As the title states, this post is about nutrition for
pregnant and breastfeeding women. This is the specific area of nutrition I want
to work in. [ Prenatal, neonatal, and breastfeeding.] I want to give the future
generations a good healthy start by ensuring they receive good nutrition in the
first days, weeks, months, years of life.
BEFORE PREGNANCY
Dietary
requirements for age groups 19-30 and 31-50 years.
DRI (Daily Recommended Intake)
Vitamin A
|
700µg/d
|
||
Vitamin C
|
75mg/d
|
||
*Vitamin D
|
5 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin E
|
15mg/d
|
||
*Vitamin K
|
90 µg/d
|
||
Thiamin
|
1.1mg/d
|
||
Riboflavin
|
1.1mg/d
|
||
Niacin
|
14mg/d
|
||
Vitamin B6
|
1.3mg/d
|
||
Folate
|
400 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin B12
|
2.4 µg/d
|
||
*Pantothenic Acid
|
5 mg/d
|
||
*Biotin
|
30 µg/d
|
||
*Choline
|
425 mg/d
|
||
Calcium
|
1,000 mg/d
|
||
Chromium
|
25 µg/d
|
||
Copper
|
900 µg/d
|
||
Fluoride
|
3 mg/d
|
||
Iodine
|
150 µg/d
|
||
Iron
|
18 mg/d
|
||
Magnesium
|
310 mg/d
|
31-50 yrs old
|
320 mg/d
|
Manganese
|
1.8 mg/d
|
||
Molybdenum
|
45 µg/d
|
||
Phosphorous
|
700 mg/d
|
||
Selenium
|
55 µg/d
|
||
Zinc
|
8 mg/d
|
||
Potassium
|
4.7 g/d
|
||
Sodium
|
1.5 g/d
|
||
Chloride
|
2.3 g/d
|
||
Water
|
2.7 L/d
|
||
Carbohydrates
|
130 g/d
|
||
Total Fiber
|
25 g/d
|
||
Omega-6
|
12 g/d
|
||
Omega-3
|
1.1 g/d
|
||
Protein
|
46 g/d
|
||
* Adequate Intake
- µg (microgram)
- /d (per day)
Folate (Folic acid) is important, especially during
pregnancy! Before becoming pregnant, it is a good idea to get in the habit of
eating foods that are rich in folate. The best way to check the level of macro and
micronutrients in your blood is to go to the doctor and have blood work done.
Dark
leafy vegetables
Spinach, raw
|
85g (3 cups)
|
165 µg
|
Spinach, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
124 µg
|
Romaine Lettuce, raw
|
85g ( 1 ½ cups)
|
116 µg
|
Turnip Greens, cooked
|
85g ( 2/3 cup)
|
100 µg
|
Collards, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
79 µg
|
Mustard Greens, cooked
|
85g ( 2/3 cup)
|
62 µg
|
Beans,
Lentils, and Seeds
Chickpeas
|
½ cup
|
191 µg
|
Black Beans
|
½ cup
|
129 µg
|
Pinto Beans
|
½ cup
|
147 µg
|
Lentils
|
½ cup
|
175 µg
|
Sunflower Seeds
|
30g (1 oz)
|
71 µg
|
Liver
Chicken, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
491 µg
|
Beef, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
215 µg
|
Most
Cereals
Wheat bran flakes, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
417 µg
|
All bran, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
404 µg
|
Cheerios, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
200 µg
|
If you are overweight or obese, you should lose weight
before becoming pregnant. It is healthier for you and the baby. If you are
underweight, you should gain weight before conceiving.
DURING PREGNANCY
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I’m sure you’re looking forward to your
bundle of joy’s arrival. But for the meantime, let’s talk about what you need
to eat to keep your baby and yourself healthy.
Now, just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you need to
eat like you’re eating for two adults.
Here are the recommended weight gains.
