Question

The nurse is providing nutritional counseling to a new mother who is breastfeeding her newborn. The nurse should instruct the client that her calorie needs should increase by approximately how many calories a day?

A. 200 calories
B. 300 calories
C. 500 calories
D. 700 calories

Answer 1

The nurse should instruct the client that her calorie needs should increase by approximately 300 calories a day.

Step-by-step explanation:

A lactating mother needs to increase her calorie intake to support breastfeeding. According to the information provided, a healthy baby may require 850 ml of milk daily, which provides 578 Kcal/day. A lactating mother would need an additional diet of approximately 720 Kcal/day to meet the demands of lactation. Therefore, the nurse should instruct the client that her calorie needs should increase by approximately 300 calories a day (option B).