Healthy Pregnancy Principles, Fitness & Guidelines
A healthy pregnancy is a time of great excitement! From the moment you find out the pregnancy test is positive until you get to hold your baby for the first time, there are many memorable and joyful moments you will get to experience. In addition to being excited, you are also going to have a lot of questions. Pregnancy is a time of great anticipation and you need to be well informed to have the safest and most enjoyable experience you can have.
For most women, the joy of pregnancy begins with a positive pregnancy test. Maybe you’ve been planning a pregnancy for some time and have struggled to conceive, or maybe conception was easy for you. Perhaps it was even a surprise. But however you came to this point, the feeling when you realize that a new person – a completely unique human being – is coming to life through you is both joyful and magical.
Unfortunately, the first few months of pregnancy can be difficult for some women. Morning sickness may occur, and you may have less energy than normal as your body is preparing to help your baby grow and develop. However, there is some joy to be had in the realization that the hormones that are causing morning sickness are helping to ensure that your baby is going to be strong and healthy.
At some point during those first few months, you’ll get to hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time. That familiar “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh,” sound is both joyful and comforting. For many couples, the pregnancy may have been largely academic up until this point. There’s something about hearing your baby’s heartbeat that makes the experience more real and more moving.
Not only will you get to hear your baby’s heartbeat, but you will also get the chance to see and “meet” your baby for the first time during your ultrasound at the doctor’s office! In fact, if you ask your doctor, you can see your baby move. perhaps even suck its thumb! These glimpses of the little person that’s growing inside of you are certainly joyful moments that you will treasure forever.
You’ll soon begin to feel your baby move. If this is your first pregnancy, you may not recognize the feeling at first. Very quickly, however, you’ll learn that these fluttering, bubbly movements you’re experiencing are your child moving.
As your pregnancy continues, you’ll enjoy preparing for your baby’s arrival. Whatever your budget, you’ll need to outfit a nursery and purchase baby clothes, a process called nesting that only builds most women’s anticipation of the impending delivery. You may also be learning about breastfeeding and preparing for childbirth. During the third trimester, you’ll continue to enjoy feeling your baby grow and move and you’ll probably have additional opportunities to see the baby on ultrasound and hear its heartbeat.
This all leads up to the final joy of pregnancy – holding your baby in your arms for the first time. Labor and delivery are hard work, yet it’s working with a purpose. A growing number of women are choosing to embrace this woman’s work without the use of surgery or medications, opting to be able to hold and nurse their baby as soon as it is born. However you choose to proceed with your delivery, we hope this website will be a very useful and helpful aid that will guide you to safe and pleasant pregnancy. Congratulations and best of luck!
Start a Healthy Pregnancy Diet before Pregnancy to Increase Fertility
Eating for two before pregnancy has many benefits. The best elements of a healthy pregnancy diet increase the health and function of the mom’s body before pregnancy begins. The increase in vitality attributed to dietary changes has been linked to an increase in fertility putting baby dreams on the fast track to becoming reality for many couples.
Is Infertility Caused by Unhealthy Fats?
Every individual should have heard by now the dangers of certain types of fats in relation to others. Yet much of the population remains entrenched in their poor eating habits because these fats come encased in the form of so many tasty treats.
More motivation is needed to make the change. Pregnancy provides just such an incentive. The following study, however, should be your motivation for change, especially for couples desiring to conceive.
In Denmark, the government placed severe restrictions on the use of trans fat in foods. The limitations are so stringent it has been eliminated from the Danish food supply. An interesting side effect of this decree has been a marked rise in childbirth.
Researchers are speculating that the ill health effects of trans fats go well beyond the cardiac system and actually place a stranglehold on fertility.
Baby-to-Be and the Thief Myth
A healthy pregnancy diet also helps the body prepare for the demands of pregnancy by getting nutrient stores well supplied before the baby begins to raid the larder. The persistent idea of a baby’s ability to steal the nutrients it needs for healthy growth and development from the mom’s body is only true if the mom’s body has enough to spare.
The body is an amazing organism, whose first priority is to self-protect. When a mom’s own nutritional needs are harmed by the baby’s needs, her body will selfishly withhold vital nutrients.
This leaves the baby out in the cold, especially if a poor diet for pre-pregnancy is followed by eating habits that in no way resemble a healthy pregnancy diet.
Eating right before pregnancy is like an insurance policy for the baby’s well-being. If a mom is too nauseated to eat a healthy balanced meal for a few days, the body is well stocked to support both mother and child through those rough times.
The First Few Weeks of Pregnancy
Setting aside possible impacts on fertility, espousing the best diet for first-trimester pregnancy before conception is a good idea. Many women are as much as 8-12 weeks pregnant before they ever even know their little bundle of joy is on the way.
This is significant because during those first few days and weeks every major body and organ system is formed. Nutrition for pregnant women and their developing babies is especially important during this critical time of brain, heart, lung, and body development.
Safeguarding a baby’s development before the positive pregnancy test announces his or her reality is only accomplished when mothers-to-be consume a diet for pre-pregnancy based on the nutritious needs of a healthy pregnancy diet.
The Basics of a Healthy Pregnancy Diet and The Right Foods To Eat When Pregnant
When you were younger and only had yourself to worry about, you may not have put a whole lot of thought into what kinds of food you ate. However, now that you are pregnant and eating for two, you really need to start paying careful attention to your food intake in order to ensure that your growing baby gets all of the nutrients that he or she needs. Knowing the foods to eat when pregnant is extremely important not only for your baby’s health but for your health as well.
