The positive impact of six week maternal leave on the
nutritional needs of a mother are:
- This duration offers a mother time to develop a good bonding
with her child, It helps her to understand her own body
requirements and thereby to assess the nutritional needs of a
mother.
- During maternity leave, she can maintain the adequate intake of
calories, proteins and vitamins needed by her body during
postpartum.
- During the initial month after delivery, the maternal body
undergoes a wide range of changes in order to regain its
prepregnant state. This increases the body requirement of calorie
and proteins. So adequate nutrition will help in quick involution
of uterus.
- It is said by the old age people that if a women receives good
nutritional care after pregnancy then she remains healthy and have
strength to carry out her household works.
- It keeps the mother stress free as she is on leave, which
provides her time to take care of her own health.
The negative impact of maternity leave on nutritional needs of a
new mother are:
- The women who have a sedentary lifestyle during postpartum
period tend to gain weight and become obese.
- The intake of calories become high during leave with a thought
that more calorie intake of mother will keep the baby also
healthy.
- Although the maternity leave gives her time to take care of her
nutritional needs but this may also lead to excessive intake of
nutrients which may develop health issues.
- The maternity leave sets a specific schedule of timely food
intake which may be disturbed once the work is resumed. This may
also result in health issues and stress.