Kids grow up fast and it won’t be long before that baby just beginning to take shape inside of you will be learning to drive or heading off for college. There will never be another time in their lives when they’ll be as utterly reliant on you for their health and well being as they are now and this means that it’s vitally important to make sure to take the best possible care of them and yourself.

This may also be your last chance to get your child to eat healthy foods willingly since they don’t exactly have a choice at this point. You’ll look back fondly on these days at some point in the next eighteen years when your son or daughter is refusing to eat their vegetables. While you’re pregnant, it’s entirely up to you to feed your child the right foods – and for the time being, you won’t have to bribe them with dessert!

One thing which pregnant women need to remember is that your baby will take what it needs from your diet before these nutrients become available to you. When you don’t pay attention to pregnancy nutrition, you can make trouble for yourself as well as for your baby. The next nine months are crucial to the health of your baby, so your diet is incredibly important. While many women have had healthy babies without making pregnancy nutrition a priority, you’ll want to take good care of yourself and your child by getting all of the nutrients your child needs – you’ll need them too for the energy which raising a child takes.

The problem that many women face when it comes to pregnancy nutrition is that they simply don’t understand. Why? Not because they’re stupid, or because they don’t want to do what’s best for their baby. It’s because most books on pregnancy, particularly those that deal with the ins and outs of nutrition for the next nine months, are written by medical professionals. That makes sense, right? Who better to take advice from concerning the growth and development of your baby than the doctor that’s made it their life’s work?

Most moms aren’t doctors, however, and that’s where the trouble comes in. It’s all well and good to sit down and look at a chart that shows how much of each mineral you’re supposed to take in on a daily basis over the next nine months, but if you don’t understand what you’re reading and the effect it’s going to have on your baby then it isn’t going to do you a whole lot of good. You’re going to spend a month, maybe two, looking at the labels on the back of your food. Then you’re going to get sick of it and go back to your old eating habits, reasoning that you’ve always been healthy. You’re taking your prenatal vitamins. What could go wrong?

There is an excellent healthy pregnancy  guide out called “The Fit And Healthy Pregnancy Guide” by Laura Flynn &  Michelle Ladd. To find out more information on pregnancy nutrition and to pick up your guide please check out Laura & Michelle’s site at: www.fitandhealthypregnancy.com

The first step to having a healthy baby is understanding what you are eating, how much you should eat, why you’re eating it and how it’s going to help your baby.

Below is a brief description of the different vitamins & minerals,their food sources and the benefits they will have on your baby.

1. Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps the development of baby’s bones and teeth, as well as
their heart, ears, eyes and immune system (the body system that fights infection).
Vitamin A deficiency has been associated with vision problems, which is why your
mom always told you to eat your carrots when you were a kid! Getting enough
Vitamin A during pregnancy will also help your body repair the damage caused by
childbirth.

Pregnant women should consume at least 770 micrograms (or 2565 IU, as it is labeled
on nutritional labels) of Vitamin A per day, and that number almost doubles when
nursing to 1300 micrograms (4,330 IU). Be aware, however, that overdosing on
Vitamin A can cause birth defects and liver toxicity. Your maximum intake should be
3000 mcg (10,000 IU) per day.

Vitamin A can be found in liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale spinach collard greens,
cantaloupe, eggs, mangos and peas.

2. Vitamin B6: Also known as Pyridoxine, Vitamin B6 helps your baby’s brain and
nervous system develop. It also helps Mom and baby develop new red blood cells.
Oddly enough, B6 has been known to help alleviate morning sickness in some
pregnant women.

Pregnant women should consume at least 1.9 mg per day of Vitamin B6. That amount
rises slightly when nursing to 2.0 mg per day.

Vitamin B6 can be found in fortified cereals, as well as bananas, baked potatoes,
watermelon, chick peas and chicken breast.

3. Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 works hand in hand with folic acid to help both Mom and
baby produce healthy red blood cells, and it helps develop the fetal brain and nervous
system. The body stores years’ worth of B12 away, so unless you are a vegan or
suffer from pernicious anemia the likelihood of a B12 deficiency is very slim.