One mistake many pregnant women make when considering foods to eat when pregnant is overeating during pregnancy. It’s easy to get carried away with the whole eating for two concepts, but please keep in mind that you really don’t need to eat much more than usual in order to properly nourish a tiny little baby that is growing in its mother’s womb.
As a matter of fact, most women do not need any additional calories during the first six months of their pregnancy, and then for the remaining three months they only need around an extra 200 calories a day. Eating more calories than one needs will often lead to excessive weight gain, and this can lead to a whole host of health problems for both the mother and the baby. Therefore, watching your portion sizes and your overall calorific intake is a very important part of ensuring that you are following a healthy pregnancy diet.
In addition to keeping a close eye on your calorific intake, another important part of understanding foods to eat when pregnant is eating nutritiously. While it is definitely okay for pregnant moms to have a treat or two on occasions, it really is best for both mom and baby’s health to focus on eating mainly foods that are very nutritious such as vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Also, drinking plenty of water during your pregnancy is a key contributing factor to having a healthy pregnancy diet.
Do you love coffee? If so, you may want to consider limiting your consumption as part of your foods to eat when pregnant plan. The reason for this is that high amounts of caffeine during pregnancy can sometimes cause your baby to have a low birth weight. Furthermore, excessive amounts of caffeine have been linked to miscarriage.
Another important aspect of a good pregnancy diet is that you should never skip meals. This is true for a variety of reasons. Mainly though, you should refrain from skipping meals during pregnancy because although there may be times when you are not hungry, your baby most likely is hungry. Therefore, as part of a healthy pregnancy diet, you should try and eat a little something approximately every four hours or so in order to ensure that your baby will receive a steady stream of nutrients.
Also, if you were already overweight when you became pregnant, you may be tempted to go on a diet. However, I would strongly discourage you from doing so as severely restricting your calorific intake may prevent your baby from being able to develop properly.
There are certain foods and beverages that women should avoid during pregnancy. These include but are not necessarily limited to all alcoholic beverages, liver, raw seafood, undercooked meat, and eggs.
Love Your Baby: Follow The Healthy Pregnancy Diet
Pregnancy is a very sensitive period in every woman’s life. This is because she has to take care of herself and the baby inside her. Because the baby takes the nutrients it needs from the mother, it is important for the pregnant woman to ensure that she eats right for her health and her baby’s as well. That’s why a healthy pregnancy diet is recommended for every pregnant woman.
You shouldn’t worry that your diet will be changed drastically because you are now required to adopt a healthy pregnancy diet. In fact, the foods are not that different, they are only healthier. So, if you are adopting a poor diet, it’s time that you make some changes for the better. Specifically, pregnant women should follow a balanced diet where all the food groups are represented well.
The first thing that you should remember is that the healthy pregnancy diet suggests a maximum of 4 servings of dairy products daily because of these offer vitamin D and calcium. Cheese, low fat or skim milk, and yogurt belong to dairy and you can opt for soy options if you have issues with dairy products. Aside from dairy products, another recommendation is protein, which should be two servings every day.
Sources of protein range from beef, chicken, lamb, fish, and seafood to pork. But, because you are pregnant, you need to be choosy especially when you eat seafood as some contain mercury, which is bad for the baby.
For pregnant women who love vegetables, the healthy pregnancy diet recommends one to two servings of fresh green leafy vegetables, including cabbage, spinach, lettuce, mustard greens, and collard greens. Whole grains are also part of this healthy diet and 5 servings are advised for pregnant women because these provide minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Most women would prefer whole wheat bread, but they have to check whether they are eating bread tagged with “100% whole wheat” because some are only enriched wheat and these are not whole grain.
Fruits are present in every diet plan and the healthy pregnancy diet plan is no exception. These are rich in vitamin C, which is needed by our body. Some of the recommended fruits are grapefruit, orange, and tomato. Two eggs are also suggested to be part of your diet daily because these contain protein, minerals and vitamins.
If you think that caffeine will be banned if you are pregnant, then you should not worry too much because you can consume a healthy amount of coffee, soda, and tea even if you follow a healthy pregnancy diet. Experts and physicians recommend the daily intake of 6-8 ounces of these beverages on a daily basis. You can also opt to drink decaffeinated coffee if you crave more. Of course, let’s not forget water and its important role in keeping us hydrated all day long.
When the craving for sweets tend to overpower you, just always remember that you’re doing this not for yourself alone, but for the baby. And you don’t want to compromise the baby’s health, I’m sure so you need to exercise restraint.
Healthy Pregnancy Diet Tips to Achieve Pre-Baby Weight
Here are some really great healthy pregnancy diet tips to get you back to pre-baby weight in less than 6 weeks.
• Discover What is Causing Your Pregnancy Food Cravings – Learn what brings about pregnancy cravings. Pregnancy food cravings are your body telling you about a nutrient deficiency. So, the worst thing to do is to give in to this indulgence and grab that junk food. Rather, go for a healthy alternative.
• If it is pre-packaged then you should not put that into your body or your baby’s body. All these packaged foods contain tons of chemicals that can potentially harm your unborn child.
