Lactation Specialist Nutrition for Lactating Mothers & Infants Flashcards

What is the primary reason iron-fortified cereals are recommended as a first complementary food for breastfed infants around 6 months?

Answer: The infant's prenatal iron stores become depleted and breast milk alone cannot meet growing iron needs

Infants are born with iron stores that last approximately 6 months; after that, breast milk's iron content (though highly bioavailable) is insufficient to meet expanding needs.

A lactating mother is following a strict elimination diet for her infant's suspected milk-protein allergy. Which nutrient requires closest monitoring for maternal deficiency?

Answer: Calcium

Eliminating dairy from the maternal diet significantly reduces calcium intake, putting the mother at risk for bone density loss and requiring supplementation or alternative food sources.

Which of the following best describes the composition of colostrum compared to mature breast milk?

Answer: Higher protein and immunoglobulins, lower fat and lactose

Colostrum is concentrated with secretory IgA, lactoferrin, and leukocytes, with less fat and lactose than mature milk, serving primarily as immune protection in the first days of life.

How does maternal protein intake affect breast milk protein content?

Answer: Breast milk protein concentration remains relatively stable regardless of maternal dietary protein intake within normal ranges

Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, breast milk protein content is tightly regulated and remains relatively constant even if maternal intake is suboptimal, at the cost of maternal stores.

A mother of a 3-week-old infant reports her baby is fussy, gassy, and has green stools after feeding. If a dietary trigger is suspected, which maternal food group is most commonly implicated?

Answer: Cow's milk and dairy products

Cow's milk proteins are among the most common dietary antigens that can pass into breast milk and cause gastrointestinal symptoms in sensitive infants.

Which statement about omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in lactating mothers is most accurate?

Answer: Maternal DHA supplementation increases DHA content in breast milk and may benefit infant neurodevelopment

Breast milk DHA levels directly reflect maternal intake, and supplementation with DHA has been shown to increase milk DHA concentration and may support infant brain development.

What caloric increase above pre-pregnancy needs is generally recommended for exclusively breastfeeding women?

Answer: 400–500 kcal/day

Lactation requires approximately 400–500 additional kcal/day above pre-pregnancy needs, though some energy is drawn from maternal fat stores, so the net dietary increase may be around 300–500 kcal/day.