Pregnancy is one of the happiest periods in a woman’s life despite an armload of problems such as morning sickness and aches. Pregnancy is also the time when a woman gets to eat delicious foods that is rich in nutritive value because the baby in the womb needs nutrition as well. The food that pregnant women eat should be rich in certain nutrients, especially folic acid. Eating foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals is also of prime importance.

Furthermore, you should take care to eat organic food that is fresh. Fruits and vegetables of different kinds, along with nuts and dairy products should form an essential part of a pregnant woman’s diet.

Foods that a pregnant woman should avoid 

There are certain kinds of foods that a pregnant woman has to completely avoid. Foods that are rich in fats, sugars and calories are to be strictly avoided. Consumption of such foods can make the baby in the womb obese before birth and can lead to a number of problems in the future. Also, overweight babies cannot travel through the birth canal easily and in most cases, a C-section is necessary. Alcohol and tobacco are also strictly prohibited during pregnancy. You should also avoid processed foods that contain artificial color, preservatives and chemicals. Forget about your diet plan for a while. You can get back in shape after the baby is born when it is much easier to lose weight. Eat well and eat nutritious foods.

Rest 

Being pregnant is a cause of loss of a lot of energy because the same energy has to feed both mother and child. So, it is common that a pregnant woman take adequate rest so that she can overcome the constant fatigue that tends to overcome her. Resting will also help the mother overcome mood swings, which are common during pregnancy due to overactive hormones. When you rest, the baby rests with you. It needs rest to be healthy and grow well.

Exercise 

Exercise is as necessary for a pregnant woman as is rest. When you exercise, the metabolism rate in the body increases and nutrients reach the baby better. You can also burn off the excess calories that you accumulate due to the rich diet. While you are pregnant, you are required to consume an additional three hundred calories which have to come in the form of nutritious foods. Exercising will keep excessive calories away. Walking is the most recommended forms of exercise for a pregnant woman.

Pregnancy is a very special phase in a woman’s life. Pregnancy is also a stage that involves lot of changes in the body, hormonal levels, moods and weight. For most of the time, it is a very happy and euphoric feeling of carrying a baby in the womb. However, it can also be a difficult stage because of the myriad problems that a woman undergoes. One of the most common problems that most of the pregnant women undergo is morning sickness.

Although this is called morning sickness, a pregnant woman experiences nausea and vomiting any time of the day. The fact that a woman experiences such discomfort is indicative that her pregnancy is progressing well. Do not attempt to take medications to prevent morning sickness. It usually subsides in the advanced months. However, if the vomiting is too severe, you can consult a doctor.

Mood swings 

Another very common problem that most of the women experience is mood swings. Irrational feeling of irritation, joy, depression and fear are common in women. It is the doing of the hormonal activity in the body. All you require at such times is an understanding partner who can hold your hand and let you rave through your mood swing. This is no kind of emotional disorder and so, do not get worried. However, although mood swings that involve both happiness and gloom are common, you need to consult a doctor if you are constantly feeling depressed. It could be indicative of some kind of imbalance in the body.

Tender body, especially breasts 

Every pregnant woman experiences discomfort in her breasts during pregnancy. This is because breasts are also an integral part of the reproductive system of the body and they gear up for their task after the baby is born. The glands that are responsible for production of milk become active and a lot of other changes take place in the breast. Some amount of pain and discomfort is therefore, common. You can solve this problem by finding good brassieres that cushion and support breasts. You do not need to worry unless there is too much of pain and swelling in the breasts.

Anxiety 

It is common to feel anxious about the changes that are taking place in the body. Although these are the results of hormonal activity, a lot of it has to do with emotional and psychological factors. You might feel anxious about being able to provide good care for the baby and whether you can be a good mother. Do not worry. Motherly instincts kick in when the baby is born and you will do everything that a good mother should.

Furthermore, a woman’s body is subjected to severe stress and strain during pregnancy and childbirth process. Lack of attention regarding nutrition in this stage can lead to a number of undesirable repercussions. Some of the most common problems encountered by women are osteoporosis, brittle bones and loss of strength. In addition, the number of cases of cancers, especially of the breast, is on an alarming increase all over the world owing to changes in lifestyle, delayed childbirth and lack of breastfeeding.

