Archive for April, 2009
The diet during and after pregnancy should be of high nutritional value, as it caters to both the mother and baby’s needs. A woman’s body needs enough strength to go through the process of pregnancy. Poor diet can harm the baby’s health and it stands the risk of contracting several infections due to poor functioning of the immune system. The initial stage of pregnancy is vital for the fetus as it starts growing at this time so the importance of a balanced diet is observed during this period.
The diet should consist of whole grains, vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates. These days many supplements are prescribed by the doctors but actually supplements alone cannot make up for deficiencies. Few essential nutrients are required during pregnancy like
* Iron is needed to increase the production of hemoglobin and it is also needed in building bones and teeth of the baby. If there is a deficiency of iron, anemia can be caused which can affect the development of the fetus. Iron is found in green leafy vegetables, dried fruits and pulses.
* Calcium is very important for the development of the baby’s bones and teeth. Calcium is found in dairy products, soy, nuts and wheat. Usually it is observed that a woman feels muscular cramping in the lower legs during the third trimester, it can be caused due to the development of baby’s bones where a woman loses calcium from her bones, so it is important for her to increase the intake of calcium.
* Folic acid is an essential nutrient as it helps in the division of the cells in early pregnancy. Deficiency of folic acid can cause defects to the brain and spine of the unborn fetus. Natural sources of folic acid can be yeast, dairy products, jaggery, nuts and whole grains. These items can make up for the required content of folic acid. Supplements are not required when there is a balanced diet.
* Carbohydrates are necessary for the production of energy during pregnancy. As the process of pregnancy can be tiring it is necessary to make up for the lost energy. Carbohydrates can be sourced from rice, potatoes, cereals, bread, vegetables and fruits.
* Vitamins are essential for the formation of various organs of the body of the fetus. Vitamin A helps in improving the eyesight and the quality of skin. It is found in carrots, sweet potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables. Vitamin B, C and D are the other ones, which help in the development of the fetus. Vitamin B helps in formation of red blood cells in the body and it also helps in keeping the nervous system healthy. It can be sourced from meat, poultry, fish and fruits like bananas.
* Vitamin C is vital for healthy teeth and gums. It also helps in formation of a strong placenta and enables the body to be resistant to any kind of infections. Vitamin C can be vastly found in Citrus fruits and green vegetables. Consumption of vitamin D makes the bones stronger and denser.
Pregnant women should drink lots of water and other fluids to keep themselves hydrated, which can help them in passing the nutrients of the food to their babies and also it helps in overcoming constipation. Dehydration should be avoided at any cause.
Few things like alcohol, caffeine, undercooked meat and raw eggs should be avoided during pregnancy as they can have ill effects on the pregnant women. Alcohol and caffeine drain out the fluids from a woman’s body and make them dehydrated. Follow healthy habits so as to give birth to a healthy infant.
Teenage pregnancy is a care of concern these days, as people have various flings and one night stands without any protection. The culture is to blame for this lifestyle and it also depends on how a child is brought up by her parents. Young girls indulge in unprotected sex without knowing the actual burden they face when they are pregnant. Pregnancy is a boon for women but they should be physically and emotionally mature to handle it with grace.
In many developing countries teen pregnancy is faced by young girls in their wedlock and they do not have to worry any backlash by the society as there are several such cases where a teenage girl is married because of the tradition and gets pregnant early in their life, but in developed countries teen pregnancy have risen to large numbers and they are usually out of wedlock and face social stigma in the conservative societies, almost all the teenage pregnancies in the developing countries are unplanned.
It is noticed that young girls often indulge in sexual activities after intoxicating themselves by consuming alcohol or any other drinks which shed their embarrassment and inhibitions and there are a number of cases of forced sexual intercourse and one among them is the date rape where teens are intoxicated by some drinks, which result in unwanted pregnancies. The age of young girls becoming sexually active have reduced by a few years and the use of contraceptives by these teens have almost equaled the use by other older women. Incorrect use of contraceptives also is a major concern in teens where the pregnancy is taken by shock.
Usually it is observed that teenage girls have a physical relationship with older boys out of curiosity and many times due to sheer pressure from the partner. There are various risks involved in a teenage pregnancy such as miscarriage and complications during the birth of the child. Young girls in their in teens do not gain enough weight during pregnancy which results in low birth weight of the baby. Due to this the baby can be abnormal or born with organs, which are not developed fully and the mortality rate becomes low. They do not take adequate diet and prenatal multivitamins, which are recommended by the health care provider to keep themselves healthy and there are also many unhealthy habits of eating in teens which includes consumption of alcohol and cigarette smoking in some cases which can be very harmful for the baby.
It is observed that mothers who do not go for prenatal checkups regularly stand a risk of losing their baby in a year or so. They do not take adequate diet and the babies are likely to die or have health risk later on.
To avoid teenage pregnancies they should be educated about the safe sex methods and the use of contraceptives properly. It could be of great help to use the contraceptives in the right manner and the last option to avoid an unwanted pregnancy in the teenager is the morning after pill which should be prescribed by the health care provider after the monitoring the health of girls who are under the age of 18. Teenagers should follow Birth control methods to avoid pregnancy and also they should avoid getting pregnancy after the first pregnancy for at least 3 years as they can risk their lives.
During the pregnancy, there are so many myths around our life. It can be understand since pregnancy is the best moment for every mom to give all the best and to prepare her baby born into the world. The myths come from the older generation and always told to the next generation. You will hear so many myths from your parent or your grandparent. This condition usually make the mom confuses about which one is the fact and which one is only a myth. In many cases, mom thinks that the myth is a fact and a fact is a myth. I tell you what? It is not good for the pregnancy phase.
Have you ever heard that if you hold your hands above head, then your baby may get umbilical cord around the neck? It is totally wrong. It is only myth since the medical world cannot take the relation between hold hands and umbilical cord. After that, have you ever hear that you can detect the sex of your baby with simply watching you get a morning sickness or not? Once again, it is only a myth.
Maybe your mom ever tells you that you should not take a bath or submerging in pool since it could harm you and your baby. Well, it is totally myth. Do you want to make your friend smell a bad thing from you? Of course not, right? Take a bath or submerging in the cold water will affect nothing to your body as well as your baby. Then, have you ever heard that you should not have a sex with your husband? Do not hear that. Unless you have a high risk pregnancy, you can continue your sexual life. In many journals told that sexual life is the most common tool to keep a good relationship with husband. However, talk to your doctor before doing a sex will be a good way.
There are many other pregnancy myths around of our life. Let says when the mom has a heat burn, then the baby will have a lot of hair. Then, how about the myth that if the mom has acne, the baby must be a girl? After that, if you see the bird fly into your house, it means your pregnant is not real and only stillbirth. However, please do not believe all of the myths. Just do you best for your baby.
Having a pregnancy is the best moment for every mom. Only the birth process is the better than the pregnancy phase. Every mom is always giving all of her best to make sure the baby is safe. Often, the mom is giving away her soul to make sure her baby is born safely into the world. It is why, even the mom has a big problem, but she will choose to keep born her baby.
In many cases, mom cannot naturally make her baby born. The mom with a disease like a herpes disease cannot use the natural method. Her baby will develop the same herpes disease if the mom insists to use natural way. However, the main problem that causes the cesarean surgery is vertical incision and breech position. Yes, in the vertical incision, the incision can rupture when the rigors of labor happen. Then, the breech position is really dangerous for the baby. The normal baby is positioned from the head first. However, in the breech position case, the baby will be positioned the bottom first. It is really dangerous for the baby itself. With using the cesarean surgery, the mom will save the baby as well as stay away from complications that may occur in the breech position case.
The mom is also need to take the cesarean surgery if she has a large baby. The large baby can be very dangerous for the mom. Do you know that the mom can lost her life because forcing to use natural method for her large baby? Then, the cesarean surgery is also caused because of the problem on the placenta. There are problems called placenta previa and abruptio placentae that cause mom cannot take the natural method. In the placenta previa condition, the placenta covers the cervical opening. When this thing happens, the baby will not able to move outward. Then, in the abruptio placentae, the placenta will separate before the labor begins. I tell you what? It is really dangerous for both mom and the baby. Taking the natural method will take the life of the mom and her baby. In this case, the cesarean surgery is the only option can be taken to get a chance to save the lives of the mom and also her baby.
Last but not least, the cesarean method usually gives the mom a discomfort feel on the digestive function. However, after 10 weeks, mom will be all right and able to do another exercise program.
Eating up healthy throughout your gestation is the biggest present you may give your coming child, but there’s also a few rewards in it for you to. It is more common for a lot of moms to be to forget that they also do good in feeding good through out their gestation. What you eat on has a direct result as to how easily your body deals and regains from all the physical changes it goes through. It also serves with the physiological and emotional challenge of gestating and delivering a child.
The truth is, almost pregnant women rarely walking around whole 9 months with that healthy glow everybody talks about. The beginning 3 months more of us walking around a awful shade of greens and in a cloudy fog thanks to the weariness we experience those first 3 months. The second 3 months are less better, and we’re no longer green but we handle with different effects such as varicose veins and cramps.
The 3rd trimester, we’re back to the cloudy fog again and have other effects such as swelling up and heartburn just to name a few. And most of these can be avoided with a right dieting. Eating foods that consume some complex carbs can help lower your fatigue and keeping away from greasy foods will aid with the heartburn.
Research has presented that pregnant mother who eat nourished food throughout their gestation generally have a safe and uncomplicated gestation. Studies have presented that more pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia or hypertension could be immediately associated deficiencies in a pregnant woman’s dieting. High quantities of sugar and unsaturated fats increase this danger as well as having a low consumption of ascorbic acid, vitamin E and magnesium.
Maybe for some moms one of the greatest benefits of eating good during their gestation is that it could help you during labor and delivery. An well-adjusted pregnancy dieting has been told to help prevent preterm labor, which is labor prior to 37 weeks. A right dieting could also support you to cope better when given birth. Any mother when delivering thier child knows the needed vitality it takes to suffer hours of labor and some of the times hours of contractions. Taking healthy foods will guarantee that you’ve the vitality and the staying power to get pass safely when delivering your child.
When you delivered your baby, it’s still important to stay on your good habit of eating good food especially in the postnatal period. Your body requires a lot of resources to retrieve from all the stretching, loss of blood and not mention lack of sleep and still take care of a baby. It’s just as important in the following days your delivery to remain eating as well. As my physician arrange it, it’s essential to eat as if you were pregnant for at least 3 months after delivery.
A last extra bonus to good eating throughout your gestation is that you could never stop eating healthy. This is setting up the basis for a lifetime of eating healthy for not only you but for your babies. If you remain to eat healthy you are putting a good example for your kids.