Diet of Nursing Mother.—The diet of the nursing mother need not be different from that to which she is accustomed. She should be warned against overwork or over-fatigue, nervous excitement and worry, since these factors affect the digestion of the nursing baby. She must be careful not to eat indigestible foods or foods which disagree with her, as such things will undoubtedly affect the digestion of the infant. When an article of food does cause digestional disturbances in the baby, it should be carefully omitted from the mother’s diet.
Factors Retarding and Stimulating Milk Secretion.—Constipation in the mother reacts quickly and unfavorably upon the secretion of milk. The same has proved to be the case when she becomes excited, nervous, worried, or over-tired.
The average diet for the normal woman is safe for the nursing mother. If her supply of milk is deficient, it may be at times increased or stimulated by the drinking of a glass of milk between meals or by taking a cup of hot cereal milk gruel. It was formerly believed that beer, ale, or stout acted directly upon the mammary glands, stimulating the secretion of milk, but there is little proof of this and the drinking of alcoholic beverages need not be encouraged on this account, since often more nourishing beverages fulfill the purpose more efficiently and without bad results.
SUMMARY
Gastric Disturbances.—The nausea and vomiting so often a part of early pregnancy is not believed to be the result of a disordered stomach but primarily a mild form of poisoning resulting from the incomplete establishment of the fetal circulation.
Adjusting the Diet.—The adjustment of the diet to cover the needs of the prospective mother and those of the developing child is essential. The amount of food taken by the mother is not materially changed during the first three months of gestation. An average normal diet is all that is necessary. After this time a twenty per cent. increase in the woman’s diet will furnish adequate means both for her maintenance and for the growth and development of the child.
Type of Food.—The kind of food which is necessary for the pregnant woman to take during this period is very similar to that taken ordinarily. It is necessary to furnish food materials rich in calcium and phosphorus, with an adequate supply of proteins in their simplest form in order to meet the requirement of the growing organism. Milk and eggs furnish the most efficient foods in this respect and the prospective mother should see that they form the chief items of her daily dietary. Milk furnishes calcium in its most available form for the developing skeleton of the growing infant, hence it is necessary to provide the mother with food to replace the mineral which is withdrawn from her body.
Meat in the Diet.—Meat should be eaten sparingly by the prospective mother, as it imposes needless work upon the already taxed kidneys and, if eaten in excess, will give rise to dangerous complications. Milk and eggs will provide ample protein for all purposes.
Albumen in the Urine.—Albuminuria is one of the most frequent complications in pregnant women. It should be combated and controlled as soon as possible. The allowance of meat should be cut down or entirely eliminated from the diet until the urine clears up. When albuminuria is persistent in spite of efforts to overcome it, the patient must be placed upon a strict milk diet as used in acute nephritis, to prevent dangerous complications arising.