• Eat foods with enough Omega 3. Women’s bodies do not naturally produce Omega 3 and it’s vital for your child even after birth. Research has proven that babies that have higher levels of Omega 3′s in their systems tested higher brain activity than those babies without.
• Eat foods with enough iron. Iron is what carries oxygen through your blood. It also is vital to help your baby build his red blood cells.
• Stay away from refined sugars. And of course, stay away from all of the substitutes. All refined sugars and sugar substitutes are made with lots of chemicals and are all linked to many diseases. This healthy pregnancy diet tip will help to keep your blood sugars normal to fight off gestational diabetes.
• Exercise while pregnant. This is a very important healthy pregnancy diet tip. Get in 3 to 4 days of moderate-intensity workouts through your term. This helps to control your hormone levels and relieve stress.
• Get rid of your stress. Research has proven that stressing out while you are pregnant can cause many bad and long-term effects on your child. Control this with exercise, meditation, and do anything that brings a smile to your face.
• Get a good night’s sleep. I mean at least 8 hours every night. Pregnancy can cause insomnia, but regular exercise can make you sleep better at night.
These healthy pregnancy diet tips will help you to be more healthy during your pregnancy.
Essential Foods To Eat When Pregnant
If there is one time in your life to make sure that you are making healthy food choices and eating the right foods in the right amounts, it is when you are pregnant. With all the hype out there on what you should and shouldn’t eat it can be hard to figure out what a healthy pregnancy diet is and what are the proper foods to eat when pregnant. Here we are going to offer a few basics about proper pregnancy nutrition.
A healthy pregnancy diet is essential for the development of your growing baby. This type of diet ensures normal fetal growth and development, healthy uterine functions, healthy placenta, and amniotic fluid. On the other hand, a poor pregnancy diet increases the possibilities of mortality, miscarriage, low birth weight, and a wide range of developmental disorders.
First, let’s get rid of the idea that “diet” means a restriction or to lose weight. Medically speaking, the word “diet” simply refers to the foods you eat on a daily basis. In terms of pregnancy nutrition it means that within your list of foods to eat when pregnant, you are going to need to make sure that you are getting enough high-quality proteins and dairy, grains and nuts (that have been soaked), fruits and veggies (organic if possible, fresh a definite), bone broths, high-quality fat (good fats such as omega 3), filtered water, fish oils, and Lacto-fermented foods.
These types of foods will help ensure that your baby is getting all the nutrients he or she needs. These nutrients include iron, calcium, zinc, B vitamins, copper, magnesium, vitamins A, C, and D, folate, and cholesterol to name a few. Also, you should be taking prenatal vitamins which will help give an extra boost to the nutrients you are consuming with a healthy pregnancy diet. These vitamins and minerals help with brain development, eye, heart, lung, bone, and all other organ and tissue development of the baby.
Eating this way will help you gain a healthy amount of weight for your baby and will mean having less to lose after giving birth. Weight gain is an important part of pregnancy and is a natural necessary occurrence. The pregnant mother’s body gains weight not only because of the baby’s weight but also due to the increased volume of blood, fat storage, increase in muscle size, and an increase in the size of the breasts as they prepare for milk production. However, the weight gain should be slow and steady with an average pregnancy weight gain ranging from 22 to 32 pounds.
Make sure that you are giving your baby a healthy start by staying on top of a healthy pregnancy diet and knowing the foods to eat when pregnant. Right now is the most important time of life for you and your baby. Take the time to learn the facts about proper pregnancy nutrition and do your best to follow the recommended guidelines.
High Protein Diet vs Vegetarian Diet
A healthy pregnancy diet and a healthy mother go hand in hand. Eating well is always important whether you are expecting or not. During pregnancy, however, proper nutrition is especially important for expectant mothers because pregnancy is such a delicate time. What is put into the body has a profoundly greater impact since it affects two lives.
Yet eating during pregnancy can be a controversial topic. Experts differ on what should be eaten, in what amounts, and how often throughout the day and night. The bottom line is a poor diet during pregnancy can lead to unwanted consequences for both mother and child.
It is therefore vitally important that the mother sifts through all the shifting views and opinions to find out what is really right for her.
Controversial Diet #1
Some experts claim veganism or at least vegetarianism is the very best way to fuel the human body. Does a vegetarian diet and pregnancy really mix? The answer is yes, with a few provisions.
Proteins are critical to sustaining health at any time, but as part of a healthy pregnancy diet, proteins bear an even greater role. Experts recommend anywhere from 50 to 60 grams of protein consumption per day to maintain a healthy pregnancy, some experts claim even more is needed. Vegetarian diets and pregnancy may have difficulty hitting this high number if special care is not taken to add appropriate protein sources.
Controversial Diet #2
It may sound funny but a high protein diet during pregnancy is just as controversial as a vegetarian diet during pregnancy, but for the opposite reason. A poor diet during pregnancy is any diet that does not adequately fulfill the nutritious needs of mother and baby.
Vegetarians tend to excel at vitamin and mineral consumption but may lack important nutrients from amino acids. On the other hand, a high protein diet pregnancy may hit surplus numbers for amino acids and other nutrients found in protein but be woefully lacking in other essential nutrients.
In the end, what is needed is a meeting in the middle. The body communicates its needs. During pregnancy, a lack of certain nutrients will manifest in cravings, fatigue, moodiness, and a general lack of energy. Selecting foods from all the food groups will eliminate these symptoms.
