maternal diet

Last reviewed 01/2018

The maternal diet should be well balanced with adequate calorific and fluid intake.

• daily energy requirement is between 450 to 500 kcal which can be met by a modest increase in a normally balanced varied diet

In order to guarantee a sufficient concentration of preformed DHA in the milk, maternal daily diet should include 200 to 300 mg of the ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]).

• 1 to 2 portions of fish (eg, herring, canned light tuna, salmon) per week will provide the necessary amount
• a supplement of DHA as well as multivitamins may be required for poorly nourished mothers or those on selective vegan diets

No special foods have been shown to enhance milk production.

Reference:

• (1) American Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics. 2012;129(3):e827-41.