Your health in pregnancy
A
healthy diet and lifestyle is very important during pregnancy and when you are
trying to get pregnant. Eating healthy can lead to great results pertaining to
your health of course, and becoming fit/well. When you become pregnant or
trying to get pregnant, you don’t need to go on a special diet. Many pregnant women
always say that they’re “eating for two” especially when they’re expecting
twins or triplets but that’s not the case. You don’t need to eat for two nor go
on a special diet but you do need to eat a variety of foods so you can get the
proper nutrients your baby need. It’s all about finding your balance and
avoiding foods that are high in fats and sugar. Health in pregnancy doesn’t only
pertain to healthy foods, it’s a list of foods to avoid, preparing food,
vegetarian, vegan, smoking, alcohol, pills, medicines and other drugs, X-rays, keeping
active, infections, work hazards and flying/traveling.
Typically,
everyone should follow the “Eat Well” plate to balance out a healthy diet such
as consuming fruits and vegetables, protein, small portions of foods and drinks
that are high in fat and/ or sugar. Foods that are high in sugars and fats are
oils, salad dressing, cream, chocolate, cake, pudding, etc. According to the pregnancy
book (2009), Eating too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol
in blood, which increase the chance of developing heart disease. Milk and dairy
products are essential to your baby needs because it contain calcium. However,
there are some foods that you should not eat when you are trying to get
pregnant because it can harm the baby. To begin with, make sure you cook eggs
fully though because it prevents the risk of salmonella food poisoning and raw
and undercooked eggs. Fish is one of the biggest questions many women have
throughout their pregnancy. Some type of fish you have to avoid such as shark,
marlin and swordfish, and limit the amount of tuna you eat. These oily fish
have a lot of mercury in it and can damage a baby nervous system. Peanuts right
along with fish was advised from the government that it should not be eaten
while pregnant if the child immediate family had any allergies towards it.
Vitamins
and minerals are essential needs while you are pregnant to prevent problems. Folic
acid is important for pregnancy as it is a B vitamin that can prevent birth
defects. Taking 400 microgram of folic acid before you’re pregnant and everyday
after you’re pregnant can help a lot. Also making sure you are eating foods
that contain folic acid, such as green vegetables, brown rice and some breakfast
cereals. Vitamin D, Iron, vitamin C, and calcium are all vitamins you should
take. Pregnant women that are vegetarian and vegan contain special diets
because they have to find other foods that are high in proteins since they don’t
eat meat. Getting proper nutrients such as iron and vitamin B12 have to be
followed up with a doctor or a dietician so they can get the proper needs for
their baby.
Smoking cigarettes is probably one of the most adverse outcomes for babies! It's dangerous to smoke during pregnancy because cigarettes contain more than 4,000 chemicals including 60 cancer causing compounds. When you smoke cigarettes, the toxins of to your blood stream which is the baby's only source of oxygen and nutrients, so not only are you getting affected by cigarettes, your baby is suffering the consequences as well. Smoking doubles the chances of your baby being born early weighing less than 5 1/2 pounds or they can die before they are born. According to Baby Center (2017) stated these babies' risk of having certain types of congenital heart defects was 20 to 70 percent higher than it was for babies who's moms didn't smoke. The defects included those that obstruct the flow of openings between the upper chambers of the heart (right ventricular outflow tract obstructions) and openings between the upper chambers of the heart (atrial septal defects). The same thing goes for women that thinks it's safe to consume alcohol. There is no know safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant because it can harm your baby by going into the placenta which affects the baby's development.
References
https://www.babycenter.com/0_how-smoking-during-pregnancy-affects-you-and-your-baby_1405720.bc
https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Pregnancy_Book_comp.pdf
