Don't most lactating women get the nutrients they need?
Lactating women have a tendency to consume lower-than-recommended levels of calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B₆, and folate.

As a result, experts have concluded that multivitamin/mineral supplements may be advisable for lactating mothers to ensure adequate intake of these and other nutrients.

Why might I need a nutritional supplement while breastfeeding?
Consider the following:

• You have relatively high requirements for calories and protein while breastfeeding.
  
  
• Lactating mothers who are undernourished produce less milk each day.
  
  
• If your intake of vitamins and minerals is low, there can be a recognizable deficiency in your breastfed baby of vitamins A, B₁, B₆, C, D, and E; biotin; folic acid; and the mineral iodine.
  
  
• Poor maternal nutrition may decrease the concentration of important proteins in your breast milk that help protect your baby from infection.

Multivitamin/mineral supplements can help ensure that you are producing optimal-quality breast milk. Fortified milk-based supplements can also help ensure that you are meeting your increased requirements for calories and protein.

What should I look for in a maternal supplement?
Wyeth Nutrition has developed 2 supplements—MATERNA* and S-26* MAMA—to meet the special needs of lactating women.

MATERNA is a complete multivitamin/mineral supplement for use during pregnancy and lactation.

One tablet of MATERNA

• Provides the recommended levels of nutrients that are particularly important during lactation, including vitamin B₆, folic acid, and zinc.
  
  
• Helps ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D to aid in building your baby's bones while protecting your own nutrient stores.
  
  
• Is fortified with beta-carotene to help meet increased needs for vitamin A and potentially enhance the body's immune system.
  
  
• Helps meet your daily recommended intake of other known essential vitamins and minerals.

S-26 MAMA is a great-tasting, balanced nutritional beverage designed to supplement the diet of pregnant and lactating women.

Just 2 servings of S-26 MAMA

• Help meet increased caloric needs to support breast milk production.
  
  
• Provide 19 g of high-quality protein to help meet protein requirements that are 30% to 40% higher than normal.
  
  
• Are fortified with 48 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to help ensure sufficient intake of this fatty acid, a nutrient important for your baby's visual and mental development.
  
  
• Provide a full range of vitamins and minerals known to be essential for good health during lactation, including vitamin B₆, folic acid, and zinc.
  
  
• Help ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D to aid in building your baby's bones while protecting your own nutrient stores.
  
  
• Are fortified with natural carotenoids to help meet increased needs for vitamin A and potentially enhance the body's immune system.