Foods that heal, foods that don’t

Eating foods that are rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fiber is of prime importance for a woman. Food items such as dairy products, cereals, seeds, nuts, shoots, fresh fruits and vegetables should be consumed on a daily basis. Foods that contain high amounts of fats and sugars have to be avoided. Good food also helps in keeping bowel movement healthy, which is one of the best detoxification methods for the body. Avoid intake of fizzy drinks. Consumption of alcohol is twice as dangerous for women as it is for men and same is the case with tobacco. 

Regular exercise 

It is very important for women to maintain an active lifestyle that will uplift general resistance and physical strength. Women need to adopt a regime that increases flexibility in the body. Regular exercise increases resistance and improves immunity against a number of diseases. Exercise is also important in order to flush out toxins and keep the body healthy. Yoga is great for women of all ages. Further, women should take up activities such as walking in all stages of life. 

Fight stress 

According to scientific research, women are more prone to stress, anxiety and depression when compared to men. In order to be able to fight such emotional problems in addition to problems arising from hormonal changes such as irritation and mood swings, meditation is a very effective activity. It also generates energy in the body and keeps you calm. In most of the households, since it is the woman who multitasks and juggles her home and family, a calm and peaceful emotional state is of prime importance.

Women who had complications in their previous pregnancy and those who had children with birth defects should be careful and they have to be in constant touch with their doctor.

When talking of risk factors involved in pregnancy, one has to be careful in maintaining a healthy life style and also a healthy environment. A peaceful and calm atmosphere is good for a healthy pregnancy.  The first thing one has to take note is that if you are a smoker, quit for the good of your unborn babe. Smoking decreases the amount of oxygen that the babe gets and this only increases the risk of bleeding, miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight. If pregnant, you should also avoid passive smoking.

Secondly, bad habit of drinking alcohol can lead to foetal Alcohol Syndrome, reduced birth weight and behavioral abnormalities. Another factor that has to be considered during pregnancy is caffeine. Some say that caffeine is not that harmful but others say that it is dangerous. However, the Food and Drug Administration warns against the consumption of caffeine when one is pregnant. It has been seen that caffeine can affect the heart rates of the foetus. Even Decaffeinated coffee is harmful as they contain added chemicals. Well, caffeine is also known to increase the risk of stretch marks.

When you are pregnant, you should have to be very cautious when taking drugs. If you are taking drugs you should only take them under the guidance of a doctor. Drugs can have serious effect on the unborn babe and they can have adverse impact on the babe growth.

When pregnant, take extra precaution not to be exposed to chemicals like pesticides in foods. Always wash the fruits and vegetables before you take them.

When talking of the risk factors involved during pregnancy, it should also be noted that proper nutrition is also needed for the body, both for the unborn babe and the mom. Care should be taken that you get enough folic acid, the deficiency of which can cause birth defects.

Apart from this, a pregnant woman should also do some mild exercise. This helps in keeping the body and the mind peaceful and also in increasing the blood circulation. But you should not go for hard exercise as it is dangerous to you as well as your unborn babe. You can either go for walking, swimming and yoga.

When pregnant, the body may undergo many changes. You may even come across many complications, which has to be looked into immediately. Well, you should not miss your appointments and also lab tests. Always be in constant touch with your gynaecologist.

According to the recent study, 59 percent of the American babies, up to six month old, are overweight than the babies, who were born twenty years ago.

Thought the heavy babies look cute and healthier but parents should take measures to prevent obesity at the initial days of the babies’ life, warning issued by health experts. So the matter of concern is not only the infant weights but it also includes the weight of mother and her weight gain during the course of pregnancy.

“More weight gain of mother during pregnancy than the recommended has been associated with the high odds of childhood obesity.” Dr. Christine M. Olson said.

Olson followed the 208 pregnant women and found that extra weight gain, from 25 to 35 pounds, during pregnancy, increases the risk of obesity in children at the age of three.

In the women who gained weight during the early pregnancy, the forty percent of the children get obese at the age of three and just 24 percent born with the normal weight gain during pregnancy. The risk was ever highest with the women who were overweight before the conception.

“Indeed obese or overweight mothers normally have overweight neonates. Gestational diabetes is also a risk factor for the childhood obesity. Even the health of father helps to predict that either the baby should be overweight or not,” Dr. Frank R. Greer, a professor of pediatrics said.