Prepregnancy Weight
|
Recommended Weight Gain
|
Normal body weight
|
25-35 lbs
|
Overweight
|
15-25 lbs
|
Twin Pregnancy
|
40-45 lbs
|
DO NOT TRY TO LOSE
WEIGHT WHILE YOU ARE PREGNANT!! You
need the fat in your diet for fetal development. To keep yourself from gaining
too much weight, light exercise is recommended.
As I said, you don’t need to eat like you’re eating for two
adults. Pregnancy increases your
metabolism by 15%, not 50%.
It takes your stomach 2-4 hours to digest your meal
depending on the amount of fiber and fat in the food and how much you ate. So, I recommend eating 5 small meals per day. Or
you can eat 3 meals and small snacks in between.
Let’s see what goes on during each trimester.
1st Trimester
Your energy needs are the same as non-pregnant women.
The baby is going through organogenesis, meaning it is
developing organs. The heart, brain, central nervous system and kidneys are
developing.
If you are having some problems with morning sickness, I
recommend ginger flavoured items. Ginger altoids work for some women. Ginger
itself is known for helping ease nausea.
2nd Trimester
Your energy needs increase to an additional 340-360
kcal/day.
Major events for the fetus:
o
It’s sex becomes apparent
o
Skeleton is calcifying and developing bone
o
He or She begins to hear
o
Hair becomes visible
3rd Trimester
Your energy needs increase by 112 kcal/day
Major events for the fetus:
o
His or her eyes open
o
Bones are fully developed
o
Baby can detect light
o
Baby develops a firm grasp
For more information about what is happening, go to
babycenter.com
Dietary
requirements for age groups 19-30 and 31-50 years.[During Pregnancy]
Vitamin A
|
770 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin C
|
85 mg/d
|
||
*Vitamin D
|
5 µ/d
|
||
Vitamin E
|
15mg/d
|
||
*Vitamin K
|
90 µg/d
|
||
Thiamin
|
1.4 mg/d
|
||
Riboflavin
|
1.4 mg/d
|
||
Niacin
|
18 mg/d
|
||
Vitamin B6
|
1.9 mg/d
|
||
Folate
|
600 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin B12
|
2.6 µg/d
|
||
*Pantothenic Acid
|
6 mg/d
|
||
*Biotin
|
30 µg/d
|
||
*Choline
|
450 mg/d
|
||
Calcium
|
1,000 mg/d
|
||
Chromium
|
30 µg/d
|
||
Copper
|
1,000 µg/d
|
||
Fluoride
|
3 mg/d
|
||
Iodine
|
220 µg/d
|
||
Iron
|
27 mg/d
|
||
Magnesium
|
350 mg/d
|
31-50 yr old
|
360 mg/d
|
Manganese
|
2.0 mg/d
|
||
Molybdenum
|
50 µg/d
|
||
Phosphorous
|
1,250 mg/d
|
||
Selenium
|
60 µg/d
|
||
Zinc
|
12 mg/d
|
||
Potassium
|
4.7 g/d
|
||
Sodium
|
1.5 g/d
|
||
Chloride
|
2.3 g/d
|
||
Water
|
3.0 L/d
|
||
Carbohydrates
|
175 g/d
|
||
Total Fiber
|
28 g/d
|
||
Omega-6
|
13 g/d
|
||
Omega-3
|
1.4 g/d
|
||
Protein
|
71 g/d
|
||
*AI—Adequate Intake
Here are some foods
you should avoid while being pregnant.
DIET FOODS AND DIET DRINKS!!!
You must ABSOLUTELY avoid these. I’ll tell you why. Aspartame.
It’s the sweetener they put in to replace sugar. It is a chemical. It is a
methyl ester of aspartic acid and phenylalanine dipeptide. It can breakdown
into methanol. Methanol is used as antifreeze;
it is toxic. It [aspartame] will do damage. Anything packaged food or drink
that says sugar-free will most likely have aspartame. Look at the ingredients listed. Women with
phenylketonuria (PKU) who eat diet food and drinks increase the risks of PKU.
Pregnant women with PKU should definitely not consume foods with aspartame
because it will increase phenylaline in the blood and it can cause fetal brain
damage. Whether you have PKU or not, you should avoid diet food and drinks.
