Sunday, December 2, 2007

Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines

Pregnancy Nutrition Guidelines and Nutrition Talk

The baby in the mother’s womb must get essential nutrients for its healthy growth and development. Here are the pregnancy nutrition guidelines for a healthy pregnancy.

During pregnancy, do not ever go on a diet.

Do not drink caffeinated products like colas, tea, and coffee.

Pregnancy nutrition requires you to completely avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, or doing drugs; these can be very harmful to the unborn infant.

Do drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. This ensures that your body does not get dehydrated.

Do Eat Foods Rich in Iron

Nutrition during pregnancy requires that you to eat foods rich in iron. Iron is required to form blood in your body as well as blood cells in your baby. Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can prove fatal at times. It also prevents fatalities caused by excessive bleeding while giving birth.

Do eat foods rich in protein

You require at least 60% more protein in your diet, when you are pregnant. The protein helps the growth of the mother’s placenta, uterus and helps the baby to grow.

Do eat foods rich in calcium

Calcium is important for the bones, teeth and muscles of your baby. If the baby does not get enough calcium, it takes it from the mother’s bones to help it grow.

Do taker Vitamins

Pregnancy Nutrition Supplements are essential for the baby’s growth. Folic acid is a B vitamin. Without it, the baby can develop severe abnormalities of the spine and brain, such as neural tube defect (NTD) and spina bifida. As soon as you conceive, your doctor will prescribe you 400mcg of folic acid a day and if you have a history of NTD, then he will prescribe 500mcg. Follow these pregnancy nutrition guidelines to ensure the health of your baby.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron and other nutrients from food. Good sources of vitamin c include citrus fruits and some vegetables.

The doctor may also prescribe special pre-natal vitamins during pregnancy. It is best to take vitamins only after doctor’s recommendation. Those were some pregnancy nutrition guidelines. We wish you a pregnancy made of excellent diet and nutrition for your baby and your wellbeing.

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