Nutrients of a Healthy Pregnancy Diet
Pregnancy in general is an uncomplicated process and results in the birth of a normal and healthy baby if the pregnant women take a proper and healthy diet. During the pregnancy period, the woman needs extra calories and nutrients to support the growth of her child. Therefore, it is important to know what a healthy pregnancy diet is and what should it contain.
In the same manner, a healthy pregnancy diet has several components or ingredients that a pregnant mother should take note of in order to ensure her baby’s proper growth. Some of these components, like vitamins and minerals, would provide the necessary nutrients for the development of the baby’s bodily systems and organs, such as the brain, spine, bones, and nervous system.
One of the healthy pregnancy diet tips that you will get from dietitians and doctors is the increase of your daily caloric intake by 100 calories for the first three months of your pregnancy and by 300 calories for the rest of the months until you give birth. This does not mean however that you should go crazy with what you eat during this time. You should add healthy calories to your caloric increase and not those high fats, high sugar foods that you feel you can get away with eating due to your pregnancy.
Eating this way will help you gain a healthy amount of weight for your baby and will mean having less to lose after giving birth. Weight gain is an important part of pregnancy and is a natural necessary occurrence. The pregnant mother’s body gains weight not only because of the baby’s weight but also due to the increased volume of blood, fat storage, increase in muscle size, and an increase in the size of the breasts as they prepare for milk production.
The first step is knowing how much to eat each day to achieve a balanced diet in pregnancy. There is a great misconception that foils many women’s attempts to eat a healthy diet during pregnancy. This myth is the thought that being pregnant means the consumption of enough calories to sustain two grown individuals or in other words, eating for two.
These types of foods will help ensure that your baby is getting all the nutrients he or she needs. These nutrients include calcium, iron, zinc, B vitamins, copper, magnesium, vitamins A, C, and D, folate, and cholesterol to name a few. Also, you should be taking prenatal vitamins which will help give an extra boost to the nutrients you are consuming with a healthy pregnancy diet. These vitamins and minerals help with brain development, eye, heart, lung, bone, and all other organ and tissue development of the baby.
Listen to your body but don’t enable it. If you crave salt, sugars, or fatty foods, feed your body what it needs. This does not mean potato chips or chocolate cake all slathered in butter. A healthy diet during pregnancy will minimize cravings because your body will get the sugars, salts, and fats needed from nutritious sources of fruit, whole grains, and meats.
The Ideal Pregnancy Diet Plan
What is the Ideal Pregnancy Diet Plan?
This certainly is a very important issue for every woman who is expecting or attempting to become pregnant. It is very necessary because the mother is entirely accountable for feeding their developing baby boy or girl and maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
The ideal diet plan is one that will provide all the nutritional requirements necessary to promote the very best fetal growth, while also providing for the new mom’s body its required vitamins and minerals. The right diet plan is definitely the one that will suppress food urges and minimize a harmful increase in unwanted weight, that may put both you and the unborn baby in danger of several health problems.
The right kind of diet will include premium protein meats, eggs, and dairy items such as cheese, milk, and butter, all from grass-fed sources. Additionally, the diet will consist of organically produced vegetables and fruits, grains, nuts, high potency fish oil, and filtered water.
Food items to Eliminate Throughout Pregnancy
*Processed foods, which consist of the typical suspects: fried foods, margarine, soft drinks, and sweets, everything prepared with white flour such as white bread, crackers, cereal products, cookies, snacks, and the majority of processed food items. They consist of synthetic vitamin A, which may be toxic, and should be eliminated during your pregnancy.
*Caffeine, at this time, the recommendation on caffeine consumption throughout maternity is to take it in moderation which means below 300mg. Caffeine affects your central nervous system, lowers iron absorption, boosts your heartbeat, reduces the calcium in your system, dehydrates you, raises your blood pressure levels and has a diuretic impact and goes through the placenta into your unborn baby, causing your baby the identical negative effects.
*Alcohol, I am certain it is in no way a huge surprise to anyone to keep away from alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol adversely impacts the forming baby. I hope that is clear enough!
*Trans Fats, hinder the conversion process of fatty acids necessary for your baby’s brain development and it also reduces the amount of good fat in the mother’s breast milk.
*Artificial additives, such as MSG, are neurotoxins that are harmful to the central nervous system. The research discovered brain lesions in forming embryos linked with MSG consumption.
And lastly, while you need to eat right for the sake of yourself and the baby, don’t forget to take the time to exercise your changing body as well.
The other half of the blueprint for a well-informed pre-natal program is a strength workout and cardio exercise. This is one thing expecting mothers frequently overlook or stay away from for the duration of pregnancy.
In reality, while aerobic exercise is excellent for your cardiovascular system, it is strength workouts that will ready you for the physical requirements of being a mother. Furthermore, it is strength exercises that can have a greater factor in developing your pre-pregnancy physique to return back to you, or even looking better than you were before the pregnancy! Therefore you need to learn how to eat well and exercise to have a healthy pregnancy for yourself and your baby.
How to Eat Properly for a Fit Pregnancy and Healthy Baby
To ensure a healthy pregnancy, you need an exceptional diet that can sustain both you and your precious cargo for your nine months please continue reading for good suggestions.
Finding a great diet for a healthy pregnancy
There is no secret required and do not think that you must prepare food separately for yourself then for all your family members. You can still eat from the family pot!
