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Tag: Pregnancy & Nutrition Tips

The Eighth Month

eighth month of pregnancy

The eighth month is an exciting time indeed, as the baby is fully formed by now. Around this month, due to the increased weight, the expectant mother start feeling rather tired. It is important to calm down and get all the rest you can get. It is also a good idea to join antenatal classes.

Towards the end of this month, the mother’s weight gain may slow down, though the baby is growing rapidly.

Changes in the Mother

  • The frequency to pass urine increases. It is very common to leak a little urine when one coughs or sneezes.
  • She may face breathlessness
  • The sleep may be disturbed and that may make the mother irritable.
  • There might be a change in the shape of the navel. For some it pops out while in others it flattens.
  • There might be discomfort in the pelvic area as the joints are expanding in preparation for birth.
  • The dark line running down the stomach may become more prominent.
  • The base of the ribcage may be sore as the womb presses upwards.
  • The mother may feel more of Braxton-Hicks Contractions that can feel like strong bands tightening across your uterus, making the uterus feel hard.
  • You may also start experiencing stronger baby kicks
  • You may experience night awakening as you may experience REM sleep – a sleep state in which you dream more and awaken more easily. Also, your enlarging uterus makes it difficult to sleep.

Features of the Baby

  • Length 16 inch
  • Weight 1.6 kg
  • The baby looks almost as it will at birth and only needs to gain more weight and fat.
  • The head is proportionate to the body now
  • As there is less space in the womb, the normally turns into a head down position in preparation for birth.
  • The baby can differentiate between light and dark

Suggestions 

  • If you leak urine while coughing, sneezing etc, you will need to strengthen your pelvis. Pelvic floor exercises are very useful and you can ask your doctor or midwife to help you practice it regularly
  • Start attending antenatal classes if you haven’t as yet.
  • Put your feet up for an hour or two during the course of the day
  • If you are having sleeping difficulties, take the help of breathing and relaxation techniques.
  • Get a blood test done to check for anemia or negative blood group problems.
  • Buy basic essentials for the baby, which may include
  • A carry cot
  • A blanket
  • Bedding
  • Car seat
  • Bath tub
  • Towels
  • Nappies
  • Bottle feeding equipments
  • Vests
  • Cardigans
  • Jumpsuits
  • Night suits
  • Socks
  • Hat

Don’t over think or stress too much and try to be as relaxed as possible. Catch up on sleep as and when possible as this would become a scarce commodity once the baby comes home.

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

Pregnancy

The Third Month

the third month of pregnancy

The end of the third month signifies the closure of the first trimester and is considered the right time to announce the pregnancy as the early signs of discomfort in the mother tend to cease.

Physical Changes

  • Morning sickness, nausea and vomiting starts to ease.
  • There is a decline in the frequency of urination.
  • There can be signs of constipation because of slow bowel movements during pregnancy.
  • Hormonal changes may lead to mood swings.
  • The volume of blood circulation in the body increases, leading to increased burden on the lungs, kidneys and heart of the mother.
  • Increased heaviness and tenderness in the breasts.
  • While there will not be much change in the shape of the mother’s body, the top of the womb can be felt just above the pubic bone.

Weight Gain of the Mother

Around this time the mother expects to gain about 10 percent of the total pregnancy weight gain, which would be approximately 1.2 kg. If the expectant mother faces nausea and morning sickness, the weight gain could be much less.

Length and Weight of the Baby

The baby would have grown to about 2.5 inches now and weigh around 18 gms

Features of the Baby

  • The external ears are well developed
  • Tiny fingers and toes have formed
  • The baby looks much more human
  • The head is still large in proportion to the body
  • The limbs are small though fully formed now
  • He can suck and swallows the fluid that surrounds him
  • He can pass urine.
  • Eyelids have developed and are closed over the eyes
  • Miniature fingernails and toenails are growing.

Pregnancy Tips

  • Get into the habit of standing straight in this stage as this will prepare your body to carry the excess weight in a stable way in the later stages of pregnancy.
  • Make your first visit to the antenatal clinic where routine tests are carried out by the doctor and mid wives to check that the pregnancy is progressing normally.
  • Do inform your doctor in case you are suffering from constipation and include a lot of water and high fiber food in the diet.
  • Buy a bra that will give adequate support to the breasts.

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