Pregnant women should consume at least 2.6 mcg (104 IU) of B12per day, nursing
mothers 2.8 mcg (112 IU).

Vitamin B12 can be found in red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and dairy foods.
If you are a vegan you will be able to find B12 fortified tofu and soymilk. Other foods
are fortified at the manufacturer’s discretion.

4. Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron and build a healthy immune
system in both mother and baby. It also holds the cells together, helping the body to
build tissue. Since the Daily Recommended Allowance of Vitamin C is so easy to
consume by eating the right foods supplementation is rarely needed.

Pregnant women should consume at least 80-85 mg of Vitamin C per day, nursing
mothers no less than 120 mg per day.

Vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, raspberries, bell peppers, green beans,
strawberries, papaya, potatoes, broccoli and tomatoes, as well as in many cough drops
and other supplements.

5. Calcium: Calcium builds your baby’s bones and helps its brain and heart to function.
Calcium intake increases dramatically during pregnancy. Women with calcium
deficiency at any point in their lives are more likely to suffer from conditions such as
osteoporosis which directly affect the bones.

Pregnant women should consume at least 1200 mg of calcium a day, nursing mothers
1000 mg per day.

Calcium can be found in dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and, to a lesser
extent, ice cream, as well as fortified juices, butters and cereals, spinach, broccoli,
okra, sweet potatoes, lentils, tofu, Chinese cabbage, kale and broccoli. It is also
widely available in supplement form.

6. Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, leading to healthy bones for
both mother and baby.

Women who are pregnant or nursing should consume at least 2000 IU of Vitamin D
per day. Since babies need more Vitamin D than adults babies that are only
breastfeeding may need a Vitamin D supplement, so if your doctor recommends this
don’t worry. You haven’t done anything wrong! Formula is fortified with Vitamin D,
so if you are bottle feeding or supplementing with formula your baby is probably
getting sufficient amounts of this vital nutrient.

Vitamin D is rarely found in sufficient amounts in ordinary foods. It can, however, be
found in milk (most milk is fortified) as well as fortified cereals, eggs and fatty fish
like salmon, catfish and mackerel. Vitamin D is also found in sunshine, so women
and children found to have a mild Vitamin D deficiency may be told to spend more
time in the sun.

7. Vitamin E: Vitamin E helps baby’s body to form and use its muscles and red blood
cells. Lack of Vitamin E during pregnancy has been associated with pre-eclampsia (a
condition causing excessively high blood pressure and fluid retention) and low birth
weight. On the other hand, Vitamin E overdose has been tentatively associated with
stillbirth in mothers who “self medicated” with supplements.

Pregnant women should consume at least 20 mg of Vitamin E per day but not more
than 540 mg.

Vitamin E can be found in naturally in vegetable oil, wheat germ, nuts, spinach and
fortified cereals as well as in supplemental form. Natural Vitamin E is better for your
baby than synthetic, so be sure to eat lots of Vitamin E rich foods before you reach
for your bottle of supplements.

8. Folic Acid: Also known as Folate or Vitamin B9, Folic Acid is a vital part of your
baby’s development. The body uses Folic Acid for the replication of DNA, cell
growth and tissue formation. A Folic Acid deficiency during pregnancy can lead to
neural tube defects such as spina bifida (a condition in which the spinal cord does not
form completely), anencephaly (underdevelopment of the brain) and encephalocele (a
condition in which brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in
the skull). All of these conditions occur during the first 28 days of fetal development,
usually before Mom even knows she’s pregnant, which is why it’s important for
women who may become or are trying to become pregnant to consistently get enough
Folic Acid in their diet.

Pregnant woman should consume at least 0.6-0.8 mg of Folic Acid per day.

Folic Acid can be found in oranges, orange juice, strawberries, leafy vegetables,
spinach, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, pasta, beans, nuts and sunflower seeds, as
well as in supplements and fortified cereals.

