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Eating for Two – Weight Gain During Pregnancy

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

We’ve all heard the expression “Eating for Two.” And if you don’t know a thing about pregnancy – which I didn’t, before I started working for an OB/GYN – you might think, “Oh, well, that means I eat double what I normally do. Go wild with the snacks and fast food.” It only makes sense, right? You have a new life inside you depending on you for his/her nutrient supply.

WRONG!

Eating for two does not mean that you can just eat anything that you want. In fact, you have to be careful about what you eat during pregnancy. There are foods to avoid, and you should try to eat a balanced diet to ensure that your developing baby receives all the vitamins and nutrients that he/she requires to develop healthy and strong.

During pregnancy, you only need to supplement your regular diet with 300 extra calories (if you’re carrying one baby). This is easily achieved. You just need to add a glass of milk here, possibly a peanut butter and jelly sandwich there, and slices of fruit as a snack. The exact amount of calories that you need to add depends on your weight before pregnancy. Your doctor or healthcare provider will be able to tell you more specifics about your general case.

The Food Pyramid is a good guide to follow when it comes to helping you find a healthy and balanced diet.

To have a healthy and happy pregnancy with few bumps along the way, you should only gain the recommended weight gain for your size. If you gain too much, or too little, this can be detrimental to your baby. In other words, it’s not a good idea. Try to stay in the recommended weight gain limit if it’s at all possible.

If you gain too little during pregnancy, this puts you at risk for having a small baby (one that weights less than 5.5 pounds) and having a premature baby. If you gain too much weight, you face the risk of preterm labor and delivery, a large baby, and a possible cesarean section (c-section). Plus, if you put on too much pregnancy weight, you may end up with gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops out of nowhere during pregnancy, which goes away after your baby is born), high blood pressure, and (gasp) unattractive varicose veins. You may also develop pregnancy stretch marks.

A perk of gaining just the right amount of weight – you will lose your pregnancy fat much faster. You will go back to your pre-pregnancy size faster than women who gain too much weight.

Recommended Pregnancy Weight Gain For Your Body Size

For the best outcome, if you started your pregnancy at an average size, you should aim to gain 25 to 35 pounds over the course of 40 weeks. This means that you should expect to gain between 1 and 4.5 pounds in your first trimester (the first 13 weeks), and you’ll gain at least one pound every week the rest of your pregnancy week by week.

Women who were underweight when they first got pregnant should gain between 28 and 40 pounds during pregnancy. This means, they should aim to gain between 1 and 4.5 pounds in the first trimester, and more than one pound with each week that passes from the second trimester onward.

Now, if you were overweight when you first became pregnant, you should aim to gain only 15 to 25 pounds over the 40 weeks of pregnancy. This means, you should gain between 1 and 4.5 pounds in the first 13 weeks, and only gain one-half pound the rest of your pregnancy week by week.

* Please do not attempt to diet or lose weight during pregnancy. This will definitely hurt your baby!

The pregnancy weight gain is slightly different if you are carrying twins or multiples. Average-sized women carrying twins should aim to gain between 37 and 54 pounds.

Filed Under: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Health Tagged With: weight gain in pregnancy

How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?

by DP Nguyen 155 Comments

Whether you’re trying to conceive, or you’re afraid that you accidentally got pregnant, you will want to know the answer to – “How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?” In order to understand the accuracy of home pregnancy tests, you have to first learn about how they work, what hormones they measure, and how soon you can take the test.

[Read more…] about How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?

Filed Under: Pregnancy, Preconception / Trying to Conceive Tagged With: accuracy of home pregnancy tests, home pregnancy tests, missed period

October is SIDS Awareness Month – Overview of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

Did you know that October is SIDS Awareness Month? (Yes, I know it’s the end of the month, but I think this is a worthy topic to blog about. And an important one, especially with the infant sleep positioner recalls recently).

SIDS – or sudden infant death syndrome – is a silent killer that claims the lives of an estimated 2,500 seemingly healthy infants each year. Like its name implies, SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of babies under one year old. More SIDS deaths occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and the risk increases during the winter months. It affects more boys than girls. And despite years of research, this disease remains the leading cause of death among infants between the ages of one month and one year old.

While your child’s risk of SIDS is rare, it’s a frightening phenomenon. Unsuspecting parents come into the nursery to check on their newborn, only to find that he has died in his sleep. Parents are left devastated and with no answers. While scientists have pinpointed risk factors for SIDS, they still do not know what causes it or how to prevent it. They only have theories.

Many researchers now argue that SIDS babies are born with one or more conditions that make them vulnerable to certain stressors. Some scientists believe that these babies may be born with defects in their nervous system – in the areas that control their breathing and heart rate. In addition, SIDS babies may have immature brainstems, compared to other babies. The brainstem region is the area that controls their respiratory function (breathing) and wakes them up from sleep.

