The food need of the nursing mother is increased in proportion to the amount of milk she produces and the child consumes. It has been estimated that her food needs are increased as follows: For the first 3 months about 90 calories for each pound of the baby's weight For the second 3 months about 85 calories for each pound of the baby's weight For the third 3 months about 80 calories for each pound of the baby's weight For the fourth 3 months about 70 calories for each pound of the baby's weight. This means a marked increase in the mother's energy needs. For example, if the baby weighs 10 pounds when it is a month old, the mother must increase the calorie value of her diet 10 times 90 calories, or about 900 calories. A quart of milk, an egg, two pieces of bread, and an extra allowance of vegetables will accomplish this.

The mother's diet must supply not only more energy but also more protein of good quality, more lime, more phosphorus, more iron, and more of the two essential unknown growth-promoting substances, or so-called vitamines. If the diet of the mother does not supply efficient food, she cannot manufacture sufficient milk of good quality to meet the needs of the baby.

Two of the best foods to increase the amount of protein, lime, phosphorus, and growth-promoting substances in the diet are milk and eggs. Eggs give in addition considerable iron.

The diet of the nursing mother should be laxative, and consequently fruits, mild-flavored vegetables, and breakfast foods and breads made from the whole cereal grain should play an important part. There is no truth in the old superstition that fruits in the diet of the mother produce colic in the baby.