Making a small number of changes to your food preparation techniques is the initial step towards guaranteeing a healthy pregnancy diet plan which means you don’t get worried about eating appropriately to support both baby’s growth and your development. Follow suggestions such as cooking low-sodium/low-fat meals and include some healthy, creative ideas in your kitchen. This can be done so forget crazy notions like finding a dietitian.
Your diet for a healthy pregnancy
This is simpler than you think. Make sure to have your daily consumption of the following nutrition, keeping away from over-eating and enjoying proper portions. Excess pounds can bring health risks to both mommy and baby like diabetes and high blood pressure, so be vigilant.
Determine what your advised weight is for the trimesters within your pregnant state and remain within your margin, following your suggested pregnancy diet. With care and healthful eating, you won’t be vulnerable to being overweight and the tough struggle it brings.
Therefore, portion control and a smart eating routine are key e.g. avoiding eating shortly before bedtime, and not bypassing meals, coupled with other practical pregnancy guidelines available.
Sensible diet regime for a healthful pregnancy
Be sure to have one adequate helping of each nutrient listed below, and eat 300 extra calories to your normal daily consumption:
protein: meat, fish, poultry, beans
carbs: rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, cereals, fruits, veggies
calcium: dairy/milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon/sardines, spinach
iron: red meat (lean), whole grains, cereals, spinach
vitamins:(A, C, D, B6, B12): natural foods plus supplements
folic acid: green-leafy vegetables, dark-yellow fruits & veggies, nuts, peas, beans
fat: meat, dairy, peanut butter, nuts, avocado
You will be on the right path to good pregnancy wellness with a healthy pregnancy diet including a nutritious mixture of these essential nutrients and vitamins.
Additional important healthy pregnancy issues
Follow a good exercise regime. Moderate exercises are crucial. You don’t need to join a health club or get a trainer. You will be okay with short, brisk walks daily or with careful home physical exercises, avoiding any strain.
Do not overlook some other issues to be addressed like dressing cool and drinking enough so that you’re well hydrated, steering clear of alcohol and allergy-prone food items, healthy snacking, nausea and vomiting, heartburn and gas, snacking smartly, food cravings, nutritional drinks/supplements, harmful food items like raw eggs, okay over-the-counter medications and also natural treatments for common conditions.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the various aspects of pregnancy to wrap your mind around. There are plenty of guides available at your neighborhood book shop or online which can give you all the details of a diet for a healthy pregnancy and exercise program which will specifically outline the foods you ought to eat as well as the exercises which are safe to help you have a fit pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Healthy Pregnancy Basic Principles
How to Ensure a Healthy Pregnancy
Giving birth will no doubt be one of the most magical moments of your life and to ensure that your child is strong and happy, it is important you do all you can to have a healthy pregnancy. To help you and your baby on your way, this article has compiled a number of tips that are guaranteed to make those nine pregnancy months the best they can be!
The first thing you must do when you find you are pregnant is to visit an obstetrician/gynecologist (OBGYN). They will give you an ultrasound to see how far along you are and whether your pregnancy appears to be normal. This stage is crucial and it is important not to leave this too late.
After this, you must begin to change your lifestyle. Remember, you are no longer eating and exercising for yourself but for two! Firstly, if you are a smoker or a drinker, you must quit. Cigarette smoke can lead to low birth weight in babies as well as miscarriages and tubal pregnancies so try to avoid secondhand smoke as it is not conducive to a healthy pregnancy. The same can be said for alcohol and other toxic chemicals and substances such as paint fumes. These items are both damaging to the mother and to the pregnancy.
Another part of changing your lifestyle is your diet during pregnancy. Make sure to drink plenty of water, about 6 to 8 glasses a day. It is not healthy to be overweight or underweight during a pregnancy but do remember that you shouldn’t diet during pregnancy. Pregnancy is not a time to be worrying about your weight! Don’t skip meals as you and your baby need as much nutrition and calories as possible, although not the fattening kind so make sure you get a balance. Junk food is great to satisfy those crazy pregnancy cravings, but try not to go overboard!
If you are worried about weight gain during pregnancy, a great alternative to dieting is light exercise. You may not have loved it before your pregnancy, but learn to love it now as it will definitely pay off in the long run by keeping your baby healthy and your body fit. Light exercises will not harm your pregnancy so try swimming, yoga, and walking.
An additional healthy pregnancy tip that those with busy schedules tend to forget is the importance of sleep. Make sure to get plenty of rest so that you and your baby can recuperate and to ensure that your immune system is as strong as possible. It is advised that you rest on your side to reduce swelling and generate the best circulation to your baby.
To recap: avoid damaging substances such as nicotine and alcohol, don’t diet during pregnancy, drink plenty of water, practice as much exercise as safely possible, and get plenty of sleep! Following these pregnancy tips will make certain that you have a healthy pregnancy and a happy and fit child.
Fitness During Pregnancy – How Important Is It For Maintaining A Healthy Pregnancy Weight?
Just found out that you’re pregnant. Congratulations!
With your pregnancy, of course, will come some weight gain, necessary both for your own health and the health of your baby. However, during your pregnancy, you need to maintain a healthy pregnancy weight, and that can sometimes be difficult to do.
