When nursing, how many additional calories does a woman need per day?

During lactation, a woman's body requires additional energy to produce milk for her infant. The nutritional needs increase significantly as breastfeeding calls for approximately 500 extra calories per day. This increase supports the metabolic demands of milk production, ensuring that the mother has sufficient energy to nourish her baby adequately.

While other choices explore different possibilities, they do not accurately reflect the caloric needs of nursing mothers. For instance, suggesting that a woman needs 1000 more calories would greatly exceed the average requirement and could lead to excessive weight gain. Similarly, proposing that she needs 500 less or the same amount does not take into account the higher energy expenditure directly associated with lactation. Thus, the correct understanding of a need for an additional 500 calories aligns with health guidelines promoting proper nutrition during the nursing period.