Self-selected diets of lactating women often fail to meet dietary recommendations

To assess longitudinally nutrient intakes of lactating women during the postpartum period.

Dietary data from lactating women were collected by means of 2-day food records at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Intake of energy and selected nutrients was tabulated and compared with dietary standards.

The 52 lactating women enrolled in the study lived in a university community, were apparently healthy, had a body mass index within normal range, were successfully nursing a term infant, and planned to nurse for at least 6 months.

Paired t tests and Stuart-Maxwell chi(2) analyses.

Mean energy intakes were below the Recommended Dietary Allowance. Mean intakes of most nutrients met or exceeded recommended standards except for zinc and vitamins D and E at both 3 and 6 months postpartum. Calcium and folate intakes were also below standards at 6 months. Although mean iron intake exceeded the standard at both measurement times, there was a significant decline from 3 to 6 months. Relative frequencies of mothers meeting various percentages of standards differed significantly from 3 to 6 months for calcium; iron; folate; and vitamins E, D, and B-6. At 6 months, significant increases were noted in the number of women reporting calcium, folate, and vitamin B-6 intakes at less than one half of the recommended amounts.

Guidance for lactating women should stress food sources of nutrients likely to be limited in their diets: calcium; zinc; folate; and vitamins E, D, and B-6.