We all know that during pregnancy, a mother’s body performs the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, meaning it gives off its own. If a mother is not consuming the appropriate nutrients, her body will strip itself of that nutrient and feed it to the baby. Calcium is one of them.
During pregnancy, the female body is depleted of a variety of nutrients including Vitamin D, iron, folate, fatty acids, selenium, and calcium. Furthermore, if a mother decides to breastfeed her baby, she will need calcium in abundance, as the body needs more of this mineral while nursing.
You would know that breastfeeding women are at a higher risk of developing nutrient deficiencies, so mothers must keep the daily recommended dose of calcium in mind.
Breastfeeding has an impact on a mother’s bones. According to a firstcry parenting report, women lose 3-5% of their bone mass during nursing, as growing babies and infants take calcium from their mothers. Breastfeeding women produce less estrogen, the hormone that protects the bones, making it vital to replenish the body with everything it needs.
The report states that it is “imperative for nursing mothers to consume 1000 milligrams of calcium every day.” And contrary to the popular notion, a vegetarian diet is more likely to supply you with adequate calcium than a non-vegetarian diet. The vegetarian diet (which is rich in paneer, yoghurt, milk, and milk products) supplies only about 600-700 milligrams of calcium a day.
It is advised that mothers should focus on their diet for calcium intake, instead of relying on supplements. However, if you want to include supplements in the diet, consult a doctor.
