Know some facts and old wives tales about pregnancy, birthmarks, cleft lips and more...
Pregnancy
What foods should pregnant women eat?
A well-balanced diet is essential and should contain something from all the food groups: dairy products, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, fats and carbohydrates. A pregnant woman needs to eat something from all these groups of food every day in order to get the proper amounts of energy. Other vitamins and minerals essential during pregnancy are:
Folic Acid
During the first three months of pregnancy (and preferably before becoming pregnant), a woman needs folic acid which is also known as vitamin B9. It is important during pregnancy for the creation of the baby's nervous system. Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects such as spina, bifida and other congenital malformations such as cleft palate or cleft lip. Good natural sources of folic acid are barley beans, fruit, green vegetables, orange juice, lentils, peas and rice.
Iron
During pregnancy, a woman's body needs more iron than usual to produce all the blood needed to supply nutirtion to the placenta. Good sources of iron are green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, strawberries, muesli and wholemeal bread. Iron is more easily absorbed if it is taken in conjunction with vitamin C - either as a supplement or in citrus fruit or tea. Tea and coffee can intefere with the body's absorption of iron.
Zinc and Calcium
The minerals zinc and calcium are also needed for the development of the embryo. However, it is usually possible to obtain enough zinc and calcium by following a varied diet.
What do food cravings means?
You probably have come across women who crave certain kinds of foods during pregnancy. Some of these cravings are common like pineapples, sour plums and chocolates, but some have cravings that border on the extreme like fish head curry, mutton soup, roast pig and hamburgers. Researchers have tried to determine whether a hunger for a particular type of food indicates a woman's body lacks the nutrients that food contains, but some would argue that having a burger is not going to contribute much to one's nutrient intake. Following your cravings is fine as long as you crave food that contributes to a healthy diet. Frequently, these cravings diminish about 3 months into the pregnancy.
What food should you avoid eating during pregnancy?
Alcohol is a strict no-no. No level of alcohol consumption is considered safe during pregnancy, so follow Rachel's example in Friends, where she dumped that glass of champagne because she was pregnant. Also, you should check with your doctor before you take any vitamins or herbal products. Some of these can be harmful to the developing of foetus; goldenseal (which has been associated with uterine contractions, and could possible lead to miscarriage or pre-mature labour); Asian ginseng (which inteferes with metabolism); and feverfew (though popular for migraine headaches, it has unpredictable effects on pregnant women). It's also wise to avoid herbal teas that purport to have medicinal benefits.
As for caffeine, some doctors feel that one or two cups of coffee, tea or soda with caffeine per day won't harm your baby, but it is porbably wise to avoid caffeine altogether if you can. High caffeine consumption has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, so limit your intake or switch to decaffeinated products. It is also important to avoid eating raw food like raw eggs, raw meat of any kind, sashimi, milk and cheese that are not pastuerized. Soft cheese like Brie, Camembert and blue-veined variety are out.
What else should you avoid...
Obviously, cigarettes and drugs are harmful as these will have direct adverse impact on the foetus. Other things to avoid include:
Overheating
Soaking in the hot tub or relaxing in a sauna may seem like the perfect way to pamper your pregnant body, but raising your core temperature especially during the first trimester may boost the odds of birth defects. It's safe to soak in a lukewarm bath, though. Just make sure that the temperature is not too hot and that you get out after about ten minutes. Sustained exercise in very hot, humid weather can also raise your core temperature. When you do exercise, be sure to drink liquids before, during and after, and if you find that you're feeling unbearably 'heated up', take a short break every five or ten minutes.
Over-the-counter medication
Your back is aching, you feel nauseous, you are experiencing gastric or heartburn - does this mean you now have to forgo pharmaceutical relief? Not necessarily, but remember to check with your doctor. Seemingly harmless painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen and certain cold preparations may cause problems for your baby.
Secondhand Smoke
Even though you have given up cigarettes, the baby is stillat risk if you are constantly surrounded by friends and relatives who are puffing away. It has been said that exposure tosecondhand smoke udring pregnancy raises the risk of low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, and other health problems. So ask your partner and anyone who wants to smoke to kindly do it somewhere else.
Vitamin A
It is important to avoid vitamin A during pregnancy because it may cause damage to the embryo. Foods containing large amounts of vitamin A include liver, and should be eaten on an ocassional basis only.
Stress
A stressful working lifestyle is not advisable as stress causes the release of hormones that reduce blood flow to the placenta and trigger contractions. Stress has been linked to cause miscarriage, pre-mature birth and low birth weight. If you hold a stressful job, try to scale down on your worload and responsibilities. Practise relaxation techniques, surround yourself with supportive people and seek counselling if necessary.
Old Wives' Tales, Myths and Fallacies
Old Wives Tale 1
Mothers should avoid consuming "cooling food" such as "chin chow", pineapple and green bananas as this may lead to miscarriage.
Fact: There is no conclusive evidence or studies to associate specific food with miscarriage. Miscarriage may occur during the first three months or pregnancy. Usually, it's the case of abnormally formed foetus. Other causes include infections and medical conditions such as diabetes. Pregnant mothers are advised to have a healthy and well-balanced diet, consuming food from the four basic food groups (carbohydrates, minerals & vitamins, proteins and fats). Additional intake of nutrients during pregnancy such as vitamin C, Calcium and Iron are also important in meeting the mother's and baby's needs.
Old Wives Tale 2
Sewing and patching holes during pregnancy may cause the baby to be born with a closed anus.
Fact: Imperforated or closed anus is a congenital malformation. It is a condition present at birth and is not inherited. The occurence of this condition is one in 5,000 births. Surgery is done to correct this condition.
Old Wives Tale 3
Cutting cloth in bed or looking at rabbits may result in the baby having a cleft lip and/or palate.
Fact: Cleft lip and/or palates are congenital defects. This condition tends to be hereditary and the risk increases with the number of affected immediate family members. However, it may occur in babies without a family history of this condition. Certain drugs have been though to cause this defect but this is not conclusive.
Old Wives Tale 4
Painting during pregnancy may cause the baby to have birthmarks.
Fact: Birthmarks are usually caused by some kinds of pigmentation in the baby's skin. It can also be due to an abnormal collection of blood vessel at a particular area. Some of the birthmarks may disappear as the child grows older.
Old Wives Tale 5
Mothers should avoid washing their hair or bathing for one month after birth as it may cause rheumatism and severe headaches when they get older.
Fact: Rheumatism is commonly caused by inflammation or degeneration of muscles and bones, usually as a result of wear and tear. Headaches are caused by several factors such as high blood pressure, stress of insufficient rest. Bathing and shampooing during the postnatal period are not the cause of these ailments. However, there have been some who claim that they do experience severe headaches when they get older as a result of washing their hair during the post-pregnancy one-month period.
Labels: pregnancy blues, pregnancy facts, pregnancy old wives tales, pregnancy worries