Aspartame in mass quantities is damaging to your body. It can cause migraines,
symptoms similar to Grave’s disease, and even seizures. It will harm the fetus.
It also breaks down into formaldehyde and formic acid. I will recommend you a
book written by a woman who has experienced the damaging effects of aspartame.
Sweet Poison by
Janet Starr Hill.
You should limit your caffeine intake to less than 200 mg/d,
which is about 2 cups of coffee. Should you like to drink soda while pregnant,
it would be best to drink the caffeine free version.
Not diet.
Caffeine free.
However, I recommend you stick to water and fruit juices.
Homemade lemonade is good too. If you own a juicer, homemade vegetable or fruit
juices are excellent for nutrition.
Excessive caffeine can produce problems with bone formation
in the fetus which causes deformity in the fingers, toes and cleft palate.
I recommend supplementation for Iron and Folate. Prenatal
vitamins should contain these important nutrients. Check the information on the
back of the bottle. Also, consult your physician about using supplements
before you do so.
Folate is important as it helps prevent neural tube defects.
It prevents spinal bifida.
Females are prone to iron deficiency. We use our stored iron
to compensate for the iron we lose during menstruation, pregnancy, and
lactation. It doesn’t help that our absorbing ability for iron is roughly
23%-30%. Fortunately, the ability to absorb iron increases 50% during
pregnancy. This is due to the body’s need for more iron. Iron forms hemoglobin
and it is needed for the growth and development of the fetus and placenta. Iron
also carries oxygen in the blood. Iron supplementation should not exceed
56 mg per dose. Also, when consuming foods rich in iron be sure to eat
foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C can help with the absorption of iron.
Also, don’t drink tea or coffee while eating iron rich
foods. They negatively affect the absorption of iron.
Also, it is best not to lie directly on your back. The extra
weight from the baby compresses the inferior vena cava (the vein that carries
blood from the body to the heart). This causes swelling in feet and
ankles. I recommended lying on your side
with a good supportive pillow under your belly.
AFTER PREGNANCY,
BREASTFEEDING
Dietary
requirements for 19-30 year olds and 31-50 years olds
Vitamin A
|
1,300 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin C
|
120 mg/d
|
||
*Vitamin D
|
5 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin E
|
19 mg/d
|
||
*Vitamin K
|
90 µg/d
|
||
Thiamin
|
1.4 mg/d
|
||
Riboflavin
|
1.6 mg/d
|
||
Niacin
|
17 mg/d
|
||
Vitamin B6
|
2.0 mg/d
|
||
Folate
|
500 µg/d
|
||
Vitamin B12
|
2.8 µ/d
|
||
*Pantothenic Acid
|
7 mg/d
|
||
*Biotin
|
35 µg/d
|
||
*Choline
|
550 mg/d
|
||
*Calcium
|
1,000 mg/d
|
||
*Chromium
|
45 µg/d
|
||
Copper
|
1,300 µg/d
|
||
*Fluoride
|
3 mg/d
|
||
Iodine
|
290 µg/d
|
||
Iron
|
9 mg/d
|
||
Magnesium
|
310 mg/d
|
31-50 yrs old
|
320 mg/d
|
*Manganese
|
2.6 mg/d
|
||
Molybdenum
|
50 µg/d
|
||
Phosphorus
|
700 mg/d
|
||
Selenium
|
70 µg/d
|
||
Zinc
|
12 mg/d
|
||
*Potassium
|
5.1 g/d
|
||
*Sodium
|
1.5 g/d
|
||
*Chloride
|
2.3 g/d
|
||
Water
|
3.8 L/d
|
||
Carbohydrate
|
210 g/d
|
||
Total Fiber
|
29 g/d
|
||
Omega-6
|
13 g/d
|
||
Omega-3
|
1.3 g/d
|
||
Protein
|
71 g/d
|
||
*AI—Adequate Intake
I highly recommend that you
breastfeed your child for at least a full year.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position on
breastfeeding is as such, “Exclusive breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition
and health protection for the first 6 months of life and breastfeeding with
complementary foods for at least 12 months is the ideal feeding pattern for
infants.” So in total, their recommendation is to breastfeed for 18 months.
