Final answer:
During the first six months of lactation, a lactating woman should increase her dietary intake by about 720 Kcal/day to support milk production. The additional calories are necessary to produce milk efficiently and meet the infant's nutritional needs. Fat reserves from pregnancy also contribute to this energy requirement.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the first six months of lactation, a lactating woman needs to ingest additional calories to support the energy cost of producing breast milk. The energy efficiency of milk production is about 80%, which means for every 80 Kcal of milk produced, the mother expends 100 Kcal. To produce approximately 850 ml of milk daily, which is common for a healthy baby and equates to an energy value of 68 Kcal/100 ml or 578 Kcal/day, the lactating mother will require an additional 720 Kcal/day in her diet. It's also beneficial that fat reserves, accumulated during pregnancy, can serve as an energy source during this period.
Glucose is a critical component in lactation, being utilized for the production of lactose, the formation of milk fat, and the synthesis of the milk protein casein. Furthermore, the first weeks of breastfeeding may involve adjustment of milk supply according to the infant's demand. A lactating woman may produce about 1.5 liters of milk daily after these initial weeks, and this capacity can be maintained for years, diminishing only if breastfeeding is completely stopped.
It is key for the mother to maintain a diet offering sufficient nutrients and energy during pregnancy and lactation. This includes an increased intake of calories, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals to ensure the health of both mother and child.