There have been many articles written about the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. And there have many debates and researches that referred to this issue.
Some experts say moderate drinking during pregnancy is okay, but there are others who believe taking even one drink is like very dangerous for the baby's health.
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Caffeine and Pregnancy: How much is too much
One of the first things most of us women prepare to say goodbye to once we see those two pink lines on our pregnancy tests is caffeine. Many women will stop their caffeine habit cold turkey out of the sheer fear of doing some sort of damage to the new life growing inside of them. These women will swear off anything that has caffeine in it from coffee, and soda to even chocolate. Then there are some of us who will still drink caffeine but cut back. Instead of drinking five cups of coffee a day, we might cut back to at least one cup of coffee to get us through the day.
Our mothers and grandmothers will probably tell us that they drank the same amount of caffeine pregnant as they did when they were not pregnant and their children turned out fine. However a lot more research has been done since their time and studies are showing that too much caffeine can cause some complications such as preterm labor and/or low birth weight.
So how much caffeine is too much caffeine? Doctors are telling their patients that a moderate amount of caffeine will not harm their babies. Even though caffeine does cross the placenta, anything less than 300 milligrams a day (an 8 ounce cup of strong coffee) will not do any harm. Anything over 300 milligrams puts your baby at risk and studies have also shown that women who drink more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day during their first trimester have a slightly higher risk of a miscarriage.
Studies have also shown that women who had over 500 milligrams of caffeine a day had babies who had faster heart rates and faster breathing rates. These babies also spent more time awake in their first few days of life rather than peacefully sleeping after their long journey.
There are a number of other reasons why we women might want to cut back on the amount of caffeine we drink during pregnancy. For starters, it has no nutritional value. If there is ever a time for us to be aware of our nutritional needs it is when we are pregnant. Second, caffeine is a stimulant which will increase your heart rate and can cause insomnia and headaches which can put some stress on your growing little one. Third, caffeine can cause heartburn. If you have been pregnant before you know that heartburn can be a burden to begin with, and caffeine just makes it worse. Lastly it is a diuretic which means it can cause you to lose fluids which can put you at a risk of becoming dehydrated.
While it is not necessary for you to give up all caffeine through out the duration of your pregnancy, you should learn how to drink it in moderation or don't drink it at all. If you can not handle having only one cup of coffee a day, then you might be better off drinking no coffee at all. Stick with caffeine free sodas and even decaf coffee. Remember though that decaf coffee still contains small traces of caffeine so make sure you take that into consideration.
Our mothers and grandmothers will probably tell us that they drank the same amount of caffeine pregnant as they did when they were not pregnant and their children turned out fine. However a lot more research has been done since their time and studies are showing that too much caffeine can cause some complications such as preterm labor and/or low birth weight.
So how much caffeine is too much caffeine? Doctors are telling their patients that a moderate amount of caffeine will not harm their babies. Even though caffeine does cross the placenta, anything less than 300 milligrams a day (an 8 ounce cup of strong coffee) will not do any harm. Anything over 300 milligrams puts your baby at risk and studies have also shown that women who drink more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day during their first trimester have a slightly higher risk of a miscarriage.
Studies have also shown that women who had over 500 milligrams of caffeine a day had babies who had faster heart rates and faster breathing rates. These babies also spent more time awake in their first few days of life rather than peacefully sleeping after their long journey.
There are a number of other reasons why we women might want to cut back on the amount of caffeine we drink during pregnancy. For starters, it has no nutritional value. If there is ever a time for us to be aware of our nutritional needs it is when we are pregnant. Second, caffeine is a stimulant which will increase your heart rate and can cause insomnia and headaches which can put some stress on your growing little one. Third, caffeine can cause heartburn. If you have been pregnant before you know that heartburn can be a burden to begin with, and caffeine just makes it worse. Lastly it is a diuretic which means it can cause you to lose fluids which can put you at a risk of becoming dehydrated.
While it is not necessary for you to give up all caffeine through out the duration of your pregnancy, you should learn how to drink it in moderation or don't drink it at all. If you can not handle having only one cup of coffee a day, then you might be better off drinking no coffee at all. Stick with caffeine free sodas and even decaf coffee. Remember though that decaf coffee still contains small traces of caffeine so make sure you take that into consideration.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Dieting After Pregnancy
If you have newly been delivered of a baby, or your time is just around the corner, you might find that your thoughts are going to regaining your pre-pregnancy figure. This is all well and good, but new mothers need to be careful how they go about dieting after pregnancy.
There is more and more pressure on women these days to regain their pre-pregnancy figures and this is only fuelled more and more by stories of new celebrity mothers who manage to regain their figures within a matter of months after delivering their baby.
If you have the time, the money and the desire to do this, it is entirely feasible that you can and will lose the weight you gained in a healthy manner. However, if you do not fall into the tax bracket of any of the new celebrity mothers, you are probably going to go it alone and try to lose the weight.
This just won’t work. Just about all of these new mothers have a diet and fitness trainer to help them with their exercise routine and dieting after pregnancy. Unless you have access to that kind of professional help, you are better off using the “nine months on, nine months off” rule.