There are many benefits to breastfeeding your child. A study has shown that breastfeeding your
child for more than 2 months could help decrease the risk of your child
developing asthma. However, genetics can win out. I speak from experience as my
brothers and I have asthma and some of their own children have asthma.
Breast milk is superior to formula milk of any kind IF you maintain a healthy diet.
Human milk contains large amounts of essential
fatty acids which are IMPORTANT for
growth, especially for brain and retinal development.
Infants who are breastfed have better immunity. The mother
passes on any antibodies she has to her child through breast milk. Therefore, breastfed
infants are less likely to get sick. Formula fed infants are three times more
likely to be ill.
Breastfeeding may protect against obesity by allowing the
infant to naturally regulate their energy intake based on hunger cues and by
preventing parents from overriding these cues by controlling the feeding. So the child learns to self-regulate satiety.
It’s important to know the introducing pacifiers and bottles
to newborns too early often causes confusion for the infant. The method of
sucking a pacifier or bottle is completely different from the method of suck
needed to extract milk from a breast. Thus the child has difficulty expressing
milk from the breast.
The feeding relationship reflects the overall parent-child
relationship and feeding struggles may be indicative of other difficulties
involving parent-child interactions. Nutritional science advocates feeding
infants on an “on demand” schedule. This means watching for the infant’s cue
for hunger and feed them accordingly. Don’t put them on a strict feeding
schedule; it builds distrust of the parent from the infant. It also teaches
them that if they want to eat they have to scream and cry which can cause
problems when the infant is older.
Iron is important!
Make sure you are consuming foods rich in iron. Women and children are
prone to iron deficiency anemia (there are different kinds of anemia). Iron
deficiency anemia is the most common childhood nutritional deficiency worldwide. The consequences of anemia
are delays in motor and cognitive development caused by irreversible brain
injury.
You should start complementary foods at 6 months. Your child
should have full control over their head and have tongue control before you
start feeding them solid foods. Rice cereal snacks should be the first
complementary food introduced to an infant. Introducing complementary foods to
an exclusively breast-fed infant before 6 months of age does NOT increase total
calorie intake or improve growth. Complementary foods displace human milk and
the infant receives fewer immune factors, therefore is at greater risk for
infections.
Your child does not need multivitamins. Early use of multivitamins has shown an increased
risk of developing food allergies AND asthma, according to a study by
Milner and coworkers (2004). Multivitamins supplementation in the first 6
months of life was associated with increased risk for food allergies by the age
of 3.
Introducing a variety of flavours and foods is important in
the first 2 years of life and may increase the likelihood that the child will
try new foods. Food should be introduced at least 10 times before you can
determine the child does not like it.
NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY
Carbohydrates
o
Primary energy source for everyone, not just
pregnant women
o
Pregnant women need about 175 grams per day
o
Healthy sources of carbohydrates
§
Vegetables
§
Fruits
§
Whole grains
Protein
o
Protein is needed to maintain your muscles and
cells.
o
Pregnant women require 71 g/d
o
Protein helps form fetal and maternal tissues
o
Healthy sources of protein
§
Chicken
§
Vegetables
§
Plant (non-heme) protein will be better absorbed
if eaten with a complementary protein. These combos are good examples:
·
Rice and beans
·
Rice and lentils
·
Rice and black-eyed peas
·
Pea soup with bread
·
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) with sesame paste
·
Pasta with beans
·
Peanut butter on bread
Fat
o
I can’t stress this enough…Everyone needs fat in
their diet!! Especially essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6
o
Fat is also important for fetal growth and
development, especially for the growth and development of the brain. (Which
makes me think…is that where we get the term ‘fathead’ from? Probably not, but
hey it makes sense to me now.)
