Final answer:
A breastfeeding mother should increase her caloric intake by 500-600 calories per day to meet the demands of milk production and lactation energy costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
A postpartum mother who is breastfeeding should increase her caloric intake by approximately 500-600 calories per day. This is to accommodate the energy cost of lactation and the production of breast milk, which is an energy-intensive process.
Considering the efficiency of milk production is around 80%, this extra caloric intake ensures the mother has enough energy to produce milk having an energy value of 68 Kcal/100 ml. Given that a healthy baby may require 850 ml of milk daily, this equates to an additional dietary provision of approximately 720 Kcal/day for the breastfeeding mother. This nutritional need is in addition to utilizing the fat reserves accrued during pregnancy.