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Prenatal Wellness

Healthy development begins long before a baby is born. During pregnancy, a mother’s health and nutrition plays a powerful role in shaping her baby’s growth, brain development and long-term health.

Why Dairy Matters During Pregnancy

Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt provide important nutrients during pregnancy, including iodine, choline, high-quality protein, vitamin B12 and calcium. 

These nutrients help support maternal health and contribute to a baby's growth and development during the first 1,000 days—a critical period that begins in pregnancy and continues through a child's second birthday.

Pregnant Woman on Bed at Home

How Dairy Supports Maternal Health

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, nutrient needs increase to support both maternal health and a baby's growth and development. With so many factors impacting women's reproductive health, focusing on access to nutrient-dense foods can positively impact maternal and infant well-being. At the same time, many women fall short on important nutrients such as iodine, choline and vitamin B12.

Supporting maternal health starts with helping women meet their nutritional needs. Milk, cheese and yogurt provide a unique combination of nutrients that can help fill common nutrient gaps while supporting overall wellness during pregnancy and breastfeeding. By delivering several essential nutrients in one food group, dairy foods offer a convenient way to nourish both mom and baby during this critical stage of life. 

Milk, cheese and yogurt provide:

  • High-quality protein to support the body’s increased demands during pregnancy
  • Calcium and phosphorus to help maintain bone health for mom and baby.
  • Iodine, a nutrient many women may not get enough of during pregnancy that supports thyroid health and a baby's developing brain
  • Choline, an important nutrient that many pregnant women fall short on and that supports neural tube formation and brain development.
  • Vitamin B12 to support the nervous system and healthy red blood cells
  • Fluids that contribute to hydration
  • A variety of essential vitamins and minerals that support overall wellness
How much dairy is recommended during pregnancy?

How Dairy Supports Baby's Growth & Development

Good nutrition during pregnancy plays an essential role in helping babies grow, develop and thrive. A baby's growth and development begin before birth. During pregnancy, nutrients from a mother's diet help support the development of bones, muscles, organs and the brain.

Supporting Healthy Growth

From the earliest weeks of pregnancy, a baby's body is rapidly developing. Dairy foods provide high-quality protein, calcium and phosphorus—nutrients that help support tissue growth and the development of lean muscles, strong bones and teeth. Consuming nutrient-dense foods, including milk, cheese and yogurt, throughout pregnancy helps provide consistent nourishment and supports the goal of carrying a baby to term delivery.

Fueling Early Brain Development

During the first 1,000 days from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday, the brain grows more rapidly than at any other time in life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that nutrition during pregnancy plays an important role in a baby's neurodevelopment during this time, making nutrient-dense foods an important part of a balanced eating pattern.

Dairy foods help support brain development by providing key nutrients, including:

  • High-quality protein for neurodevelopment
  • Vitamin B12 to support nerve and brain function
  • Choline for healthy growth and development of baby’s brain and spinal cord
  • Iodine, which plays an essential role in brain and nervous system development
Why Is Iodine Important During Pregnancy?

How Dairy Supports Postpartum Recovery & Breastfeeding

Nutrition remains important after a baby is born. During the postpartum period and while breastfeeding, a mother's body continues to have increased nutrient needs as it recovers from childbirth and supports an infant's growth and development.

Many of the nutrients that are important during pregnancy remain important after birth. Dairy foods support postpartum health by providing high-quality protein, iodine, vitamin B12, calcium and fluids during this stage of life. For mothers who choose to breastfeed, these nutrients also help meet the increased nutrition needs of lactation.

What are simple ways to support healthy nutrition during pregnancy?
Do pregnant women need to avoid foods to prevent allergies in their baby?
What if dairy is difficult to digest during pregnancy?
Is raw or unpasteurized milk safe to drink during pregnancy?
Do I still need to eat healthy if I take a prenatal vitamin?

Prenatal Resources