There is a way though, to maintain a healthy pregnancy weight if you follow a well-structured exercise routine. You need to keep your core muscles strong among other things so that they’ll “bounce right back” after the delivery. In fact, maintaining fitness during pregnancy can actually make your labor easier.
Just how do you maintain a healthy pregnancy weight?
As their body grows during pregnancy, many pregnant women simply feel unattractive and “fat” so they just let themselves go. In short, you need to take care of yourself by maintaining fitness during pregnancy and so many moms-to-be simply don’t. It’s true that pregnancy can make you feel nauseous, can make you feel out of place in your own body, and suddenly full of aches, pains, hormone swings, feelings, and lots of things perhaps that you weren’t expecting.
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight when you’re feeling this way can be difficult because… “it’ll just make me feel better” to sit down and eat an entire box of chocolates, right?
That may be a good justification on the surface, but what’s really true is that if you eat healthy food it can actually make you feel better so that you don’t have as many hormone swings, aches, pains, and nausea.
Best of all, maintaining fitness during pregnancy combined with eating a healthy diet of the right foods will keep your body in top shape so that you can have a much more enjoyable pregnancy overall, easier labor, and enough energy to be the mom you want to be once your new baby arrives.
Cravings are often blamed for gaining excess weight but are they the real culprit? What does cause cravings and how can you take care of them while maintaining fitness during pregnancy (There are special considerations relating to exercise when you’re pregnant, most pregnant women should be able to exercise to maintain a healthy weight providing of course that you have the approval of your doctor or your family’s health care provider).
While there are some cravings that are GOOD and do tell you what you are lacking in your diet. Others are a sign of overindulgence or a poor diet. For instance, if you’re craving foods with a lot of sodium, it’s probably a sign that you are eating too many foods that are high in sugar.
Understanding your cravings can make maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight much easier.
If you maintain fitness during pregnancy which will definitely help you maintain a healthy pregnancy weight it will also help keep you feeling sexy.
And best of all, you’ll fit back into your old clothes in no time, or need to buy sexy new ones! Just watch the little extra baby weight you do have simply “melt away” in the first weeks after pregnancy.
Weight Gain and Healthy Pregnancy
Are you pregnant? Take precautionary measures to make sure you will have a healthy pregnancy. It is beneficial to know what to do during your pregnancy week by week and stay healthy while you are pregnant; get regular exercise, a healthy diet, proper vitamin supplementation, and manage stress during pregnancy.
What To Do During Pregnancy
It is very helpful to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle once you know that you are pregnant. Here are some tips to guide you on what to do during your pregnancy for the safety of your baby.
1. Cigarette smoking has been related to low birth weight, premature birth, and other pregnancy problems. If you smoke, stop or quit immediately.
2. Take regular exercise, or begin with less strenuous activities. This can be done by simple walking and swimming.
3. If you drink alcohol, limit your intake or cease drinking during the whole pregnancy.
4. Take prenatal vitamins such as iron and folic acid. You can get them over the counter or get a prescription from your doctor.
5. Have a regular prenatal check-up with your physician. The doctor can suggest any tests that are necessary for you and your baby’s health. He will also assist you in planning your care and delivery choices.
Pregnancy and Weight Gain
In most cases, it is not ideal to have a weight loss plan during pregnancy. However, if gaining more weight than recommended during the beginning of the pregnancy, consult your health care provider. Eating a healthy, balanced diet and gaining a correct amount of weight during pregnancy is a good sign because your baby is getting all the nutrients he or she needs and is growing at a healthy rate.
Too much weight gain is dangerous especially in the second trimester, to be more specific, on the 20th week of pregnancy. And the earlier such complications happen, the more difficult confinement a woman will have. It is recommended you take care of their weight and take arterial pressure on both hands and urine tests. Monitoring blood pressure is also important. If symptoms like edemas, high blood pressure, and the presence of albumin are present, you should go immediately to a hospital.
Normal Pregnancy Weight Gain Week By Week
Normal Weight
If your weight before pregnancy was in a healthy state like BMI of 18.5 to 24.9, 0.5-2 kilos in the first trimester and about 0.4 kilos every week for the rest of pregnancy. A total of gain weight between 10 and 20 kilos is normal.
Overweight
If your weight prior to your pregnancy is overweight for your height like a BMI of 25 to 30, a weight gain of 7 to 10 kilos is more ideal. However, if you were obese with a BMI of 30 or higher, the gain weight should be between 5 to 8 kilos.
Underweight
If your weight before pregnancy is underweight for your height like a BMI below 18.5, the healthy weight gain for you is between 12 to 18 kilos.
For twin pregnancy, the ideal weight gain should be 17 to 25 kilos if you had a healthy weight before pregnancy. If you were overweight before pregnancy, it’s 14 to 23 kilos and 12 to 20 kilos if you were obese.
Guidelines for Healthy Pregnancy
The nine-month tenure of Pregnancy is the most vital period for both the Mother and the Child (present in the womb of the mother). Thus to attain a healthy Pregnancy, here is useful information to overcome the obstacles that the pregnant lady may have to face during this period.
Mostly the pregnant lady doesn’t have the proper information regarding diet during pregnancy. Thus, in this regard, we are explaining certain Healthy tips for pregnancy care (month-wise) which will guide them in maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
* During the First, Second, and Third Month – Most women experience Nausea and Vomiting and thus cannot take proper diet.