9. Iron: Iron helps your body to form the extra blood that it’s going to need to keep you
and baby healthy, as well as helping to form the placenta and develop the baby’s
cells. Women are rarely able to consume enough iron during their pregnancy through
eating alone, so iron supplements along with prenatal vitamins are often prescribed.

Women who are pregnant should have at least 27 mg of iron per day, although the
Center for Disease Control suggests that all women take a supplement containing at
least 30 mg. The extra iron rarely causes side effects; however, overdosing on iron
supplements can be very harmful for both you and your baby by causing iron build-up
in the cells.

Iron can be found in red meat and poultry, which are your best choice, as well as
legumes, vegetables, some grains and fortified cereals.

10. Niacin: Also known as Vitamin B3, Niacin is responsible for providing energy for
your baby to develop as well as building the placenta. It also helps keep Mom’s
digestive system operating normally.

Pregnant women should have an intake of at least 18 mg of Niacin per day.

Niacin can be found in foods that are high in protein, such as eggs, meats, fish and
peanuts, as well as whole grains, bread products, fortified cereals and milk.

11. Protein: Protein is the building block of the body’s cells, and as such it is very
important to the growth and development of every part of your baby’s body during
pregnancy. This is especially important in the second and third trimester, when both
Mom and baby are growing the fastest.

Pregnant and nursing women should consume at least 70g of protein per day, which is
about 25g more than the average women needs before pregnancy.

Protein can be found naturally in beans, poultry, red meats, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk,
cheese, tofu and yogurt. It is also available in supplements, fortified cereals and
protein bars.

12. Riboflavin: Also known as Vitamin B2, Riboflavin helps the body produce the energy
it needs to develop your baby’s bones, muscles and nervous system. Women with
Riboflavin deficiency may be at risk for preeclamsia, and when baby is delivered it
will be prone to anemia, digestive problems, poor growth and a suppressed immune
system, making it more vulnerable to infection.

Pregnant women should consume at least 1.4 mg of Riboflavin per day, nursing
mothers 1.6 mg.

Riboflavin can be found in whole grains, dairy products, red meat, pork and poultry,
fish, fortified cereals and eggs.

13. Thiamin: Also known as Vitamin B1, thiamin helps develop your baby’s organs and
central nervous system.

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should consume at least 1.4 mg of Thiamin a
day. Nursing mothers who are Thiamin deficient are at risk for having babies with
beriberi, a disease which may affect the baby’s cardiovascular system (lungs and
heart) or the nervous system.

Thiamin can be found in whole grain foods, pork, fortified cereals, wheat germ and
eggs.

14. Zinc: Zinc is vital for the growth of your fetus because it aids in cell division, the
primary process in the growth of baby’s tiny tissues and organs. It also helps Mom
and baby to produce insulin and other enzymes.

Pregnant women should have an intake of at least 11-12 mg of Zinc per day.

Zinc can be found naturally in red meats, poultry, beans, nuts, grains, oysters and
dairy products, as well as fortified cereals and supplements.

Bear in mind that the Recommended Daily Allowances are just that-recommended. None
of those number has been formulated on a case-by-case basis, so if your doctor recommends
something else for you listen to what they have to say.

• If your looking for expert advice on pregnancy diet and exercise for a healthy baby and a better post-pregnancy body.
• Along with easy to follow meal plans – laid out week by week
• Pregnancy exercise programs for all levels, all trimesters and all lifestyles
• Grocery lists
• Quick recipes
• Peace of mind
• And much, much more…

Then please take the next step and  visit “Fit And Healthy Pregnancy’s” Website for more information!

Paying attention to the types of foods and drinks you consume before, during and after pregnancy is essential. There are various nutrients that your body requires to be healthy and the need for the proper nutrition increases while you are carrying a baby. For instance, a healthy dietary intake for pregnant women includes 55% carbohydrates, 35% fats and 10% proteins. Essential food nutrients include folic acid, iron, various minerals and vitamins. Consulting with your doctor is always a good choice while you are planning your family as well as while you are pregnant. Since each woman is different, her nutritional needs will vary from just about any other woman.

