Nutrition and health

A breastfeeding woman produces an average of 800ml of milk a day, corresponding to an additional 500-600Kcal. Iron requirements can also be easily met by diet alone, provided it is varied, and we recommend eating iron-rich foods such as beef liver at least once a week. In our countries, where iron deficiency is well established, a supplement (tablet) is required during breastfeeding to meet these needs. Breast-fed babies have fewer iron-deficiency anemias than those fed artificial milk, and the percentage of iron absorption in breast milk is higher (81% in the first 3 months of life), compared with 10% for cow's milk, which is even poorer in iron.Vitamin B9 (folic acid) requirements diminish after birth, but medication is always recommended in addition to iron. Complementary dietary intake can only be beneficial. Cooking destroys 70% of the folates contained in plants, so we recommend at least two portions of raw fruit and vegetables a day.