World Breastfeeding Week: 10 essential nutrition tips for mothers

New Delhi, Aug 6 For women who have recently become mothers, a healthy and nutritious diet is essential to boost lactation, just as much as its essential for a newborn to get its share of required nutrition. This makes it mandatory for the mother to consume food that will benefit her physical health and give her enough energy to combat post-pregnancy pressures, especially with the pandemic disrupting our daily lives.

This World Breastfeeding Week, Rohit Shelatkar, VP at Meyer Vitabiotics and Fitness and Nutrition Expert shares ten essential nutrients tips for new mothers :

Calcium: Babies need to develop their bone structure, and calcium is the best aid for that. It plays a crucial role in development of the new born baby's teeth, and thus needs to be included in the diet for lactating mothers. Milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu and nuts are some of the foods that are rich in calcium and must be consumed. Calcium is vital for lactating mothers as they lose up to 15 percent of their own body calcium and about 3-5 percent of their bone mass while nursing their baby.

Protein: Inclusion of protein is crucial because it serves as the tissue's building blocks and fosters growth. The new-born baby needs these nutrients and so the new mother must incorporate eggs, lean meat, fish, peanut butter and beans to her diet.

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( With inputs from IANS )