Although, many may consider that the only females that can produce intelligent, strong and healthy children are those who are at their proper weight, women who are overweight or underweight can also produce such wonderfully healthy children as long as they do ensure that they are getting the nutrients they and their child need during pregnancy. It is essential for each woman to consider her own personal needs of nutrition before and during pregnancy as well as during the post-natal period. You should always consult with your OB-GYN or your personal physician when you are pregnant. Following the doctors orders are essential when it comes to nutrition, you and your healthy pregnancy.

However, be sure to follow his or her recommendations while including fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meats, fish, healthy carbohydrates and fats as well as nutritional dairy products in your daily diet while you are pregnant. Some of the foods that you may consider for providing you with the nutrition you and your unborn child require may include:

• - Eggs
• – Milk and other Dairy Products
• – Meats such as Beef, Ham and Chicken
• – Various types of nuts and whole grain bread and cereals
• – Pasta, noodles, rice, oats and corn
• – Fish and Seafood that are not high in mercury or toxic algae
• – Fresh and Cooked Vegetables including beans and lentils, and green leafy vegetables
• – Fresh Fruits according to your preferences; however you should include a variety in your diet such as oranges, applies, bananas, grapes, kiwi and many others

You can choose to add a bit of variety in your nutritional dietary meal planning to ensure that you do get the right amount of vitamins and minerals daily in order to be successful, while producing children and creating your family. Use your choices wisely, consult your personal physician and then follow his or her recommendations when it comes to pregnancy and nutrition. Take time and effort to ensure that you are getting the valuable nutrition you need before, during and after pregnancy to better enable yourself to produce a happy, healthy and intelligent baby.

Of course, as with every reward of absolute bliss, precautions must be observed to ensure its coming.
Motherhood doesn’t start with the birth of your child, after all.  Motherhood begins the moment your child is conceived in your womb, for it is during that time when you will have to start to take care of your baby.

This is why knowledge about what to expect regarding pregnancy week by week is critical in ensuring the healthy well being of you, as the mother, as well as your unborn child.

So what can you expect about pregnancy week by week?

For many expectant mothers, the first four weeks of pregnancy is the most challenging period.  The first trimester is when the physical changes start and the chemical changes take over the mother’s existence.  Morning sickness is enough to throw one’s day in complete disarray.  Varicose veins, even with minimal physical activities, will begin to show and can eventually scar the self-esteem of the pregnant woman.  Behavioral changes will also be experienced.  Moods will swing ever so rapidly.  The mother’s appetite will suddenly go out of control.

Of all the periods that comprise pregnancy week by week, the second trimester is, as what many mothers describe, the most enjoyable and fulfilling.  It is during this period that the fetus actually takes shape.  It is also during this period when his or her heart beat can be audible, and his and her movements can be felt.  Nausea would’ve subsided during these weeks, providing great relief for the expectant mother.  Also, the womb will start to visibly expand.

The tail end of pregnancy week by week will require a few sacrifices.  Movement will be terribly impaired as the womb will expand further.  The weight of the unborn child will be made apparent, and the expectant mother’s body will feel it.  The fetus, after all, will rapidly gain up to 28 grams per day during the last three months of the pregnancy week by week calendar.  The navel may become convex as it will pop out because of the burgeoning abdomen.  Delivery is in sight, and this stage of pregnancy week by week will be filled with excitement and eager anticipation.

You will have to endure the changes in your body, some of which won’t be pleasant at all.  You will have to say goodbye to some of the things you have become accustomed to, albeit temporarily.  You will have to do some things you never, ever dreamed of doing to ensure the safety of your unborn baby.

And you will have to change your lifestyle to guarantee the good health of the child you’re carrying within you

Oddly enough, panic and worry are often the culprits in preventing pregnancy. When both of you are trying too hard to make this happen it will only work against you. This is something that couples who want to know how to get pregnant need to be aware of. You may have heard the stories of couples who tried to conceive for years with no luck. When they finally gave up and adopted a child, soon after they found themselves expecting a baby. This is believed to be due to them having finally relaxed about it. The tension was gone, and it allowed the reproductive parts of their bodies to work just right, thus creating a baby.