o
You also
need to fat to absorb and digest your fat soluble vitamins. (Vitamin A, D, K,
and E)
o
There is no daily recommend intake for fat
o
There are adequate intake (AI) for
Omega-6(linoleic) and Omega-3 (linolenic) fatty acids
§
For pregnant women
·
Omega-6 – 13g/day
·
Omega-3 – 1.4g/day
o
Good sources of the omegas are:
§
Omega-3
·
Flaxseed oil
·
Canola oil
·
Salmon, tuna, mackerel
§
Omega-6
·
Vegetable oil- corn oil
·
Meat, poultry and eggs
o
A warning on eating fish during pregnancy. Some
fish contain a high amount of mercury. I recommend eating fish about twice a
week. You should avoid eating Marlin, Shark , Mackerel, and Ahi Tuna.
Tuna in general has a relatively high mercury rate. Herring, Salmon, Tilapia, and Trout are some examples of fish
with the lowest amount of mercury. If
you eat fish more than twice a week, I recommend eating fish with the lowest
amount of mercury.
o
As it is for everyone, fat should contribute
only 20% -35% of your total calories.
Fiber
o
Fiber is good for maintaining a healthy weight
§
It delays the emptying of your stomach so you
feel full longer
o
Pregnant women need about 28g/d
o
It is good for digestion and your digestive
tract
§
It reduces constipation, which does happen
during pregnancy
o
Excellent sources of fiber are:
§
Apples, bananas, berries, cherries, cranberries,
grapefruit, mango, oranges, pears
§
Asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots,
green peppers, red cabbage, spinach
§
Almonds, peanuts, pecans, sesame seeds,
sunflower seeds, walnuts
§
Most legumes
§
Brown rice, oat bran, oatmeal, wheat bran
cereal, whole-wheat breads
Sources of food for each nutrient
Vitamin A
*IU—International
Units
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
26,957 IU
|
Sweet Potato
|
110g (1 small)
|
21,140 IU
|
Carrots, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
14,622 IU
|
Chicken liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
11,329 IU
|
Spinach, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
8,909 IU
|
Spinach, raw
|
85g (about 3 cups)
|
7,970 IU
|
Collards, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
6,897 IU
|
Romaine lettuce, raw
|
85g ( 1 ½ cups)
|
4,936 IU
|
Cantaloupe, fresh
|
140g ( ¼ medium melon)
|
4,735 IU
|
Vitamin D
The best way to obtain vitamin D is to spend
30 minutes to an hour in the sunlight. Your skin will synthesize vitamin D when
exposed to enough UV light. Those with darker skin will have to spend more time
in the sun. 1 ½ hours to 2 hours.
Cod liver oil
|
1 tablespoon
|
1,360 IU
|
Salmon, canned, solids and bones
|
55g (2oz)
|
420 IU
|
Milk, 1% milkfat
|
240 ml (1 cup)
|
129 IU
|
Vitamin E
Wheat germ oil
|
1 tablespoon
|
30.51 IU
|
Sunflower seeds
|
30g (about 1oz)
|
11.7 IU
|
Almonds
|
30g (about 1oz)
|
11.61 IU
|
Vitamin K
Kale, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
694 µg
|
Spinach, raw
|
85g (3 cups)
|
410 µg
|
Turnips greens, raw
|
85g (3 cups)
|
213 µg
|
Broccoli, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
120 µg
|
Romaine lettuce, raw
|
85g (1 ½ cups)
|
87 µg
|
Cabbage, raw
|
85g (1 ¼ cups)
|
51 µg
|
Asparagus, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
43 µg
|
Thiamin
Total, cereal
|
30 g ( ¾ cup)
|
2.1 mg
|
Pork, loin roast, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
0.80 mg
|
Cheerios, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
0.54 mg
|
Riboflavin
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
2.9 mg
|
Wheat bran flakes, cereal
|
30g ( ¾ cup)
|
1.77 mg
|
Chicken liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
1.69 mg
|
Milk
|
240ml (1 cup)
|
0.46 mg
|
Niacin