This simply means that it took you nine months to put on the weight, you should wait and gradually lose the weight over a similar nine month period of time. When you go to think about it, this is actually very reasonable considering all the demands that you will have on your time with not only a newborn infant on your hands, but also your normal routine.
This is why you need to be careful when thinking about dieting after pregnancy. For one thing you need to be as sensible about this as you were about your diet during your pregnancy, and for another thing, if you are breastfeeding your newborn, you will need strength and the proper nutrition to get you through the day.
To that end, if you talk with your doctor about a suitable diet for you, you can then begin to lose weight in a healthy and sensible manner.
Remember that dieting after pregnancy is not something to be taken lightly. You need to give it as much care and thought as you did when you were pregnant, because you now also have your baby to look after. The very last thing that you want is to fall ill through lack of a proper diet and nutrition.
Author's Sites: Herbal Remedies & Medicines ,Natural Beauty
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com
There is more and more pressure on women these days to regain their pre-pregnancy figures and this is only fuelled more and more by stories of new celebrity mothers who manage to regain their figures within a matter of months after delivering their baby.
If you have the time, the money and the desire to do this, it is entirely feasible that you can and will lose the weight you gained in a healthy manner. However, if you do not fall into the tax bracket of any of the new celebrity mothers, you are probably going to go it alone and try to lose the weight.
This just won’t work. Just about all of these new mothers have a diet and fitness trainer to help them with their exercise routine and dieting after pregnancy. Unless you have access to that kind of professional help, you are better off using the “nine months on, nine months off” rule.
This simply means that it took you nine months to put on the weight, you should wait and gradually lose the weight over a similar nine month period of time. When you go to think about it, this is actually very reasonable considering all the demands that you will have on your time with not only a newborn infant on your hands, but also your normal routine.
This is why you need to be careful when thinking about dieting after pregnancy. For one thing you need to be as sensible about this as you were about your diet during your pregnancy, and for another thing, if you are breastfeeding your newborn, you will need strength and the proper nutrition to get you through the day.
To that end, if you talk with your doctor about a suitable diet for you, you can then begin to lose weight in a healthy and sensible manner.
Remember that dieting after pregnancy is not something to be taken lightly. You need to give it as much care and thought as you did when you were pregnant, because you now also have your baby to look after. The very last thing that you want is to fall ill through lack of a proper diet and nutrition.
Author's Sites: Herbal Remedies & Medicines ,Natural Beauty
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com
Diet During Pregnancy
So you’re pregnant, and you’re practically walking on cloud nine thinking about that little bundle of joy you’re going to hold in your arms in nine months time. And except for the frequent bouts of nausea you’re getting, you’re feeling just jim-dandy. Now is the time that you need to think about your diet during pregnancy.
Unlike your carefree days when you wolf down a grease-filled burger and fries from the local diner, or when you could drink your friends under the table, you now have to think about yourself in a responsible manner.
To that end your diet during pregnancy needs to be a healthy one. You need to think about what is best for not only you, but also for your baby. Drinking is out, and so is smoking. You might also want to think about lessening the amount of coffee you consume and maybe even switch to something like an herbal tea that is suitable for pregnant women.
If that fills your head with dread, not to worry, there are other alternatives to living a coffee laden life, and your doctor will be better able to help you with that and with other food or drink substitutions you might need to make.
Your diet during pregnancy is very important and whatever suggestions that your doctor gives you should be looked into very seriously. Most of the time if you have been following a sensible eating plan, there will be very little that you need to change about your present diet.
If there is something however, like letting go of the smokes and the alcohol, you are better off following your doctor’s advice about your diet during pregnancy.
This might be the one time in your life where you feel that you are finally able to indulge yourself without feeling guilty about it – after all, you are “eating for two” – but indulge too much and you might find your weight gain spiraling through the roof instead of making a steady climb.
You will be advised by your doctor as to what a good weight gain is, and to that effect you should adjust accordingly your diet during pregnancy so that you gain weight sensibly. Otherwise you might find that after your have baby that the weight stubbornly refuses to come off, and you will have a harder time of it in the end.
This should be a time of joy for you, and your diet during pregnancy should make your life easier, not harder. The hard work will come later, when you have to stay up nights and soothe your crying baby.
Author's Sites: Herbal Remedies & Medicines ,Natural Beauty
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com
Unlike your carefree days when you wolf down a grease-filled burger and fries from the local diner, or when you could drink your friends under the table, you now have to think about yourself in a responsible manner.
To that end your diet during pregnancy needs to be a healthy one. You need to think about what is best for not only you, but also for your baby. Drinking is out, and so is smoking. You might also want to think about lessening the amount of coffee you consume and maybe even switch to something like an herbal tea that is suitable for pregnant women.
If that fills your head with dread, not to worry, there are other alternatives to living a coffee laden life, and your doctor will be better able to help you with that and with other food or drink substitutions you might need to make.
