Nutritional support during pregnancy and lactation.

Needs for virtually all nutrients increase during pregnancy and lactation but those for iron are the most difficult to meet from a normal diet. During pregnancy, nutritional objectives include helping the woman to increase the quality of her diet in protective nutrients as well as energy to meet the elevated needs of gestation, ensuring satisfactory weight gain patterns, prescribing iron and possible folic acid supplements, ensuring that intakes of alcohol, drugs, and other potentially harmful substances are moderate, preparing her for feeding the infant, and coping with any special diet-related problems that may arise. These issues and the management of edema, high blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus are discussed. Prenatal preparations for lactation and diet during lactation are also discussed. Specific objectives of nutritional education on lactation include helping the mother to make the decision to breast or bottle feed, taking steps to prepare her nipples if this is necessary and planning her diet. Dietary adjustments are discussed and a food guide presented. Iron supplements for ther lactating mother and iron, vitamin D, and fluoride supplements for the infant are recommended.