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
14.9 mg
|
Chicken, light meat, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
11.4 mg
|
Chicken liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
9.4 mg
|
Salmon, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
8.6 mg
|
Tuna, canned
|
85g (2oz)
|
7.3 mg
|
Pantothenic Acid
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
6.0 mg
|
Chicken liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
5.7 mg
|
Sunflower seeds
|
30g (1oz)
|
2.1 mg
|
Biotin
o
Cauliflower
o
Beef and Chicken Liver, cooked
o
Peanuts
o
Cheese
o
Egg yolks, cooked
Vitamin B6
Wheat bran flakes, cereal
|
30g ( ¾ cup)
|
2.1 mg
|
All bran, cereal
|
30g ( ½ cup)
|
2.0 mg
|
Corn flakes, cereal
|
30g (1cup)
|
1.0 mg
|
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
0.9 mg
|
Cheerios, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
0.7 mg
|
Vitamin B12
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
84.1 µg
|
Chicken liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
14.3 µg
|
Herring, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
11.2 µg
|
Wheat bran flakes, cereal
|
30g ( ¾ cup)
|
6.2 µg
|
All bran, cereal
|
30g ( ½ cup)
|
6.0 µg
|
Beef, ground, extra lean, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
2.1 µg
|
Beef, T-bone steak, cooked
|
85g(3oz)
|
1.9 µg
|
Vitamin C
Orange juice, chilled
|
240ml (1cup)
|
83.1 mg
|
Strawberries, fresh
|
140g (1 cup)
|
82.3 mg
|
Orange, fresh
|
140g (1 medium)
|
74.5 mg
|
Wheat bran flakes, cereal
|
30g ( ¾ cup)
|
62.1 mg
|
Broccoli, cooked
|
85g ( ½ cup)
|
55.2 mg
|
Cantaloupe, fresh
|
140g ( ¼ medium melon)
|
51.4 mg
|
Mango, fresh
|
140g ( ¾ cup)
|
38.8 mg
|
Cauliflower, cooked
|
85g ( ¾ cup)
|
37.7 mg
|
Spinach, raw
|
85g (3 cups)
|
23.9 mg
|
Pineapple, fresh
|
140g (1 cup)
|
23.7 mg
|
Choline
o
Beef and Chicken liver, cooked
o
Eggs, cooked
o
Beef, cooked
o
Cauliflower, cooked
o
Peanuts
Potassium
Potato, baked
|
110g (1 small)
|
588 mg
|
Yogurt, plain, nonfat
|
225g ( 1 8oz container)
|
579 mg
|
Tomato juice
|
240ml (1 cup)
|
565 mg
|
Lima beans
|
90g ( ½ cup)
|
513 mg
|
Banana
|
140g (1 9 inch banana)
|
501 mg
|
Calcium
Yogurt, plain, lowfat
|
225g (1 8oz container)
|
412 mg
|
Milk, 2%
|
240ml (1 cup)
|
290 mg
|
Phosphorus
Provolone cheese
|
85g (3oz)
|
422 mg
|
Beef liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
422 mg
|
Yogurt
|
225g (1 8oz container)
|
356 mg
|
Sunflower seeds
|
30g (1oz)
|
346 mg
|
Herring, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
258 mg
|
Milk, 2%
|
240ml (1 cup)
|
233 mg
|
Chicken, white meat, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
194 mg
|
Magnesium
Sesame Seeds
|
30g (1oz)
|
107 mg
|
Halibut, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
91 mg
|
Cashews
|
30g ( ¼ cup)
|
88 mg
|
Almonds
|
30g (1oz)
|
82 mg
|
Spinach, raw
|
85g (3 cups)
|
67 mg
|
Black Beans, cooked
|
90g ( ½ cup)
|
63 mg
|
All Bran, cereal
|
30g ( ½ cup)
|
62 mg
|
Iron
Cheerios, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
10.3 mg
|
Beef Liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
5.6 mg
|
Soybeans, cooked
|
90g ( ½ cup)
|
4.6 mg
|
Lentils, cooked
|
90g ( ½ cup)
|
3.0 mg
|
Beef Steak, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
2.8 mg
|
Spinach, raw
|
90g (3 cups)
|
2.3 mg
|
Zinc
Wheat Bran Flakes, cereal
|
30g ( ¾ cup)
|
15.8 mg
|
Alaska King Crab, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
6.5 mg
|
Ground beef, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
5.5 mg
|
Cheerios, cereal
|
30g (1 cup)
|
4.6 mg
|
Beef Liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
4.5 mg
|
