Continue to eat healthfully
A nursing mother needs about the same balanced diet as a pregnant woman. All nutrients that previously entered the baby through the placenta will be received through your milk.
What mom needs
Your need for carbohydrates increases: you don't get enough sleep and you need a quick source of energy. It’s best not to get these from added sugars, but from vegetables, fruits and whole grains. The fiber in these foods will help quickly restore intestinal motility after childbirth [1].
Your need for iodine somewhat increases: a significant part of this trace element is spent on the development of the baby's brain and nervous system [1]. But you also need it to take care of your thyroid. Try to use only iodized salt and eat fish two to three times a week.
What baby needs
All that is needed, newborns get from mother's milk. Moreover, for premature babies, this is especially important: it is more difficult for them to suck, which means that they receive a smaller amount of food in the first weeks. But nature has made sure that mothers who have given birth preterm have richer milk. A study showed that mothers who give birth preterm have more calories and 35% more protein in their milk [2]. This will allow their babies to catch up with their full-term peers in development.