Your diet during pregnancy is very important and whatever suggestions that your doctor gives you should be looked into very seriously. Most of the time if you have been following a sensible eating plan, there will be very little that you need to change about your present diet.
If there is something however, like letting go of the smokes and the alcohol, you are better off following your doctor’s advice about your diet during pregnancy.
This might be the one time in your life where you feel that you are finally able to indulge yourself without feeling guilty about it – after all, you are “eating for two” – but indulge too much and you might find your weight gain spiraling through the roof instead of making a steady climb.
You will be advised by your doctor as to what a good weight gain is, and to that effect you should adjust accordingly your diet during pregnancy so that you gain weight sensibly. Otherwise you might find that after your have baby that the weight stubbornly refuses to come off, and you will have a harder time of it in the end.
This should be a time of joy for you, and your diet during pregnancy should make your life easier, not harder. The hard work will come later, when you have to stay up nights and soothe your crying baby.
Author's Sites: Herbal Remedies & Medicines ,Natural Beauty
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Eating Right During Your Pregnancy
You already know it is important to eat a well-balanced diet, but it is even more important when you are pregnant. Keep in mind now you are eating for two. Whatever you eat, the baby eats as well. In fact the baby actually takes your nourishments so you must eat enough for both of you. The healthier you eat the better it is for the pregnancy and you.
Never miss a meal while you are pregnant, especially breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and your baby has probably been waiting since he/she woke up in the middle of the night. You may learn that if you wait so long before eating you start to feel sick, this is your body telling you to eat. Do it!
Make sure you are getting enough of the food you need daily. It takes 4-6 servings of dairy a day for a healthy pregnancy, this can include some cheeses, milk, yogurt. This provides the baby with calcium which it’ll need to develop healthy growing bones. Adding extra calcium to your diet wouldn’t hurt you either, especially your teeth and bones.
Don’t forget about your fruit and vegetable servings. Lots of green is always a good choice, so are sweet potatoes. Not only will you be giving your body what it needs but you’ll start to have more energy. Try laying off the sweets for a week and replace them with healthier items and see how alive you feel.
Foods to Avoid
Not all foods are safe during your pregnancy, there are a few things you should avoid eating:
- unpasteurized products- brie
- Certain fish- exotic, shark, swordfish, anything high in mercury
- Raw eggs
- Undercooked meats- lunch meats. If you are buying a deli sandwich you can ask for them to eat the meat up a little.
- Caffeine- soda, chocolate. If you find this difficult you can wean yourself off, but the less caffeine in your system the better it is for the baby.
If you are ever unsure of the foods you can eat you can ask your doctor for a list of items to avoid during pregnancy. They’ll be more than happy to share this with you.
You may also learn that your stomach won’t handle certain foods that it would before. Some of those foods may include foods that contain grease, fast foods, meat, and certain foods that have a strong odor.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to cut out all the fun in your life, you can still treat yourself from time to time. Go out and get a frozen yogurt or a smoothie.
While you are making sure you get enough to eat throughout the day, that doesn’t mean neglect your fluid intake. You’ll need lots of water and juices from here on out. The baby will thank you later. Who knows, you may discover that you really enjoy eating healthier and continue it even after the pregnancy.
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com
Never miss a meal while you are pregnant, especially breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and your baby has probably been waiting since he/she woke up in the middle of the night. You may learn that if you wait so long before eating you start to feel sick, this is your body telling you to eat. Do it!
Make sure you are getting enough of the food you need daily. It takes 4-6 servings of dairy a day for a healthy pregnancy, this can include some cheeses, milk, yogurt. This provides the baby with calcium which it’ll need to develop healthy growing bones. Adding extra calcium to your diet wouldn’t hurt you either, especially your teeth and bones.
Don’t forget about your fruit and vegetable servings. Lots of green is always a good choice, so are sweet potatoes. Not only will you be giving your body what it needs but you’ll start to have more energy. Try laying off the sweets for a week and replace them with healthier items and see how alive you feel.
Foods to Avoid
Not all foods are safe during your pregnancy, there are a few things you should avoid eating:
- unpasteurized products- brie
- Certain fish- exotic, shark, swordfish, anything high in mercury
- Raw eggs
- Undercooked meats- lunch meats. If you are buying a deli sandwich you can ask for them to eat the meat up a little.
- Caffeine- soda, chocolate. If you find this difficult you can wean yourself off, but the less caffeine in your system the better it is for the baby.
If you are ever unsure of the foods you can eat you can ask your doctor for a list of items to avoid during pregnancy. They’ll be more than happy to share this with you.
You may also learn that your stomach won’t handle certain foods that it would before. Some of those foods may include foods that contain grease, fast foods, meat, and certain foods that have a strong odor.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to cut out all the fun in your life, you can still treat yourself from time to time. Go out and get a frozen yogurt or a smoothie.
While you are making sure you get enough to eat throughout the day, that doesn’t mean neglect your fluid intake. You’ll need lots of water and juices from here on out. The baby will thank you later. Who knows, you may discover that you really enjoy eating healthier and continue it even after the pregnancy.
Article Source: http://www.articleclick.com
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