Question
How much calcium should a breastfeeding mother take daily? My child is two and a half months old and is being fed both breast milk and formula. I’m considering calcium supplementation, so how much calcium should I consume daily? What kind of calcium supplement is best? Past treatment and effectiveness: Taken Dicalcium Phosphate. Assistance sought: What kind of calcium to take and how much?
Answer
A healthy breastfeeding mother typically has about 35mg of calcium in every 100ml of breast milk, so producing 1000ml of breast milk can result in the mother losing about 300-400mg of calcium. After completely breastfeeding for six months, approximately 4-6% of the mother’s bone calcium is consumed. It is recommended that you supplement through diet, as this is safer for the baby. During the peak period of milk secretion, consume 2g of calcium and an equivalent amount of vitamin D daily. Foods high in calcium and vitamin D include milk, soy products, poultry eggs, fish, shrimp, seafood, and bone broth; eat less of foods that are beneficial for calcium absorption, such as spinach and bamboo shoots; get more sunlight exposure. Sunlight’s ultraviolet rays can stimulate the skin to produce vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption.