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Tag: Nutrition during Pregnancy

PREGNANCY

Conception To Motherhood- A
Beautiful Journey

Learning about Planning Pregnancy, Stages and various aspects of Pregnancy,
to finally landing into Motherhood can be a memorable and beautiful experience.
Let’s explore few ways to discover it.

 

Planning Pregnancy

Hoping to get Pregnant can be exciting, but may also be associated with issues and apprehensions.
Let’s try to find how to plan pregnancy in a better way.

 

Stages of Pregnancy

Pregnancy lasts for forty weeks. Here is a list of month wise journey which can help you understand
yourself and your baby in a better way.

 

Pregnancy and Issues

Pregnancy can spurt various health conditions. Let’s try to understand few of them and how to combat.

 

Child Birth- Delivery Types and Methods

Doctor may decide various means to deliver your child. Here we have discussed few, come and find.

 

Motherhood

Motherhood is not only about changing diapers and feeding the new born. Here we want to tell you few
ways which can keep you and your child well.

 

Pregnancy Support Groups

These inspiring stories of those who have overcome Diabetes will keep you motivated

Pregnancy

Pregnancy And Women’s Health

Queries related to pregnancy….

Foods rich in vital nutrients

Nuts are rich in calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Experts suggest that if you consume handful of nuts everyday its good for heart health. Since nuts are very high in calories, just having a handful of them is enough. High mineral nuts include almonds and cashews.

Beans are rich in copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. Beans and lentils are good sources of fiber and a good vegetarian substitute of protein. High mineral beans include white beans, soybeans, chickpeas (garbanzo), and kidney beans.

Dark Leafy Green vegetables are rich in calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. They contain minimal calories and are good for obese people. High mineral dark leafy green vegetables include spinach, and turnip greens.

Mushrooms are rich in copper, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Mushrooms are exceptionally low in calories, and you can have them with a homemade vegetable recipe or simply add it so some salad to get its maximum benefits.

Fish is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium. It is also rich in protein, and heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Fish rich in minerals include salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Fish oil is also high in omega 3 fatty acids that are good for your heart health.

Foods rich in antioxidants

Kidney beans-All kinds of beans – black, pinto, red and kidney beans are high-octane sources of antioxidants. Beans are also rich in muscle-boosting protein, have no cholesterol and little fat. Combing them with grains helps in making a complete protein meal.

Raisins-If you’re looking to load up on antioxidants, have a handful of raisins. Dark raisins are packed with anthocyanins that give you an energy boost.  Sprinkle them on your breakfast oats, add them in a salad or blend some with your smoothie. 

Barley-This ancient grain is trending again and for good reason. Barley is known for its powerful antioxidant properties that make you stronger from within. Also, it has been found that when grains like barley are soaked and sprouted the antioxidant levels increase. 

Tomatoes-Juicy tomatoes are packed with three types of antioxidants – Lycopene (that gives tomato its bright red colour), Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Vitamin C is one of the most potent kinds of antioxidants that you can derive from fruits and vegetables. The lycopene in tomatoes is best absorbed when they are cooked.

Does Your Daily Diet Contain These 5 Essential Micronutrients?

Essential Micronutrients by Famhealth

1. Folate  

Folate is one of the eight types of B vitamins, and it helps with the formation of red blood cells. It is water-soluble, and also called vitamin B9. The best way to get your B9 is through fruits and vegetables. Legumes like lentils and beans, spinach and asparagus are all great, folate-rich options.

2. Iron

Iron is used to create hemoglobin, which is the substance in red blood cells that carries and delivers oxygen around the body. There are two types of iron: heme, which comes from an animal source, and non-heme, which is obtained through a plant. Non-heme sources are beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu, broccoli and spinach.

3. Magnesium

Did you know that consuming sodas, sugar and caffeine actually causes your body to lose magnesium? Good sources of magnesium are dark leafy vegetables like spinach. Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, cashews, sesame and pumpkin seeds; and whole, unrefined grains like brown rice are storehouse of magnesium.

4. Vitamin A

Essential for maintaining vision, vitamin A describes a group of fat-soluble retinoids, like retinol. Retinol is created from carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, which is often associated with foods of an orange hue such as carrots. Other sources come from animals, and can be found in foods like liver, grass-fed dairy products and egg yolks.

5. Vitamin D

The deficiency of this vitamin is linked to rising levels of depression and autoimmune disorders, laying the foundation for many chronic illnesses. Natural sources are fatty fish and fish oils, canned tuna, egg yolks, mushrooms, and tofu.

The Fourth Month of Pregnancy

4 months pregnancy

Physical Changes

  1. Moles and freckles may become darker with the increase in skin pigmentation. There is pigmentation around the nipples
  2. A dark line may appear down the centre of the stomach
  3. An increased appetite results in clothes getting tight
  4. The waistline starts to expand
  5. The baby bump begins to show as a gentle rounding of the stomach
  6. The breasts may still be of normal size but they will grow in the coming weeks.

Features of the Baby

  • Length: 6 inches
  • Weight :  135 gms
  • This is a period of rapid growth for the baby.
  • Fine hair appears on the body and face
  • The skin is transparent showing the blood vessels underneath
  • Joints have formed and hard bones are developing
  • Sex organs are mature enough to disclose the sex
  • Baby sucks the thumb
  • Baby’s heart beats twice as fast as the mother
  • Baby moves around vigorously though the mother still cannot feel it
  • The baby has a neck of its own
  • The baby’s fingers have their own finger print pattern
  • The head is still large for the body.

Suggestions

  • Both the partners must give up smoking if not done already.
  • As the appetite is growing the mother needs to be more careful of what she is eating and avoid unhealthy food. It pays to be sensible and watch the weight.
  • It is a good idea to check with the doctor who may recommend iron supplements around this time. Iron supplements should be taken on a full stomach and preferably with a good source of vitamin c to increase their bioavailability.
  • Normally after the first trimester the folic acid supplements are stopped.
  • It is time to make a second visit to the antenatal clinic where there would be an ultrasound scan; a serum screening test and amniocentesis if there are any chances of the baby having any abnormality.

Question of the day

How can you be sure that the baby is normal?

The chance of the baby being abnormal is very slim as most abnormalities occur in the initial weeks and end in a miscarriage. By now the baby is fully formed and if the parents ensure a good lifestyle, which provides a safe environment for the baby, the risks can be reduced further.

To read more on Pregnancy, click on the link below,

Pregnancy

Pregnancy & Nutrition Tips

Pregnancy & Nutrition Tips

Pregnancy, the happy stage of a woman’s life can get complicated if proper care is not taken. It is important to care for both under nutrition and over nutrition as it is a physiological burden on a woman’s body.

To understand it better, let us divide the nutrients and understand the significance of each and how much and why we need them.

The various nutrients that need to be taken care of comprises of:

  1. Energy: An increased calorie intake of 300 kcal is needed to meet the growing needs of the baby, for the growth of maternal tissue and to maintain good health of the uterus. This increase in calorie need can be compensated by an additional two glasses of milk/paneer/chaach.
  2. Protein: The regular protein requirement is 1 gm per kg body weight. During pregnancy there is an increased need of 15 g for the healthy growth of the baby and the mother. Rich sources are eggs, paneer etc.
  3. Folic Acid: This is a very important nutrient during pregnancy. Deficiency of folic acid may lead  to neural tube defects in the baby . 600ug/d is the prescribed dose for the same. Rich sources are dark green  vegetables like broccoli, spinach and dried legumes.
  4. Iodine: There is an increased need of 25mg per day to prevent mental retardation, still birth and promote healthy  development of the brain of the baby. Good sources of iodine are sea vegetables, cranberries, cheese etc.
  5. Iron: Iron is needed for the formation of blood for the baby’s growth, to replace blood loss during delivery and to provide for reserves for the baby as mother’s milk lacks sufficient iron. The additional iron need can be calculated to 700 mg extra. Some good sources of iron are red meat, pork, poultry ,and dark green leafy vegetables.
  6. Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron and hence with increased iron intake there needs to be an increased consumption of vitamin C. 10 mg extra needs to be consumed. Good sources of vitamin C are dark green leafy vegetables , kiwi, oranges, amla (gooseberry)etc.
  7. Calcium: Calcium needs can be calculated to about 1300 mg per day for a woman less than 19 years of age and 1000 mg per day for an adult woman. The normal calcium needs for a woman is around 600 mg per day. Good source of calcium is dark green leafy vegetables, soy, milk products. To put it simply, one glass of milk/fermented milk product has approx 150 calories, and milk is a complete meal in itself. If the expecting mother just adds 2 glasses of milk or paneer or chaach made from 500 ml milk,  that is sufficient to meet the additional needs during pregnancy. The only thing lacking in milk is iron which can be taken care of separately.

Right care taken during pregnancy can go a long way in preventing complications and in promoting good health for both the mother and the child.  

To read more on Pregnancy, click on the link below,

Pregnancy