Dairy foods help people thrive across the lifespan – including the earliest stages. To help nourish a growing baby, pregnant and breastfeeding women need higher amounts of some nutrients including vitamin B12, iodine and choline, as well as fluids. However, many pregnant or breastfeeding women are falling short of the recommended three daily servings of dairy foods to help meet these fluid and nutrient needs during this time of development.
Dairy foods provide these important nutrients that help support a healthy pregnancy:

• Vitamin B12 helps prevent deficiency that can lead to permanent neurological damage. 
• Iodine helps prevent neurocognitive defects and lower childhood IQ. During pregnancy, iodine needs increase over 50%. Iodine deficiency is the most preventable cause of intellectual disability. However, women who do not regularly consume dairy foods, eggs, seafood, or use specialty salts that are not iodized, may not consume enough iodine to meet increased needs during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, many prenatal supplements do not contain iodine, so it is important to read the supplement label.
• Choline supports the healthy growth and development of baby’s brain and spinal cord.

Special Considerations

• Access to safe and nutritious foods can help support a lifetime of health and wellness for babies and moms alike. At around $0.20 per 8-ounce serving, milk is an affordable source of iodine and 12 other essential nutrients. 
• Lactose intolerant? There are many lactose-free milk options on the market – it’s real milk with all the same nutrients, just without the lactose. Additionally, many women with lactose intolerance can still tolerate some amount of lactose in their diet. For example, the good bacteria in yogurt helps break down lactose, making it easier to digest.
• During pregnancy women should take special precautions not to consume unpasteurized milk or soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.

Continuing Education 

The Importance of Maternal and Infant Iodine in
Baby’s Brain Development

1 CPEU for Registered Dietitians
Presented by: Elizabeth N. Pearce, MD, MSc
 
Join Dr. Elizabeth Pearce for an engaging discussion on the critical role iodine plays in maternal and infant brain development, including iodine requirements during pregnancy and across the lifespan. This recorded session will explore the impacts of iodine deficiency and excess, dietary sources and supplementation recommendations, and how iodine nutrition in the U.S. and globally has evolved over time.

Iodine Patient Resource

Additional Patient Resources

Dairy foods help people thrive across the lifespan – including the earliest stages. To help nourish a growing baby, pregnant and breastfeeding women need higher amounts of some nutrients including vitamin B12, iodine and choline, as well as fluids. However, many pregnant or breastfeeding women are falling short of the recommended three daily servings of dairy foods to help meet these fluid and nutrient needs during this time of development.
Dairy foods provide these important nutrients that help support a healthy pregnancy:

• Vitamin B12 helps prevent deficiency that can lead to permanent neurological damage. 
• Iodine helps prevent neurocognitive defects and lower childhood IQ. During pregnancy, iodine needs increase over 50%. Iodine deficiency is the most preventable cause of intellectual disability. However, women who do not regularly consume dairy foods, eggs, seafood, or use specialty salts that are not iodized, may not consume enough iodine to meet increased needs during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, many prenatal supplements do not contain iodine, so it is important to read the supplement label.
• Choline supports the healthy growth and development of baby’s brain and spinal cord.

Special Considerations

• Access to safe and nutritious foods can help support a lifetime of health and wellness for babies and moms alike. At around $0.20 per 8-ounce serving, milk is an affordable source of iodine and 12 other essential nutrients. 
• Lactose intolerant? There are many lactose-free milk options on the market – it’s real milk with all the same nutrients, just without the lactose. Additionally, many women with lactose intolerance can still tolerate some amount of lactose in their diet. For example, the good bacteria in yogurt helps break down lactose, making it easier to digest.
• During pregnancy women should take special precautions not to consume unpasteurized milk or soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.

Continuing Education 

The Importance of Maternal and Infant Iodine in
Baby’s Brain Development

1 CPEU for Registered Dietitians
Presented by: Elizabeth N. Pearce, MD, MSc
 
Join Dr. Elizabeth Pearce for an engaging discussion on the critical role iodine plays in maternal and infant brain development, including iodine requirements during pregnancy and across the lifespan. This recorded session will explore the impacts of iodine deficiency and excess, dietary sources and supplementation recommendations, and how iodine nutrition in the U.S. and globally has evolved over time.

Iodine Patient Resource

Additional Patient Resources