When a baby with these vulnerabilities is placed in a compromising position, such as being placed stomach down with their faces burrowed in soft bedding, they have a harder time being aroused from sleep (due to their immature brainstems), so they continue to “re-breathe” (inhaling their own exhaled air). When these infants “re-breathe,” the level of carbon dioxide in their bodies increases and the level of oxygen decreases. Eventually, this lack of oxygen will cause their deaths.

For this reason, all doctors and pediatricians recommend that you place your baby to sleep on his back on a firm mattress.

Fun Fact: The SIDS deaths in the United States has declined over 50 percent since 1994, when parents were first encouraged to put their babies to sleep on their backs.

Despite this encouraging statistic, babies still die from SIDS every year. And unfortunately, there is no known way to prevent SIDS, however, there are steps you can take to reduce your child’s risk.

One way to possibly prevent SIDS is to eliminate the known risk factors of SIDS, including:

  • Exposure to Smoke – Your child is at greater risk of SIDS if you smoked during pregnancy, or if a newborn is around secondhand smoke.
  • Overheating – Infants are at greater risk of SIDS if they have an elevated body temperature. For this reason, the American Association of Pediatrics recommends that you keep the room temperature comfortable and limit how many blankets and outfits you place on your child.
  • Soft Bedding – Research has found that babies sleeping on a soft mattress or soft bedding have double the risk of SIDS.
  • Stomach Sleeping – Infants who sleep on their stomachs have a much higher risk of SIDS. That’s because stomach-sleeping babies are more likely to overheat, have pauses in breathing, and re-breathing his exhaled air.

You might be able to lower your child’s risk of SIDS if you follow these tips, as suggested by the American Sudden Infant Death Institute:

  • Always place your child to sleep on his back.
  • Put babies to sleep on a firm mattress. Do not place anything (no covers, pillows, toys, etc.) in the crib with your baby.
  • Do not co-sleep with your child.
  • Don’t over-clothe your child. Only dress him warm enough without having to use a blanket or cover.
  • Breastfeed your child if possible. (Infants who are breastfed are at reduced risk of SIDS).
  • Give your baby a pacifier. (Pacifier use is linked to lowering the risk of SIDS).

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Filed Under: Babies Tagged With: SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome

Good Mood Foods: How to Naturally Relieve PMS

by DP Nguyen 1 Comment

Is your PMS getting you down? Are you feeling cranky, emotional, bloated, or just plain “blah”? Do you find that controlling your PMS symptoms is a monthly struggle? You’re not alone. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes that at least 85 percent of all menstruating women will experience at one or more PMS symptoms every month. Wahoo! (I’m dripping with sarcasm here).

But instead of reaching for Midol or your drug of choice (and I mean, medicine, not the illegal kind), why not tame your PMS symptoms with a few nutritional changes? Change your diet slightly, and you may find that your emotional rollercoaster isn’t such a wild ride. PMS might not even bother you.

Get some of these good mood foods in your diet – these are foods that may naturally relieve PMS:

* Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Add some omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids sharpen your mind, and they trigger the production of serotonin (the mood enhancing chemical that’s found in dark chocolate and the chemical that’s released when you’re in love). You can find this in fish, such as albacore tuna, salmon,  mackerel, sardines, herring, and trout. If fish isn’t up your culinary palette, snack on a handful of walnuts or flaxseed – they’re also great sources of omega-3s.

* Magnesium – Go for magnesium in your diet. Magnesium helps your body regulate serotonin levels, and it’s also your body’s natural appetite suppressor. During PMS, you experience lower magnesium levels, which in turn causes you to experience grumpiness and you experience appetite cravings. Fight your gluttony with magnesium-laced foods, such as artichokes, bananas, spinach, peanuts, brown rice, tofu, and cashews.

* Whole Grain – Another serotonin-raising group of foods is whole grains. These complex carbohydrates raise the serotonin levels, and they’re also loaded with B-vitamins – which help fight depression and irritability. When getting your carb load for the day, choose whole grain breads, pasta, and cereals. Avoid eating foods that are packed with additives and unhealthy preservatives, since this can trigger unwanted chemical reactions in your brain and make you even moodier.

* No Caffeine – While coffee can wake you up, it’s not great for your mood. To keep your crazy hormones at bay, try going caffeine-free when possible. Instead of the caffeine-loaded cup of Joe that you normally enjoy, drink decaf instead. Or enjoy a hot cup of caffeine-free herbal tea. Tea will not only warm you up, but it can also relieve tension and ease anxiety.

* No Junk Food – In the weeks before your period is scheduled to start, avoid junk food at all costs. Not only is it bad for your diet, but it can hamper your mood and even make your PMS symptoms worse. Opt for healthier snacks instead.

