Thursday, February 14, 2008

Pregnancy and Nutrition

Pregnancy and Nutrition

Many women fear gaining weight during pregnancy They fear putting on the extra pounds and developing stretch marks However other women go to the other extreme They eat whatever they want whenever they want But correct nutrition is very important for a healthy pregnancy You should only be taking in an extra 300 calories a day if you are pregnant with a singleton If you are pregnant with multiples you should be eating an extra 500600 calories a day You also should be eating nutritiously You should be eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day plenty of lean protein and primarily whole grains If you are a vegetarian or vegan you should talk with your care provider about getting enough protein and vitamins In addition you should try to cut back on white sugar junk food and fast foodsPregnant women may also want to talk to their care providers about taking a prenatal vitamin Ideally pregnant women should be taking a folic acid iron and calcium supplement before they are even pregnant
Many pregnant women do not drink enough healthy fluids It is vital for the healthy pregnancy that you drink at least eight glasses of water or healthy fluids 64 ounces a day Healthy fluids include milk and 100% fruit juice
Drinking plenty of fluids during pregnancy helps provide amniotic fluid for your baby and flush excess wastes from your body We all know the importance of quitting smoking and not drinking alcohol or taking recreational drugs during pregnancy but there are also a few other things you should avoid during pregnancy

1. Deli meats and hotdogs unless reheated until steaming
2. Raw foods
3. Nonpasteurized soft cheeses
4. Raw vegetable sprouts
5. Cleaning the litterbox
6. Gardening without gloves
7. Caffeine
8. Fish high in mercury including swordfish shark king macekel and tilefish
9. Canned tuna should only be eaten once a week

Getting early prenatal care is very important to having a healthy pregnancy Not only can your care provider catch complications before they become serious but women who get prenatal care have less risk of premature birth
Maternity Night Gowns and Robes Look for maternity night gowns and robes to get you through the third trimester of pregnancy with style and comfort As your baby belly gets larger you may tire of wearing your husbands oversize tshirts or pajama pants to bed An added bonus of many maternity gowns is that they can be used as nursing gowns too.

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