04/09/2026
๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ: ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
by CMU BSND OJT Melody D. Nailon
The baby is fed, but is the mother nourished?
Breastfeeding provides an optimal start to life for every newborn child. However, a mother cannot pour from an empty cup nor give what she does not have herself. Proper nutrition during lactation remains important not only for the infant but also for the mother. August is celebrated as the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in the Philippines and this annual observance highlights the indispensable role of mothers in nation-building. A motherโs milk has superior nutrients, antibodies, and bioactive components to help the baby achieve optimum development.
Despite this, ask a mother about her early weeks of nursing, and she will describe constant physical exhaustion and distress. During sleepless nights and continuous feedings, caring for a newborn requires greater energy and quiet endurance. Producing milk places heavy metabolic demands on a woman's body every single day (Carretero-Krug et al., 2024).
On average, a lactating woman requires an additional of about 500 kilocalories daily for continuous milk production (FNRI-PDRI, 2018; Kominiarek & Rajan, 2016). Many mothers naturally worry whether their milk supply will suffice their growing babyโs needs. However, consistent milk production starts with the babyโs consistent latching, and with how well a mother nourishes herself. A balanced diet guarantees that the breastmilk is rich with the necessary vitamins without compromising the energy and nutrients of the mother (Carretero-Krug et al., 2024).
Eating well during lactation does not mean buying expensive commercial supplements or relying on imported specialty health foods. This is because it is possible to obtain sufficient nutrients from local and affordable food items. Consumption of fresh malunggay, alugbati, sayote, and saluyot will supply the body with vitamins, minerals, and help in producing breastmilk (NNC, 2025; Carretero-Krug et al., 2024).
Intake of eggs, fish, and chicken as protein sources is essential in healing and in maintaining the production of breastmilk (Wati et al., 2023; Ryan et al., 2023). Calcium, which comes from dairy products, vegetables like broccoli, and fish with edible bone helps in keeping the motherโs bones healthy as she breastfeeds (Khayat, 2017). Iron helps prevent anemia by allowing the mother to cope with exhaustion (Kominiarek & Rajan, 2016; Jorgensen et al., 2016).
Fluid intake remains important during nursing because the demands of producing breastmilk increases fluid requirements which usually comes with stronger feeling of thirst. In this regard, mothers should aim to drink at least ten glasses of water per day as recommended by DOST-FNRI (2016). Consuming warm broths, such as sinabawang isda or manok, and drinking the recommended one glass of milk daily, helps to achieve this by providing hydration with additional valuable nutrients.
In addition, it is recommended that lactating women follow the Pinggang Pinoy, a food plate model showing the recommended proportions of Go, Grow and Glow food groups per meal. Lactating mothers are guided in meeting their nutritional needs to support overall well-being.
However, nourishing food and clean water are only part of the real equation. A mother cannot successfully nurse her child without the support from the people around her. High stress levels and severe fatigue can hinder the natural hormones responsible for releasing of milk (Can et al., 2025). Family members must actively assist with household chores to give time for the mother to get adequate rest.
The community health and nutrition workers also play an integral part through the provision of sound and evidence-based advice. When a mother attains proper maternal nutrition during the First 1,000 Days, it sets a strong foundation for her childโs lifelong health (NNC, 2025). When local government units prioritize programs for pregnant and lactating women, a generation of communities benefit.
Supporting lactating mothers with realistic dietary advice and genuine care protects the entire family. This National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, let us ensure every mother receives the nourishment and respect she deserves because a motherโs cup does not just feeds her baby, but propels the child and the nation into a healthy future. (CMU BSND OJT Melody D. Nailon / [email protected] / 09631090198)
REFERENCES:
Can, V., Bulduk, M., Can, E. K., & Ayลin, N. (2025). Impact of social support and breastfeeding success on the self-efficacy levels of adolescent mothers during the postpartum period. Reproductive Health, 22(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-01960-z
Carretero-Krug, A., Montero-Bravo, A., Morais-Moreno, C., Puga, A. M., De Lourdes Samaniego-Vaesken, M., Partearroyo, T., & Varela-Moreiras, G. (2024). Nutritional Status of Breastfeeding Mothers and Impact of Diet and Dietary Supplementation: A Narrative review. Nutrients, 16(2), 301. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020301
Department of Science and TechnologyโFood and Nutrition Research Institute. (2016). Philippine dietary reference intakes 2015.https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/images/images/news/PDRI-2018.pdf
Department of Science and TechnologyโFood and Nutrition Research Institute. (2016). Pinggang Pinoy. https://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph/index.php/tools-and-standard/pinggang-pinoy/94-pinggang-pinoy/190-pinggang-pinoy
Jorgensen, J. M., Yang, Z., Lรถnnerdal, B., Chantry, C. J., & Dewey, K. G. (2016). Effect of iron supplementation during lactation on maternal iron status and oxidative stress: A randomized controlled trial. Maternal and Child Nutrition, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12394
Khayat, S. (2017). Minerals in Pregnancy and Lactation: A review article. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH, 11(9), QE01โQE05. https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2017/28485.10626
Kominiarek, M. A., & Rajan, P. (2016). Nutrition recommendations in pregnancy and lactation. Medical Clinics of North America, 100(6), 1199โ1215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcna.2016.06.004
National Nutrition Council (NNC), Republic of the Philippines. (2025, May 8). Nutrition for lactating women: Healthy Mommy, healthy baby! | National Nutrition Council (NNC), Republic of the Philippines. https://nnc.gov.ph/mindanao-region/nutrition-for-lactating-women-healthy-mommy-healthy-baby/
National Nutrition Council (NNC), Republic of the Philippines. (2025, May 15). Top veggies and fruits ideal for breastfeeding moms | National Nutrition Council (NNC), Republic of the Philippines. https://nnc.gov.ph/visayas-region/top-veggies-and-fruits-ideal-for-breastfeeding-moms/
Ryan, R. A., Hepworth, A. D., Lyndon, A., & Bihuniak, J. D. (2023). Use of galactagogues to increase milk production among breastfeeding mothers in the United States: a descriptive study. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 123(9), 1329โ1339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2023.05.019
Wati, L. R., Sargowo, D., Nurseta, T., & Zuhriyah, L. (2023). The role of protein intake on the total milk protein in Lead-Exposed Lactating Mothers. Nutrients, 15(11), 2584. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15112584