During this period one should consume a sweet, light, and liquid diet. Such a diet prevents dehydration which may cause due to excessive vomiting and provides nourishment too. Also One can consume rice cooked with milk, milk with honey, fresh fruits, and green leafy vegetables.
* During Fourth and Fifth Month – In this period the muscular tissue of the fetus grows and so it requires more proteins.
Again in this period, one should contain a Protein rich diet and edible food like spinach, cabbage, sprouts, white butter (extract from milk), broccoli, fresh cheese, eggs, all kinds of nuts, banana, papaya, carrot, soybean, rice with milk. vegetable soup etc.
* Sixth Month – By the end of the second trimester most woman suffers from edema of the feet and complication related to water accumulation in the body.
Continue with the protein-rich diet as suggested above. Along with this one can consume sweetened yogurt during this period.
* Seventh Month – During this period the women need more food and herbs.
Continue with the protein-rich diet and foods like cereals, lentils, tofu, peas, fresh cheese, soya, sugar, and rice.
* Eighth Month – During the eighth month most women experience constipation.
So, the Use of dried Grapes is beneficial at this time.
A thin porridge (usually oatmeal or cornmeal) prepared with milk and some amount of clarified butter may be used along with the diet suggested for the seventh month.
* Ninth Month – Again during this period diet is very important.
During this period continue with the diet suggested for the seventh and eighth months. Different varieties of cereals should be consumed. Regular use of soups is advised.
Eating Healthy During Your Pregnancy as a Vegetarian
If you’re a vegetarian, you may be wondering if you’ll have to change your diet significantly in order to have a healthy pregnancy. While you certainly can change your diet if you feel the need, it’s very possible to have a healthy pregnancy while eating a vegetarian diet, especially if you’re an Ovo-Lacto vegetarian.
Many of the most important parts of a healthy diet are already part of a vegetarian diet. For example, you’ll need about five servings of whole grains every day. Not only do these foods provide you with fiber and important vitamins and minerals, but they’re an important energy source. Choose whole wheat bread, oats, brown rice, wheat berries, and even corn. Soaked or sprouted grains will ensure that you can more easily digest the nutrients these products provide.
The one area of your diet where you may need to make some changes in your intake of protein. Adequate protein is crucial when you’re pregnant and you have many options for getting the protein your body needs. There’s a protein in milk and eggs, nuts, beans, and legumes.
Small quantities of soy products are fine but avoid consuming large amounts of soy, as there are no reliable studies on the effects of consuming a large amount of soy on a developing baby. Those that do exist suggest that large quantities may be harmful. During your pregnancy, avoid meat substitutes like “veggie burgers” which are often made from soy.
You’ll need about six ounces of protein every day, or about 70 to 80 grams of protein. You can count the protein in all foods you consume toward this requirement, including the protein in dairy products. If you’re familiar with a vegetarian diet, you’re already aware that plant proteins need to be combined to form complete proteins. You probably already do this as a part of your diet – if not, just eating a wide variety of foods will help you to accomplish this.
For example, consider adding the nutritional powerhouse grain quinoa to your diet. Not only is it an excellent whole grain, but it’s also a complete protein in and of itself.
For another source of protein, look to eggs. Not only do eggs provide protein that’s easy for your body to absorb, but they also provide a number of additional vitamins and minerals – including iron – that are easy for your body to absorb. If you don’t usually eat eggs, consider adding them to your diet during pregnancy. For maximum nutrition, consume whole eggs and not just egg whites.
You’ll also need to take in four servings of dairy each day. You can choose from milk, yogurt, cheese, or even goat milk products. Cottage cheese is not only a good dairy choice but packs additional protein as well. Again, avoid soy dairy products in large quantities because of their unknown effects on developing babies.
Try to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables each day, and include vitamin C-rich foods, like oranges and tomatoes. Interestingly enough, eating a fruit that contains vitamin C with your eggs will help you absorb the iron more effectively. Include a deep yellow or orange fruit or vegetable each day, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, or pumpkin, as these are all good sources of beta carotene.
Finally, you always need healthy fats in your diet, but they become especially important during pregnancy. Choose healthy sources of fat like olive oil, nuts and nut oils, and avocados. Coconut oil is also a good choice. Whatever source you prefer, avoid trans fats and fats that have to be chemically derived, like corn oil and most vegetable oils and shortenings.
Know Your Pregnancy Week By Week
Wouldn’t it be exciting to know what’s happening inside your body during pregnancy week by week? Read this and become a better-informed mom-to-be.
Your Pregnancy Week By Week
Week 1-4
The first week begins with the day of your last period. During the fourth week, the egg has been fertilized and a new life has begun inside you!
Week 5-8
This is the time when a pregnancy test usually turns out to be accurate. In the sixth week, your baby’s heart will start beating! During the seventh week, you may experience morning sickness. By the eighth week, your fetus will have tiny arms and legs!
Week 9-12
During these weeks, your belly will grow larger to accommodate the rapidly growing fetus. There will be a lot of changes in your body. Your baby will start moving inside you, though you won’t feel it yet. By the twelfth week, the intensity of morning sickness should lessen.
Week 13-16
At this stage, it is possible to know the gender of your baby with moderate accuracy. By the fourteenth week, you can hear your baby’s heartbeat when you visit your doctor. You will also feel your baby move, as her bones start hardening.
