A new mum has many demands placed upon on her: looking after her newborn, recovering from pregnancy and, if breastfeeding, providing milk to satisfy her growing baby. Her body will naturally prioritise producing nutritionally-rich breastmilk over post-partum recovery, drawing on, perhaps already-diminished, physiological micronutrient stores. Dietary supplements can help restore healthy levels of important vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, supporting a new mum through her postnatal recovery period while breastfeeding.

After studying this module, you should:

• Understand why a new mum may be at risk for micronutrient depletion
• Know which micronutrients are particularly important for a breastfeeding mum, and why
• Be familiar with the food types that can be useful sources of important micronutrients for breastfeeding mums