Nutrition
During Pregnancy & Preparing for Labour
by Samantha Thurlby-Brooks
 There
are many, many books published on healthy eating
during pregnancy. So all I shall do here is make
some suggestions and by no means give a comprehensive
account.
The little baby in your belly
does not need as much food as a grown adult, so
eating for two will only put extra weight on you
that will need to be lost after birth. It is very
healthy and normal to put some extra body weight
on during pregnancy as this will add to the food
and nutrition you'll be able to give in breast
feeding. The best thing to do is eat in moderation
and as healthily as possible. When choosing what
to eat, think to yourself "if my baby were
in my arms right now, would I expect them to eat
that and be healthy?"
Food cravings tend to be your
body's way of telling you you're not eating correctly
and you need particular nutrients. Pay attention
to these signs and adjust your diet accordingly.
For instance, craving chocolate may mean you're
iron deficient, but to eat a lot of chocolate
would not be healthy for you and baby.
Calcium is an
essential nutient needed during pregnancy. If
you're concerned about your calcium levels try
and top up naturally with broccoli and chickpeas.
Both of these are high in calcium and do not contain
phosphorus. Phosphorus is found in dairy products
and requires calcium to be digested by the body;
kind of goes against the reason you're eating
it in the first place! It has also been found
that calcium
can reduce the risk of eclampsia, so eat healthy
foods rich in calcium rather than supplements
as you don't really know what the other ingredients
in the supplements are. Try and stay away from
soy as this is one of the most genetically engineered
foods on the market. If you eat fish, then try
some salmon or sardines, both with bones.
Iron and Protein are both very important during pregnancy. Your
blood will increase in volume and thickness by
40% while you're growing your baby. This may mean
that on an iron count you look as though you are
anaemic when in fact this may not be the case.
Rather than taking iron through injections or
tablets try increasing your iron intake through
foods such as cooked
spinach (broccoli will help the iron to be
absorbed) and pumpkin seeds. There are many iron
rich foods you can eat.
Protein is essential for the
healthy development of you and your baby. If you
don't want to be eating steaks during this time,
try eating lentils (they're really yummy, especially
in curry's and soups). Lentils actually have a
higher level and quality of protein than steak,
they're cheaper and they have no health risks.
They are also a good source of iron and fibre.
Fats and Omega
Oils are hot subjects at the moment in
general nutrition and especially in pregnancy.
There are 'happy' fats and 'other' fats. Eating
fats that have been tampered with such as hydrogenated
oils (oils that are cooked at a high temperature)
will create a solid fatty layer around your cells,
rather than a fatty membrane that allows information
and nutrients through. Having solid fatty cells
will slow you down mentally and emotionally. Eating
hydrogenated oils has been linked
with causing depression and ME. Your growing
baby needs healthy cells and needs the right kinds
of fats to produce good functioning and brain
growth. Read the labels of the food you buy; you'll
be surprised how many foods will contain hydrogenated
fats.
By eating hydrogenated fats you
will also put on unnecessary weight as the hard
fatty layer around your cells will prevent good
fats from being taken up. This means fatty deposits
being left around your body. It is very good for
you to have a balance of 'good' fats such as butter
(not margarine), milk, avocado's, nuts and cheese.
Anything that claims to be 'low fat' will usually
contain hydrogenated oils and will cause you weight
gain and health problems rather than weight loss
and joy. Eating happy fats as part of a balanced
diet will help you to stay emotionally stable
as your hormones fluctuate during pregnancy and
once your baby is born.
During labour it is unlikely
that you will be hungry. So long as you're relaxing
you shouldn't need to eat anything. If you do
happen to find yourself very hungry do eat so
as to reduce your adrenalin levels (hunger releases
adrenalin). Wheat and sugar have both been linked to birthing stress according
to Dr
Gowri Motha. Wheat often makes your body bloated
and retains water, even if you don't always feel
the effects. Trying to push a baby through a puffy
cervix isn't much fun, so for the last 4 weeks
(from 36 weeks) try and stay away from wheat products
such as pasta, breads and cakes. There are many
alternatives in the supermarkets these days. Eating
brown rice is a great way to supplement pasta
and will greatly help your digestive system. Sugar
apparently lowers your pain threshold, so likewise,
from 36 weeks onwards try and stay away from sugar
such as biscuits, ready made foods, soft drinks
etc.
And one last tip... If you have
changed your diet from your normal routine during
pregnancy, try not to change it back until you
have finished breast feeding. Your breast milk
will taste different to your baby if you change
the way you eat and he/she may not recognise it.
Bon appettite! |
