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Hold off on the pickles and ice cream!
Let's face it, we're told by many that once you're pregnant you can eat anything you want! Right? Wrong! Unless you want the extra chore of losing all that weight later on. No thanks!! Not to mention there are so many benefits to the BABY if mom eats healthy. Eating the right things during pregnancy isn't that hard. A pregnant woman really only needs to add about 300 extra calories to her diet. The diet should consist of carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins/minerals, whole grains and of course lots of water. Calcium is very important. Some people don't like to drink milk. Rest assure there are other ways to get in lots of calcium. Cheese (cheese sticks are a good snack), yogurt, cottage cheese and pudding are good sources. Lean meats, fish and poultry are good sources of protein and iron. Just be sure to watch the types of fish. Certain fish should not be consumed during pregnancy. (Click here for a list: www.babycenter.com/406_is-it-safe-to-eat-fish-and-other-seafood-when-im-pregnant_1380503.bc ) Whole grains is very important as well. There's a lot of nutrition packed in whole grains so eat away! Another key point for whole grains is it keeps the digestive track working well which will be a big help during pregnancy.
Don't obsess over weight gain!
Weight gain is debatable. Most Doctor's say the "safe amount" is 25 pounds. Take that with a grain of salt. It's perfectly OK to gain a little more than that. More realistic weight gain is anywhere from 20-40 pounds. Each woman's body is different so it may be normal and healthy for one woman to gain 40 pounds based on her body type than someone else. Exercising during pregnancy is important. Studies show that women who exercise have more comfortable pregnancies AND it also helps shorten the 2nd stage of labor. Before starting any exercise program, moms need to check with their OB (or Midwife) to make sure it's safe. For the most part it is, however exercise shouldn't be too over done. Many pregnant women are able to work out from the beginning of pregnancy to the very end and it makes a world of difference! For more information and to find safe pregnancy workouts, click on this link: www.thehealthybelly.com/exercise_and_pregnancy.php . The main thing here is don't obsess over what the scale says. If you need to, tell your OB or nurse not to tell you how much you weigh when you go in for monthly checkups. Sometimes not hearing that number can give some peace of mind.
Healthy diet makes for healthy baby!
Food cravings can be a big thing and sometimes an odd combination. Some women crave healthy combinations, like water and apples. Or just salty foods.Others crave other things that are a bit off the wall and may sound disgusting to someone else! It's perfectly find to eat different things in moderation. So if a hot dog with peanut butter spread on top sounds good then by all means indulge! Just don't make it a habit. All in all balanced nutrition is important and having that salty, sweet or fatty snack occasionally is just fine. Caffeine is another one of those debatable things. Again following the moderation rule, drinking coffee or a soda, or tea is perfectly fine. Rule of thumb is 1 caffeinated beverage a day. Bottom line here is to eat good wholesome foods and lean meats and drink lots of water. Eating the right foods will make you feel better, and it's extremely beneficial to the baby. After all baby eats what you eat so make sure it's good and nutritious!
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