Healthy Pregnancy Tips

One of the greatest of life’s miracles is from the first signs of pregnancy, to when a baby is born. From the very beginning, at the moment of conception, the process of development and growth of the foetus until birth is a perfectly planned sequence of events that lasts approximately 40 weeks.

The following pregnancy tips and facts will highlight some of the important stages and steps of pregnancy, including diet and nutrition, from conception to birth:-

After the egg is fertilised and implanted into the uterine wall, the placenta begins to grow. The cells are then developed over the next two weeks. To make sure that the DNA is copied correctly the mother-to-be needs to have folic acid available in her system.

At week 8 the foetus has a fully developed central nervous system, a completely formed digestive system, a beating heart and the start of facial features.

At week 14 the brain and heart are fully developed.

From then on the foetus grows at a consistent rate over the next six months. In all organs the development is on-going. In the mother’s body, her blood supply is increased by 50% to supply the growing foetus with the growing amounts of nutrients and oxygen it needs.

During the last few weeks of pregnancy the demands for calcium from the foetus increase. This is taken from the skeleton of the mother. To help the balance of calcium in the system, increase calcium rich foods that are listed below.

Foods that are high in folic acid are spinach, kale, black-eyed beans, brussel sprouts, asparagus, bread and breakfast cereals. These foods ideally need to be consumed for the whole of the pregnancy or take a 400mcg tablet of Folic Acid.

If morning sickness is a problem, or any other sickness in pregnancy eating ginger in any form or drinking ginger herbal tea will help with the nausea and sickness. Homoeopathic tablets can have a positive result on morning sickness, but be sure to use a remedy that matches your symptoms best, to get the best results. If feeling heavy and full, try pulsatilla; with persistent nausea, try ipecacuanha; with empty feeling, phosphous; worse for thought of food, nux vomica. Homoeopathic remedies are totally safe during pregnancy, and it is a good reason to seek out a homoeopathist, or asking at your local health store for advice with other ailments that can be dealt with this way.

Pregnancy supplements are well worth considering, so that the foetus is receiving all the nutrients it needs, and in turn it will not be depleting the mother-to-be of all her own requirements.

New research is finding that because of the extra nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are required for the mother and baby to achieve optimal health, obtaining from diet alone can be difficult, so a pre-natal supplement is recommended. These usually contain beta carotene, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin B’s, including folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin K.

Other new research is about the pre-eclampsia risk and CO-Q10. The women who had an increased risk of pre-eclampsia were given CO-Q-10 from 20 weeks until birth, and the results showed a significant reduction in the rate of pre-eclampsia.

There is an enormous amount of evidence that reveals that just as you can successfully be healthy by eating a good nutritious diet along with daily exercise, you also have the power to give your developing child the same possibilities for good or bad health, which will impact their development in later life. It is known to be true, you are definitely what you eat, or what you eat reflects your health. This is also true for the foetus. You, the mother, are the only source of nutrients that the growing foetus has to depend upon, because if your body cannot supply the goodness that it needs, the foetus will go without.

This is why I am first going to deal with good and bad foods in the diet. Naturally a good, well balanced diet is what you would be aiming to eat all the while, but some areas of the diet will be of greater importance, now that there are other considerations for the growing baby.

    Make sure you consume five servings of the various whole grains daily, from the list of quinoa, barley, rye, bulgur, millet, whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats and brown pasta.
    Four pieces of any fruit, and four servings of vegetables daily
    Two portions of dairy products, milk, yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese daily, together with two other calcium rich foods like fish, salmon, tuna, sardines, or tofu
    Four servings of protein, but not high fat red meats, such as oily fish, poultry, nuts, nut butters, seeds, legumes and tahini.
    Make sure you eat plenty of foods containing iron, like apricots, almonds, seeds, lentils and spinach
    Drink plenty of water, preferably filtered or bottled spring water if possible

Foods to greatly cut down or cut out:-

    Fried foods
    Foods containing trans-fats or hydrogenated fats should be cut out of the diet permanently
    Tea and coffee because of the caffeine; try herb teas, fennel and peppermint good for digestion and nausea
    Alcohol is best avoided altogether, but if you do, keep it to a maximum of only once a week
    Make sure eggs are well cooked, and don’t eat cheese of a soft texture like feta, stilton and camembert

Also:-

    Avoid smoking and being in any smoky environments
    Avoid having x-rays

The herb raspberry leaf has been successfully used for the last three months of pregnancy to help ease labour by helping the uterus muscles and can be taken in the form of herbal tea

As women are naturally intended to breast feed, to give their new born the best start in life, to help milk production during lactation it is important to eat zinc rich foods. Also aniseed is known to increase milk secretion.

For the last 12 years, researchers have found that omega 3 essential fatty acids, and particularly DHA have been found to help foetal growth and brain development, as well as behaviour and learning in infants. New mums also need to take DHA, as they unfortunately tend to be deficient after giving their stores to the foetus. It can be taken in fish oil capsules, or if you are vegetarian, flax oil is good alternative, but you also need to take a zinc and B-vitamin complex to help the body make the DHA.

Some kind of exercise programme is also an important factor when you are pregnant. Take care of your back because back strain is a regular problem with having more weight to support on the front of the body. If you already do any kind of sport activity, you can generally continue as long as it feels comfortable. If you are a fan of yoga, the exercises are going to help to tone and strengthen the body as well as stretch it in readiness for the birth. You will need to modify some of the postures like the spinal twist, which can be practiced in a standing position, by crossing one foot in front and over the other, and then reversing for the opposite side, to be toned equally. If you have any problems ask a yoga teacher, who could also give you guidance to which postures may need to be changed or left out.

It is important to regularly attend anti-natal information meetings or classes. It helps if both partners can commit, has it helps to prepare for the birth together. Other natural therapies that are useful for relaxing and easing any aches or pains during pregnancy are reflexology, massage and shiatsu.

Rest and relaxation are naturally important too, and you will need to make sure you are getting plenty of sound sleep.

Do be sure to seek a naturapath or health doctor, if you want to follow a natural approach to an ultimate healthy pregnancy.

I hope you have found the pregnancy tips useful, and you really enjoy your pregnancy without too much discomfit. Soon you will be able to marvel at the start of a new-born life, and experience holding the miraculous creation that you have brought into the world. Nothing compares with it.

For information on pregnancy diets download the NH4L A Healthy Pregnancy Diet Book at the special price of £4.95 with full 100% money-back guarantee.