Protein In Pregnancy
There is so much nutritional advice for pregnant women, and it’s easy to forget how important protein is during pregnancy. Protein is a building block for life itself, and especially for the life growing inside of you during pregnancy. It’s important to keep track of your daily protein intake to make sure you are getting enough protein during your pregnancy.
Good Health During and After Pregnancy
During pregnancy it is critical that you eat well. We should all be healthy eaters all of the time. However, it is especially important to the growth and well being of the little one growing inside of you when you are pregnant.
Pregnancy Cravings
Many pregnant women experience cravings. You have probably heard crazy stories of frazzled husbands searching for watermelon in the middle of winter, or women driving many miles to indulge in their favorite treats. Perhaps you have experienced unique cravings yourself.
Body Changes During Pregnancy
Beside the usual symptoms of morning sickness that occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy, the expectant mom may experience fatigue and an increase in urination.
Caffeine And Pregnancy
Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant drug, and it does cross the placenta, so any caffeine a pregnant woman consumes does make its way to fetus. What research has not adequately shown is whether or not caffeine harms a developing baby.
Alcohol And Pregnancy
While the official word from the medical community is that alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy, recent research from the UK has found that drinking alcohol while pregnant may not be as dangerous as once thought.
The Use of Alcohol During Pregnancy
Alcohol consumption can cause both physical and mental defects. Alcohol passes through the placenta to the baby. This can cause mental retardation, malformed organs, low birth weight, miscarriage, stillborns and a host of other maladies.
Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
Instead of eating for one, you’re now sharing your nutrients with your unborn baby. For this reason, it’s critical to make the right food choices and understand what foods to avoid during pregnancy for the health of your baby. In addition to knowing what not to eat, it’s important to practice safe food handling and storage since bacterial contamination of food can affect both your health and the health of your developing child.
Prenatal Vitamins
Certain vitamins appear to play a critical role in this process making it essential that these nutrients be an important part of your diet. Because it’s not always easy to gauge how much you’re getting of a particular vitamin on a daily basis through food intake, your doctor will likely recommend that you take a prenatal vitamin supplement to ensure your baby has the nutrients needed to develop into a healthy, thriving infant.
Eating for Two: Tips for Adding More Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet
Do pickles and ice cream count as a vegetable? If youre pregnant, you’re likely to justify just about anything in the name of eating for two. You know you need to make more nutritious choices but it’s hard. As if dealing with morning sickness, food cravings and aversions and a list of safe and unsafe foods weren’t enough, old standards calling for five fruits and vegetables a day have recently been increased to between seven and nine servings.
Iron Needs and Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the amount of blood in the body steadily increases until you have almost 50% more than usual. Because iron is essential for making hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that carries blood and oxygen to other cells) women have increased iron needs during pregnancy. If you suspect you may be iron deficient during your pregnancy, consult with your doctor about iron supplements.