It is recommended that couples who are in good health simply relax. This may include planning a getaway that will remove you both from the stresses of everyday life when you are trying to figure out how to get pregnant. Go somewhere you both enjoy away from telephones and computers. Spend some quality romantic time together. Enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner. Light some candles and take a romantic bubble bath together. Do whatever is needed to ensure that the tension is gone. This has worked for many couples. Within a few weeks of returning from their vacation, they get the happy news.

If you try this suggestion more than once with no luck, try contacting your doctor to make sure that both of you are sufficiently fertile to conceive a baby. Barring any problems with these check ups, you may want to ask your doctor’s advice about how to get pregnant. He or she may be able to suggest such things as sexual positions that are conducive to conception, along with other things such as charting your most fertile days of the month. Knowing this information will insure that you are having intercourse at the most promising time of the month to conceive.

Another suggestion in how to get pregnant is to abstain from intercourse for a few days prior to ovulation. This gives the man’s sperm build and be at its most optimum level for fertilizing the woman’s eggs. Abstinence also creates the mood that will have both of you totally relaxed and not thinking about whether or not conception will occur.

Of course, if you have tried everything that is supposed to work, and are still childless, it may be time to see an infertility specialist. This is the way you can get the rest of your answers and possibly, be able to conceive the baby you both want so desperately.

So, what are the important dates in a pregnancy calendar?  Below is a synopsis of the 5 most important points of the pregnancy period:

1. The first 2 weeks since you missed your last period. The first two weeks of pregnancy comprise the period when most of the pregnancy symptoms transpire – and some of these symptoms aren’t pleasant.  Morning sickness, heightened sensitivity, increased appetite that may lead to a slight weight gain, missed period, and the likes can cost some uncertainties, and consequently, some anxiety on the part of the expectant mother.  The first two weeks of pregnancy also marks the start of the pregnancy calendar and should be counted from the date of the last menstrual period.

2. The first trimester, in general. Many medical experts agree that when it comes to the pregnancy calendar, the first 12 months are the most critical.  A lot of the chemical and physical changes that transpire during pregnancy happen during this period.  It is also during the first trimester when the mother is most vulnerable to miscarriage.  Hence, this point in the pregnancy calendar should be observed with utmost care and proper guidance on how to proceed.

3. The twentieth week of the pregnancy.  It is during this time of the pregnancy calender when the uterus expands tremendously to accommodate the ever-growing fetus.  It is also during this time of the pregnancy calendar when the fetus begins to make distinguishable motions.  Feeling the expectant mother’s tummy will allow the parents to experience the first attempts of their child to communicate – an experience that is very much exciting and rewarding for the mother and father “to be.”

4. The seventh month onwards.  There is always a possibility, no matter how slim, that the baby will come out after the seventh month.  Granted that such a birth will be premature, the child so born during this stage of the pregnancy calendar will have a great chance of survival.  Heightened care must be observed during this period to ensure that the mother won’t be exposed to conditions that may lead to premature labor.

5. The fortieth week onwards.  During this stage of the pregnacy calender, labor is expected.  All necessary precautions should be made to ensure a smooth, healthy, and trouble-free delivery once the moment arrives.

So, are you pregnant?

Of course, such can only be determined by knowing the different early signs of pregnancy and whether you experience them or not.

Here are the 7 most common early signs of pregnancy.

1.  Missed menstruation.  The first, and most telling, of the early signs of pregnancy is a missed period.  There are many possible reasons for a missed period aside from pregnancy.  Stress, particular medications, specific disorders, and a change of lifestyle are the most common triggers of this condition.  However, a missed menstruation should be a warning that a pregnancy test be used to determine, with certainty, whether or not the subject is pregnant.

2. Tenderness of breasts.  Tender, swollen breasts are often experienced by women who are about to have their period.  But if no period is forthcoming and this condition is encountered, then, chances are, such can be considered as one of the immediate pregnancy symptoms.  Hormonal changes within the body during the first 2 weeks of pregnancy cause the soreness of the breasts.

