Baby Your Baby- New Virtual Resource to Help Moms with Nutrition after Delivery


New moms might be surprised to know they need to consume more calories, eat more protein, and stay well hydrated to help them succeed at breastfeeding and provide their baby with enough nourishment to thrive.

Intermountain Health is now providing telehealth services where patients can consult with a dietitian – virtually and from the comfort of their home.

This new service is particularly beneficial for postpartum moms who plan to breastfeed and are seeking to gain more education towards keeping their milk supply as nutrition plays a large role in increasing and maintaining their supply.

The registered dietitians available through the Intermountain Connect Care Primary Care Clinic are all highly specialized and can provide the most comprehensive and evidenced-based care with a focus on overall health and wellness. This team includes four registered dietitians who are highly experienced helping new moms.

In the first few weeks postpartum, moms are still recovering from childbirth and likely are not getting enough uninterrupted sleep.

It can be challenging for moms to prioritize their own nutritional needs. These dietitian consultations can be beneficial for all moms who want to better manage their nutritional needs postpartum, as their bodies heal from childbirth.

Research has found it’s especially important for breastfeeding moms to take care of themselves by staying well hydrated and eating more protein and enough calories while their bodies are working to produce enough milk for their baby.

The recommended calories per day for breastfeeding moms is about 300- 400 calories more than for all women. That’s roughly the equivalent of a healthy snack.

These healthy snacks should include a variety of protein, carbs, and fat. It’s recommended a breastfeeding mom eat a varied diet that contains foods packed with nutrients such as fresh vegetables and fruits in a variety of colors and avoid eating ‘empty’ calories or foods with little nutritional value.

“Breastfeeding moms also have higher fluid needs than non-breastfeeding women and should also aim to drink about 10 cups of water per day to provide good hydration and support milk production. It is also recommended to avoid alcohol while breastfeeding as alcohol may decrease milk supply and may transfer to the baby,” said Brittni Whitesides, a registered dietitian at Intermountain Health.

Breastfeeding moms can eat the following foods to help increase milk production or add supplements to their diet.

  1. Oats
  2. Omega 3 fatty-acids rich foods (chia seeds, flax seeds, fish oil, fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or eggs with a high amount of omega 3’s)

As part of the comprehensive services offered by Intermountain Connect Care Primary Care, medical nutrition therapy allows individuals to obtain personalized nutrition interventions for a variety of health issues including diabetes, heart disease, weight management, chronic kidney disease, eating disorders, mental health and more.

Access to a dietitian is quicker through these virtual appointments. Patients can call into the scheduler to make an appointment and will receive a link that leads to the virtual appointment.

Most medical nutrition consultation sessions are covered by insurance. However, it’s recommended you call and verify this with your insurance provider for the most up-to-date information about what services are covered.

To schedule an appointment, call a nutrition scheduler at 801-507-3253.


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