Pregnancy and breastfeeding are times when the requirement for calcium is at its maximum. These calcium requirements are met from the diet consumed by the mother. If there is inadequate consumption of calcium, the baby is deprived of calcium and calcium is extracted from the maternal bones. This leads to a temporary bone loss in the mother.
It is recommended that the pregnant lady start taking calcium tablets at 14 weeks of pregnancy and continue taking them for at least 6 months after delivery, or longer if breastfeeding continues. The mother should consume at least 1000 mg of calcium and 1000—2000 units of Vitamin D daily. These should be continued until the mother continues breastfeeding. This calcium can come from good dietary sources or a tablet.
Since many of the mothers that we see have inadequate calcium intake, we recommend they continue to take at least one tablet of calcium (500 mg) daily.
Dr. Mathew John, MD, DM