Calorie content of breast milk: Response to a weekly nutritional strategy for breastfeeding mothers

INTRODUCTION:

• The nutrition of lactating women is crucial for the health of both mother and infant. Lactating women should meet increased nutritional requirements, since during lactation, the needs for almost all nutrients increase due to breast milk production.3
• Regarding caloric intake, an excess of 500 calories per day is recommended to meet the demands of milk production.4
• However, many women do not achieve this level of energy intake. The most common deficiencies among lactating women are deficiencies of vitamin A, folate, vitamin D, selenium, and iodine through diet alone. 5
• Adherence to a healthy diet such as the Food Pyramid is considered a recommendation during breastfeeding. 7

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

• A prospective, observational, analytical, longitudinal study was conducted at the Milk Bank of the José María Rodríguez General Hospital in the State of Mexico.
• The crematocrit was determined in 20 samples from donor mothers, who were offered nutritional counseling every week for 3 consecutive weeks and then one month after the last consultation. A total of 7 weeks. Crematocrit was measured weekly.
• Nutritional counseling was individualized by the Milk Bank's own nutrition staff; only these cases were documented. Nutritional counseling was based on a 2,500 kcal/day diet in accordance with international recommendations for the nutrition of lactating women, providing 50% carbohydrates, 26%-27% protein, and 23%- 24% fat.

RESULTS:

• A statistical analysis was performed, including minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation.
• Twenty patients were selected. They ranged in age from 27.2 years, with a standard deviation of 24.377 to 30.023, minimum age 18 years, and maximum age 44 years.
• The gestation period was 34.7 + 1.816 weeks, with a minimum of 32.884 weeks and a maximum of 36.516 weeks.
• The initial crematocrit (day 14 of lactation) was 576.5 weeks.
• The second crematocrit, 7 days after the first nutritional counseling session, was 663.6 weeks (day 21 of lactation).
• The third crematocrit was 744.35 weeks after 28 days of lactation.
• The fourth crematocrit was 827.35 weeks after 56 days of lactation, with three nutritional counseling sessions.

CONCLUSIONS:

• It is crucial to provide nutritional education to breastfeeding mothers.
• It is important that breastfeeding women receive appropriate nutritional counseling to ensure a varied and balanced diet and to meet their increased nutritional needs during the lactation period.
• The crematocrit value is independent of the donor mother's gestational age, as mothers of premature babies had a low crematocrit (400 kilocalories), and mothers of full-term babies had a high crematocrit (700 kilocalories) at 14 days of breastfeeding.
• After nutritional counseling, the crematocrit increased by an average of 43.5%, demonstrating that the crematocrit of a lactating woman is influenced by her nutrition, regardless of whether she is breastfeeding mature milk.

Dra. Perla Karina García-May is a Pediatrician and Neonatologist specialized in preterm nutrition and human milk research. She holds a PhD in Innovation in global institutions and a Master's degree in health sciences and Master's degree in administration, as well as a Master's degree in premature infant nutrition. Dra. Perla May has worked in the public sector as a doctor the last 16 years, she was a Head of a Human Milk Bank and professor of the speciality of neonatology for ten years. She is currently Neonatologist in ISSSTE and Medical Affairs Manager in Mead Johnson Mexico.