not achieved by this age, it may never be achieved at all.

Research shows that the earlier a deficiency the more damage it does. However, when the brain is fully developed it is also able to withstand more damage.

In the Womb

When the foetus in the womb or infant is significantly malnourished, its head circumference remains markedly smaller than normal. This points to a decreased brain size. In a small skull there is no room for a well developed brain. They also have far more fluid than those of normal children. Several studies also indicate that the smaller the brain size, the lower the intelligence level.

Brain Foods

Numerous studies undertaken by researchers on the development of the brain reveal that developing brains require calories and proteins. children with serious deficiencies before the age of 3 or 4 tend to have lower scores in psychological tests, including those measuring IQs. The number of brain cells can be reduced by even a small protein deficiency. If brain cells are absent then proper brain functioning cannot happen either. Although it’s important that the mother has sufficient supply of protein for the baby’s brain development, it does not necessarily mean that she will produce an absolute genius with an oversupply of proteins.

Elements Of Proper Nutrition During Pregnancy

Good foods contain carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals and come from the following food groups: fruits, vegetables, grain products, milk and milk products, meat or other protein foods. Fatty or overly sugared foods or drinks, such as pastries, doughnuts and soda, contribute little in the way of proper nutrition but only add extra calories.

Protein Requirements During Pregnancy

One of the most important nutrients for pregnant women is protein, which provides the growth element for body tissues, including for the growing baby, the placenta, the increase in the mother’s blood volume and the amniotic fluid. During pregnancy, a total of 2 to 3 servings a day is recommended (one serving of protein is 100 gm.). Lean meats, eggs and other foods such as beans and tofu are excellent natural sources of protein.

Other Essential Nutrients During Pregnancy

The other 3 nutrients that are essential to the health of a mother and her growing baby are calcium, iron and folic acid. These require special attention, because most women don’t get enough through their normal diet.

Calcium

• Calcium, which makes bones and teeth strong, is found primarily in milk products, although the vegetable, broccoli, and canned fish are also good sources.

Iron

• Iron is needed for both mother’s and baby’s blood. Although good sources of iron are available in such foods as liver, red meats, and dried fruits, most pregnant women cannot obtain enough iron from diet alone. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that pregnant women take a supplement containing 30 milligrams of iron daily during the second and third trimesters.

Folic Acid

• The thrid vital nutrient is folic acid, a vitamin essential for the process of cell division and the development of healthy tissues. Like iron, folic acid can be found in many foods, including leafy green vegetables, liver and eggs. Because studies show that folic acid can help prevent certain birth defects of the brain and spine – called neural tube effects – the US Public Health Service recommended in September 1992 that all women of chidbearing age who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 0.4 milligrams (400 micrograms) of folic acid a day. This is the current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of folic acid for non-pregnant women and is contained in many off-the-shelf multi-vitamins. Studies also suggest that folic acid reduces the risk of spina bifida (open spine) and anencephaly (a lethal defect involving absence of a major portion of the brain and skull), and related birth defects by about 50%. It is important to begin taking folic acid at least a month before you become pregnant, as these birth defects develop in the first month after conception, before most women realize they are even pregnant.
• Any woman who has already had a baby with neural tube defect should consult her doctor before attempting to conceive again. The doctor may recommend that you consume a larger amount of folic acid, 4 milligrams, from at least one month prior to pregnancy through the first three months of pregnancy.
• Studies reveal that this dosage of folic acid reduces recurrences by more than 70% in babies of women who have already had a chid with a neural tube defect. (This higher dose of folic acid should not be obtained by taking extra multi-vitamins, but rather by prescription of a pure folic acid supplement. Check with your physician!).

A moderate salt intake is important for pregnant women. Fluids also are essential, and the recommended daily intake of six to eight glasses can be met by drinking water, juice or milk.