An 18-year-old client is pregnant for the first time. A few weeks before her due date, the client informs the doula that she has decided to breastfeed her baby after birth. As a part of the teaching plan, the doula informs the client that it is recommended she add some calories to her current diet to ensure sufficient milk production without compromising her own health. If the pre-pregnancy recommendation is 2,200 calories per day and the pregnancy recommendation is 2,500 calories per day, the client should consume how many calories daily during the lactation period?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The client's RDA during the lactation period is 3,000 calories per day. During pregnancy, about 300 calories are added to the RDA. If a client chooses to breastfeed her baby, an additional 500 calories are added to the pregnancy RDA. Additional calories are needed to ensure that sufficient amounts of breast milk are produced without depleting a mother's own reserves unduly.

An 18-Year-Old Client Is Pregnant for the First Time