Beef Steak, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
4.3 mg
|
Turkey, dark meat, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
3.8 mg
|
Selenium
Tuna, canned
|
55g (2oz)
|
44.2 µg
|
Pork loin, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
40.9 µg
|
Spaghetti noodles, cooked
|
140g (1 cup)
|
37.0 µg
|
Lobster, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
36.3 µg
|
Shrimp, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
33.7 µg
|
Beef Liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
30.7 µg
|
Iodine
Iodized Salt
|
Table salt
|
NOT Sea salt
|
Cod, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
99 µg
|
Corn grits (enriched), cooked
|
1 cup
|
68 µg
|
Milk, 2%
|
240ml (1 cup)
|
56 µg
|
Flour tortilla
|
55g
|
41 µg
|
Cooper
Beef Liver, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
12.1 mg
|
Lobster, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
1.6 mg
|
Alaska King Crab, cooked
|
85g (3oz)
|
1.0 mg
|
Cashews
|
30g (1oz)
|
0.6 mg
|
Sunflower Seeds
|
30g (1oz)
|
0.5 mg
|
Manganese
Pineapple, fresh
|
140g (1 cup)
|
2.2 mg
|
Wheat germ
|
15g ( ¼ cup)
|
2.0 mg
|
Hazelnuts
|
30g (1oz)
|
1.9 mg
|
Wheat Bran Flakes, cereal
|
30g ( ¾ cup)
|
1.6 mg
|
Oatmeal, cooked
|
1 cup
|
1.3 mg
|
I hope all this information, I know it’s a lot, helps you
have the self-confidence to breast feed your infant. I hope you breast feed
your infant for the full year. Breast
feeding is very beneficial to your infant. So if someone tells you otherwise,
you call them out on it. I know breast feeding in public has been a bit of a
hot button issue. Quite frankly, I find it ridiculous that a woman cannot
breast feed her child in public. Cover yourself and child with a blanket and no
one has to see anything. It’s nobody’s
business. Fortunately, 36 states
currently protect a woman’s right to breast-feed in public. Sadly, 20 states
only exempt nursing mothers from indecent exposure laws. Breast-feed your child
and if people give you dirty looks, brush it off. It’s natural to breast feed
your child. It’s what your breasts are really for. The advertising business
would have you believe that a woman’s breasts are sexual and only sexual. No.
No, no, no, no, NO! Breasts function as a way to feed an infant. That is what
they are for! That has been their primary function since the beginning of our
species.
Now, I do realize that for some women it is hard to breast
feed. Whether it be psychological reasons or biological, I understand. I know
someone who desperately wanted to breast-feed her children, but for biological
reasons she could not. And that’s a major bummer. But you know what, her
children are alive and healthy and happy.
If you’re having a hard time breast-feeding your child for psychological
reasons, I recommend pumping your breast milk. This way your child can still
get the benefits of breast milk and you feel comfortable feeding your child.
Although I highly recommend breast-feeding, in no way am I
saying you are a bad mother if you don’t breast feed your child. That’s not
what this is about. This is about educating women about the benefits of breast
feeding.
Afterword:
I have graduated and now have a Bachelor of Science in Family
and Consumer Sciences with a degree in Nutrition Sciences. What I have left to
do is to get an internship. Then I can qualify to take the registered dietitian
exam. After that I’ll work on a masters.
Works Cited
Edelstein, S. (2009). Life cycle nutrition an
evidence-based approach. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Insel, P. M., Turner, R. E., & Ross, D. (2007). Nutrition (3rd
ed.). Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
