A Healthy Pregnancy

Preparation for Pregnancy The outcome of a baby’s health depends on the mother’s nutritional state Prepare body 2 years ahead

Preparation for Pregnancy (cont.) Birth defects occur before the 10 th week of pregnancy If nutrients are lacking, the mother suffers first and then the baby suffers

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Personal Hygiene Maintain personal grooming and body care habits: Bathe daily Have a dental check-up every 6 months Avoid very hot or very cold baths Replace tub baths with showers or sponge baths during the last four to six weeks of pregnancy

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Rest and Sleep How many hours of sleep does a person who is pregnant need? Sleep eight to 10 hours per night Take at least one 15 to 30 minute rest during the day

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Physical Activity and Exercise What kind of physical activity and exercise does a pregnant woman need? Avoid contact sports and high-risk activities Use low-impact, moderately intense activities like walking and swimming Exercise to strengthen and prepare the pelvic floor for delivery – stop and start the flow of urine

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Physical Activity and Exercise during Pregnancy Suggested exercises:  Stretches for the lower back  upper back stretch  pelvic tilts  Kegels What are the benefits of physical activity and exercise during pregnancy?

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Clothing Comfort is the key! Options:  Maternity clothes – garments especially designed for pregnancy in one’s regular size  Regular clothes in larger sizes What are some guidelines for selecting clothes during pregnancy? Choose garments that are:  Loose-fitting, comfortable; does not restrict circulation  Free from waistbands and belts  Select clothes large enough to wear for a period of time  Avoid wearing high heels

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Nutrition and Pregnancy

Weight Gain pounds total (average weight) Two to five pounds in the first trimester About one pound per week for the rest of your pregnancy

Distribution of Weight Gain AREA Weight Gain in Pounds Fetus 7.5 – 8.5 Stores of Fat & Protein 7.5 Blood 4 Tissue Fluids 2.7 Uterus 2 Amniotic Fluid 1.8 Placenta & Umbilical Cord 1.5 Breasts 2-3 TOTAL25-30 pounds Total

What effect does pregnancy have on the body? Increased clumsiness as mother adjusts to new weight distributions Backaches are the most common Many women complain of leg and ankle swelling (edema) but this symptom is actually caused by the extra amount of fluid, not fat, in the body.

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy Effects of Poor Eating Habits What may be the effects of poor eating habits during pregnancy?  Premature birth  Low birth weight  Feeble, weak  Inability to breast-feed  Malformed babies  Complications at birth  Depression in mother  Babies with impaired brain cells

Choose My Plate oms/ oms/ th/pregnancynutrition.html th/pregnancynutrition.html

Choosemyplate.gov formerly My Pyramid Sample Food Needs for a Pregnant Woman Grain Group7-8 ounce-equivalent (about 1 cup) Vegetable Group3 cups Fruit Group2 cups Milk Group3 cups Meat & Bean Group 6 to 6.5 ounce-equivalent

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy

Basic Guide to Good Eating During Pregnancy Milk-Cheese Group - 3 servings (Pregnant Teens: add 1 serving) Count as 1 serving: 1 cup milk, 1 1/2 cup cottage cheese; 2 cups ice cream; 2, 1-inch cubes cheese. Meat, Poultry, Fish and Beans - 3 servings Count as one serving: 2 to 3 ounces meat, fish or poultry; 2 eggs; 2 slices lunch meat; 4 Tbsp. peanut butter; 1 cup kidney, pinto or garbanzo beans Fruit Group - 3 servings (Pregnant Teens: add 1 serving) Count as 1 serving: 3/4 cup juice; 1 medium banana, apple or orange. Vegetable Group - 4 servings (Pregnant Teens: add 1 serving) Count as 1 serving: 1/2 cup cooked vegetables; 1 cup raw leafy vegetables; 3/4 cup juice. – Include every day: 1 rich Vitamin C source such as citrus fruit and 1 dark green leafy vegetable. Bread and Cereals Group - 9 servings (Pregnant Teens: add 1 to 2 servings) Count as 1 serving: 1 slice bread; 1-ounce ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked cereal or pasta. Fats, Oils and Sweets Group - Use Sparingly Count as 1 serving: 1 Tbsp. corn, safflower or cottonseed oil used in cooking or in salad dressing; 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine. Cakes, pies, cookies, soft drinks, sugar, honey, candy, jams, jellies, gravies, butter, sour cream - Save these to eat only if you need extra calories after eating the basic needed foods.

Sample 2000 Calorie Menu BREAKFAST ½ grapefruit ¾ cup oatmeal 1 t. raisins 1 whole wheat English muffin 1 t. margarine LUNCH Salad with: 1 cup romaine lettuce ½ cup kidney beans, cooked ½ fresh tomato 1 oz skim mozzarella cheese 2 T. low calorie Italian dressing 1 bran muffin ½ cup cantaloupe chunks AFTERNOON SNACK 2 rice cakes 6 oz low-fat yogurt, plain ½ cup blueberries DINNER ¾ cup vegetable soup with ¼ cup cooked barley 3 oz chicken, w/o skin 1 baked potato ½ cup cooked broccoli 1 piece whole wheat bread 1 T. margarine 1 fresh peach BEDTIME SNACK 1 apple 2 cups popcorn, plain ¼ cup peanuts

3.03-Healthy Pregnancy “Fast” Foods that Are Nutrient- Dense 1.Single-serve fruit bowls 2.Soy milk 3.Tuna fish 4.Raisins 5.Yogurt 6.Easy-to-make trail mix 7.Salad Bar Can you list more?

Foods to Avoid Raw meat Fish with Mercury (tuna, grouper) Raw eggs Alcohol Unwashed vegetables Ramen Noodles Sodas Pre-packaged lunches (like Lunchables) and deli meat Almost all prepared, frozen meals Candies, cakes, and cookies Raw (unpasteurized) milk Soft cheeses

Healthful eating habits for a healthy mother and baby Choose nutrient-dense foods Eat an extra 300 calories the last six months of pregnancy Eat no more than 12 ounces of low-mercury fish and shellfish per week Avoid food-borne illness Talk with an obstetrician about prescribing an iron supplement and/or multivitamin that includes folic acid.

Supplements Multinutrient vitamin supplements are recommended for pregnant women to cover the increased need for folic acid, vitamins B-6, C,and D, and calcium, copper, iron, and zinc.

Folic Acid (folate) Important for proper brain and nervous system development for the growing fetus Folate can be found in dark green leafy vegetables, whole grains, liver, dried beans and peas, peanut butter, and asparagus.

Iron Both the mother and the growing fetus need additional iron during pregnancy for building blood supply Excellent dietary sources of iron are dried fruits, spinach, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, and sardines.

Calcium Calcium is needed for the proper calcification of a growing baby's bones and teeth If the mother does not consume enough calcium, the body will automatically draw it from your bones— making sure your baby gets what he needs, but at the expense of your skeleton

Credits: This PowerPoint is a collaboration and combination of the 2010 NCDPI version and the original 2009 Hixson version. Modifications and revisions made by Karen Brown 10/16/10