Week 17-20
During this stage, the internal organs of your baby have begun to develop at a fast rate. The fetus gets covered with fine hair known as ‘lanugo.’ At this stage, it is possible to determine your baby’s gender accurately through an ultrasound.
Week 21-24
By this time, your baby will start learning to breathe. You may feel mild contractions at this stage, as your uterus starts to prepare for the task of giving birth. By the twenty-fourth week, fat starts depositing in your baby to regulate the body temperature after she’s born. If you know your pregnancy week by week, the changes occurring to your body won’t scare you.
Week 25-28
At this stage, your uterus will get “crowded” and the movements of your baby will decrease. Now, for an interesting fact: your baby can sense darkness and light and also hear sounds from the world outside!
Week 29-32
During this stage, your baby’s head grows rapidly in proportion to the remaining body. The eyes and the brain are developed almost fully. By the thirty-second week, only the lungs are left to be developed.
Week 33-36
By this time, your baby can open and close its eyes. The fingernails have developed by now. By the thirty-sixth week, your baby weighs around 4 pounds and is 16 inches long.
Week 37-40
All the organs of your baby have developed, except the lungs, which continue to develop. Your baby is ready to enter the world!
Know your pregnancy week by week and be ready to welcome your baby. Good luck!
Getting Pregnant After 40 – 3 Top Tips for Getting Pregnant Quickly
Enjoying a Healthy Pregnancy and Having a Healthy Baby
Getting pregnant after 40 is really no different from getting pregnant in your twenties or thirties. When it comes to having babies I believe too much emphasis is placed on a woman’s age. Whether you are planning to have a baby at the age of 20, 30, or 40; I believe your health and your education with regards to pregnancy-related issues; rather than your age determines how quickly you get pregnant; whether you enjoy a healthy pregnancy and also how healthy your baby will be.
My very first pregnancy was in my twenties. Before I got pregnant I was healthy and I did not have any health issues. Unfortunately once I got pregnant I got very sick. I suffered stomach cramps and very bad morning sickness. The pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 23 weeks. I tried to get pregnant a few months after the miscarriage, but it just wasn’t happening.
After a medical investigation; I was told I was suffering from secondary infertility, fibroids, and symptoms of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). I was even more determined to have a baby. Unfortunately, I suffered two more miscarriages. I realized that if I didn’t start taking charge of my health and my fertility I would remain childless.
I read every book I could find, and every resource online about getting pregnant; preventing morning sickness; preventing miscarriages; enjoying healthy pregnancies; carrying babies full term, and delivering healthy babies. By researching, educating myself, and implementing what I learned I am very pleased to inform you I have three very healthy and beautiful children. I was over 40 years old when I had my last two children, however; I carried these two babies full term and I did not suffer any complications or morning sickness.
Preconception Medical Care
My first top tip is that you consider Preconception Medical Care. This tip isn’t just for women considering getting pregnant after 40, but for any woman considering having a baby, especially if this is your first child.
It is very true that many women all over the world have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies without any preconception care whatsoever; however, there are also many women who due to pre-existing medical conditions have become pregnant and had miscarriages or complications which could have been prevented if they had considered preconception medical care and received treatment for the pre-existing medical conditions.
Preconception medical care is a medical examination to make sure you and your partner are in optimum health and that there are no issues that could affect your chances of having a healthy baby. This will include checking to make sure you are immune to conditions; such as rubella and chicken pox which can be damaging to your baby; if contracted during pregnancy.
With preconception medical care if any member of your family or your partner’s family has any inherited disease you can find out what tests are available. Also if you have diabetes, asthma, hepatitis, or a history of cancer, preconception medical care will determine if any medication you are taking can affect your baby and if you need to change your medication.
Preconception Care Through Nutrition and also adopting a Healthy Lifestyle
The second tip to bear in mind when considering getting pregnant after 40 is Preconception Care through nutrition and also adopting a healthy lifestyle – Just as you will not plant seedlings into nutritionally depleted soil; since the plant is less likely to flourish; you are more likely to get pregnant quickly, enjoy a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby; if you and your partner are in optimum health.
This is the time to adopt a healthy lifestyle and make sure you are on a well-balanced diet if you have not already done so. It is also advisable for women to take a pre-pregnancy supplement containing folic acid; and also for men to consider a supplement containing zinc. If either you or your partner or both of you smoke; this is the time to quit.
Ovulation
My final top tip for getting pregnant after 40 is that you educate yourself about ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary). More than any other single factor, ovulation is one of the keys to getting pregnant. All things being equal most men are always fertile, however, for every menstrual cycle, women are only fertile for approximately 24 hours. 24 hours after the egg is released from the ovary, you are no longer fertile for that month and you have to wait for ovulation to take place the following month before you can get pregnant.
Thus, it is very important to find out when you ovulate. You may have heard that ovulation occurs on day 14 of your menstrual cycle. This is only true for a very small percentage of women – women who have a regular 28-day cycle. For all other women, this is not true.
I wish you the best of luck, and I hope that following a healthy pregnancy diet and gaining an understanding of the proper foods to eat when pregnant will be just the beginning of you and your baby having many more years of great health together!
You owe it to your unborn child to understand the basics of foods to eat when pregnant.
Related:
Healthy Pregnancy Information Part 1
Healthy Pregnancy Information Part 3
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Pregnancy Must Haves First Trimester