3. Feeling of fatigue for no apparent reason.  Feeling tired even if you haven’t engaged in extraneous physical activities?  During the first few weeks of pregnancy, the body produces progesterone, a hormone that can sap the strength from our system.  Too much progesterone can even put the subject to sleep, a reason why sleepiness can also be considered as one of the common early signs of pregnancy.

4. Constipation. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, when the aforementioned progesterone is produced in relatively large quantities, the intestines clog up making digestion a little more complicated.  This can lead to constipation, one of the known, though less serious, pregnancy symptoms.

5. Morning sickness. Next to a missed menstruation, nausea is the most famous – or infamous – of the early signs of pregnancy.  Morning sickness is composed of headaches, dizziness, and vomiting, and can last for hours.  Morning sickness doesn’t have to transpire in the morning.  It can plague the subject at any time during the day.  Nausea is caused by the rapid rise and fall of estrogen levels in the body, something which is an inevitable manifestation of pregnancy.

6. Mood swings.  Giddy one moment and depressed the next?  Don’t blame yourself.  Don’t be alarmed about a possible mental disorder. Mood swings are part and parcel of pregnancy symptoms, and are caused by the hormones that flood your system during the first few weeks of gestation.

7. Heightened senses – often for the worse.  You may develop sudden aversion to particular food types that you have tolerated – or even loved – before.  It’s either because you suddenly despise the way they look, the way they feel, or the way they smell.  This is but a normal component of early signs of pregnancy, again attributable to the hormones that the body produces in preparation for the child you will carry in your womb.

]]> http://earlysignsof-pregnancy.com/early-signs-of-pregnancy-the-7-most-common-symptoms.html/feed 0 http://earlysignsof-pregnancy.com/pregnancy-help.html http://earlysignsof-pregnancy.com/pregnancy-help.html#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:04:21 +0000 admin http://earlysignsof-pregnancy.com/?p=31 Most first time mothers appreciate all the pregnancy help and advice they can get while dealing with all of the different issues associated with this happy time. There are the hormone changes which cause you to have “morning sickness” 24 hours a day, make you weepy one minute and laughing the next, the different physical body changes, and a myriad of other new things that you have no idea how to react to. Pregnancy can actually become an excuse for you to have little social gatherings with your closest female friends so they can offer you the benefits of their pregnancy help.

One thing that nearly all expectant mothers go through is nausea. Whether it’s morning, afternoon, evening or simply 24 hours a day, it seems to be a part of pregnancy for most women. Your doctor will offer you advice on what you can do that will ease the nausea, but unless your doctor is offering you some medication for it, your friends will most likely have some remedies that actually WORK. What’s more, they will be more than excited to share them with you. These little gatherings can offer you quite a bit of pregnancy help that all the books may have left out.

The hormonal changes in your body can cause lots of mood swings that will have to be dealt with. Sometimes your significant other will just not get why you are suddenly crying during a make up commercial. Only another woman who has been through this will comprehend that this make up commercial has somehow reminded you that you are gaining weight and possibly developing some hormone related breakouts. You can call one of these friends for some pregnancy help and a little comfort through this one.

What about that weight gain? It’s going to happen, and it NEEDS to happen. Knowing that, however, may not make you feel any better about the shape your body is taking. After spending so much time getting yourself in centerfold shape, now you will get huge, and probably develop stretch marks. You will need someone there to tell you that what you are seeing when you look in the mirror is not what your partner see when he looks at you. What he sees is the woman who is carrying his baby, and he finds her more beautiful everyday. Your support system will offer you this information as part of pregnancy help.

The important thing to remember is that advice is all over the place for expectant mothers. All you have to do is ask and you will be inundated with answers, maybe even more of them than you needed. But the point is that you don’t need to look so far after all for the answers to your questions. Any woman who has gone through a pregnancy is going to be your best source of help. You never have to feel embarrassed about asking either. They are happy to share.