You May Also Enjoy:
PMS or Pregnancy Symptoms

Filed Under: PMS

Pregnancy Food Guide: Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

by DP Nguyen 3 Comments

Confused about what you can and can’t eat during pregnancy? Figuring out what foods are safe, what foods to avoid in pregnancy, and what is the “forbidden fruit” (literally!) can be a nightmare for moms-to-be. If you watch the news, it seems like there’s another story every day about a common food that’s a no-no for pregnant women. Like earlier this summer (in 2010), diet drinks (or sugar-substitutes) were linked to causing pre-term labor and delivery. And just earlier this month (October 2010), we learned that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy was related to future childhood obesity. I’m not sure if you know but pesticides are everywhere! Unless you have the luxury of always buying 100 percent organic foods or you grow your own veggies, you’re not going to avoid them.

With all the “do this” and “don’t eat that” advice you’ll find on the web, you may be left feeling a bit clueless and scared to take a bite out of your favorite meal. But don’t stress. I’ve broken down the categories of foods to stay away from.

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

Here are the top eight “Do Not Eat” – a.k.a. “Forbidden Foods During Pregnancy.” You will want to avoid eating the foods on the below Pregnancy Food Guide, or reduce your consumption of them. Remember that when it comes to your baby, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.

1. Caffeine– You’ve gotta give up that eye-opening java each morning. While a small cup a day won’t hurt you or your baby – in fact, it may actually give you a extra lift – high levels of caffeine have been linked to causing birth defects and miscarriage. Studies have shown that daily caffeine intake of more than 4 to 7 cups of coffee a day actually doubles your risk of miscarriage.  So to be on the safe side, you should probably avoid drinking any caffeine-containing drinks or foods.

2. Alcohol – This is a no brainer, but alcohol is a no-no during pregnancy. While new studies have given the OK to drink just a little bit of alcohol during pregnancy, you should probably still avoid it. Have you heard of fetal alcohol syndrome? Please don’t risk your baby’s health.

3. Raw Meat – Sorry, no sushi or beef carpaccio during pregnancy. Raw and undercooked meat can contain toxoplasmosis and Salmonella – both of these can harm your baby and cause miscarriage. Plus, you have double the risk of getting food poisoning during pregnancy, so unless you want to puke up and feel even more nauseous, I’d suggest only eating fully-cooked, fully-done meat.

4. Deli Meats – You might think that a sandwich or hot dog is harmless during pregnancy . . . but No. Deli meats can contain listeria – which can cause miscarriage or result in a stillborn delivery. That’s a dead baby. If you’re craving hot togs, or deli turkey, beef, and chicken, reheat them until they are steaming.

5. Imported Soft Cheeses – Just like with deli meat, unpasteurized cheeses (blue cheese, feta cheese, Brie, and Camembert) may also contain listeria. Only cheeses that are pasteurized are safe for you to eat during pregnancy. If you’re not sure whether or not your favorite cheese is pasteurized, avoid it.

6. Raw or undercooked eggs – Eggs that are not fully cooked can potentially contain Salmonella. You should avoid any raw eggs, even those in your favorite egg nog or Caesar salad dressing.

7. Fish – While eating fish can be healthy, you should avoid eating too much fish that contain high levels of mercury, because mercury can affect your unborn baby’s nervous system. These fish include sharp, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna and tile fish. In general, it’s OK to eat 12 ounces of other fish, such as salmon and tilapia. You should avoid canned tuna, since it may contain mercury.

8. Artificial Sweeteners – Put away that diet coke or diet soda during pregnancy. Studies have suggested that artificially sweetened drinks can increase your risk of preterm delivery.

*****

I hope you found this Pregnancy Food Guide helpful. For more pregnancy eating tips:

Sushi in Pregnancy: Is it Safe?
Fish in Pregnancy: What’s Safe and What’s Not
Tips for Safe Eating During Pregnancy
Chocolate in Pregnancy is Safe

Filed Under: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Diet Tagged With: food to avoid, pregnancy food guide

Pregnancy Symptoms: 5 Signs That You May Be Pregnant

by DP Nguyen 511 Comments

signs you might be pregnant

Am I pregnant? Could I be?

If you’ve just missed your period, chances are you are definitely wondering whether or not you could have a bun cooking in the oven. Maybe you’re ready to be a mom. Maybe you’re not. But if you think you might be preggers, you’ve got to find out.

If you’re a smoker or a regular drinker, pregnancy will completely change your lifestyle. Being pregnant means no cigarettes, absolutely no alcohol. It also means that you’ll have to be more careful about what you eat. (Like if you love soft cheese, like blue cheese, you’re going to have to avoid it throughout your entire 40 weeks of pregnancy.) And then, there are the prenatal vitamins that you have to take to ensure the health of your developing baby. (Folic acid is crucial, and you should be taking an extra folic acid supplement if you think there’s any chance – even a remote chance – that you could be a mom-to-be.

Here we go  . . . the top 5 signs that you might be pregnant.

Top 5 Signs of Pregnancy

[Read more…] about Pregnancy Symptoms: 5 Signs That You May Be Pregnant

Filed Under: Pregnancy, Preconception / Trying to Conceive Tagged With: pregnancy symptoms, signs that you're pregnant

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