Diet tips for a winter pregnancy by Mrs. Edwina Raj

Being pregnant in winter is definitely better compared to summer as the cooler weather balances your naturally high internal temperature. It reduces the increased sweating during the third trimester. Although, winter is also associated with flu, common cold, infections, chills, etc.

Diet for Pregnancy during winter needs to be taken special care of. Your food intake is responsible for boosting your immunity. You must also keep yourself well hydrated and prevent your skin from becoming dry.

Here are some healthy eating tips to keep you and your growing foetus safe during winter:

  • Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to ensure a robust immunity.
  • Amla, or Indian gooseberry, is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. Add it to chutneys or drink it as amla juice, or you have it as sweet amla murabba. Vitamin C helps your body fight infection, and acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.
  • Drink kesar (saffron-few strands) milk which is also an antioxidant to help in improving your immune system.
  • To keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Keep a bottle of water handy and sip water regularly. It is important to stay hydrated even if you don’t feel thirsty.

by Mrs. Edwina Raj , Nutritionist.

10 More Vegetarian Superfoods For Pregnant Women

In our earlier blog, we had discussed the top 10 Superfoods for Vegetarians. These are 10 more Super Rich & Nutritious foods that make a remarkable impact on your health. Pregnancy is the most beautiful feeling any woman can ever experience. Throughout the three trimesters, your body floods out various hormones to adjust to bearing and nurture a new life within.

Along with healthy food, regular exercise can prevent the risk of birth defects and depression. Low iron levels can cause lethargy during pregnancy. Hence, Vegetarians need to take efforts persistently to include the below mentioned superfoods to account for the nutrients quintessentially required to meet the needs of the developing fetus as well as the energy requirements of the mother.

 

1)Tofu

Essential Nutrients: Packed with protein, iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin K.

Health Benefits: Essential for normal blood clotting, particularly after the birth, helps in building essential cells that forms vital body organs.

2)Avocado

Essential Nutrients: Powered with protein, folic acid, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, high calories.

Health Benefits: Helps in forming your baby’s brain and nervous system, building up tissues, helps to combat morning sickness. The high calorie helps those who want to gain weight during pregnancy.

3)Cereal

Essential Nutrients: Power house of energy, folic acid, fibre and vitamin B.

Health Benefits: Fortified cereals make great for an energetic breakfast. You need energy as you progress through your trimesters to support your child as well.

4)Cabbage

Essential Nutrients: Wholesome goodness of thiamin, folic acid, vitamin E, A, B6, C, K, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, fibre & iron.

Health Benefits: These vitamins aid in healthy breast-milk production. Chilled cabbage leaves placed in your bra help to soothe sore breasts during & after pregnancy. Magnesium improves blood flow.

5)Chickpeas

Essential Nutrients: Rich in calcium, magnesium, zinc and folic acid.

Health Benefits: Hummous (made from chickpeas) with peta bread makes a tasty snack. Fibre balances glucose levels; iron helps combat anaemia.Folic acid is vital for baby’s development.

6)Oils and Fats

Essential Nutrients: Entails omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants.

Health Benefits: Quintessential for cell function, brain and eye development.Go for the extra virgin olive oil. it lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular health by providing protection against heart disease, depression, cancer, high cholesterol and dementia.

7)Oatmeal

Essential Nutrients: Packed with fiber, protein and vitamin B6. It can be fortified with iron & folic acid.

Health Benefits: Whole grains containing complex carbohydrates that release energy slowly after you have eaten it. A bowl of oatmeal or porridge is a great start to the day and will help combat any fatigue which sets in mid-morning.

8)Tomatoes

Essential Nutrients: Contains vitamins A and C.

Health Benefits: Low fat tomatoes have the ability to regulate blood sugar, reduce stress, cure headaches and even protection against gall & kidney stones.

9)Going Nuts over Nuts

Essential Nutrients: Proteins, manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, magnesium, Vitamin E.

Health Benefits: They are memory-boosting foods, helps development of child’s brain and eyes, reduced risk of premature baby. Indulge guilt-free in almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, reduced risk of heart diseases.

10)Whole Wheat

Essential Nutrients: Plentiful of iron, fiber, Vitamin B complex and protein.

Health Benefits: Along with energy boost to the body, it releases energy from muscles, iron fights anemia & eases constipation. Brown rice & millets are considered a healthier option.

A Brand New Wardrobe for the Mommies-to-be!

It’s that time in your life where you stare at your wardrobe and tell yourself that you have nothing to wear. Certain things have to be kept in mind when you join the league of the mommies-to-be. Everything takes an extra effort, your diet, your daily regime and even your wardrobe. You must be elated about having a baby but at the same time the prospect of giving up all your lovely outfits and accepting yourself in extra-large dresses must be eating you up. This is a common notion around.

Accessorizing an existing wardrobe is completely different from creating a whole new one, especially if you are an expecting mother. Wardrobe tweaking can be delightful if done with the right mindset and knowledge.

Comfort is of utmost importance while picking clothes for your new wardrobe. If it is a single pregnancy, chances of showing are lesser till the second trimester. You might still be able to fit into your loose clothes till then. But it is always better to have some clothes ready, just in case you start showing earlier during the single pregnancy cases. Having a practical collection in hand is always convenient.

Dressing smart is as important as dressing comfortable. Switch to trousers from Jeans and team them up with a smart top. A pair of jeans or trousers that are low-cut and adaptable to your widening waistline is a smart choice. Your maternity wardrobe must include tops that are loose and comfortable. Wrap-around tops are comparatively better because they fit you according to your body shape and size. Similar to wrap-around tops are wrap-around skirts which make a lovely combination with the tops.

Shopping smart is the key to a practical maternity wardrobe. Clothes made out of lycra or cotton jersey tend to be stretchable and can prove to be useful during the pregnancy term. An important detail which most women are likely to forget is that the body temperature keeps fluctuating often during pregnancy. Wearing layers is probably the best bet during this phase because you can either put on or take off the layers according to the temperature.

It is not necessary for you to hide in extra-large tent like dresses if you are pregnant. You are at liberty to show off your best features and dress confidently. Wear a short skirt and show off your slim legs, or wear a sleeveless/cap-sleeve top to highlight your toned arms. Choose outfits which help you blend comfort with style. Match your outfits with accessories or scarves and deck up your maternity look.

Why do you need a Midwife?

If you are mother-to-be, you start preparing yourself for a number of things which you wouldn’t follow much if you weren’t expecting. You start following a proper schedule which lays down your activities for the day like how much time to spend on exercising, or at what intervals to eat etc. Taking you through this pregnancy is the job of a midwife or a healthcare provider who is in charge of prenatal care, the delivery, postpartum services.

Women usually see an OB-GYN during their pregnancy. But there are a lot of women in India who choose to have the guidance of both OB-GYNs and Midwives. Sometimes, they also opt for their family physician. But in most of the cases, the family physicians would have discontinued obstetrics training as it does fall under the purview of their predominant services. The whole idea behind appointing a midwife is for the mother to be comfortable as they do not share the same level of comfort with their doctors.

Your healthcare provider can be your OB-GYN, your midwife, your family physician, nurse practitioners, or perinatologists (doctors specializing in high-risk pregnancy). Usually, midwives are qualified enough when it comes to providing you with a quality pregnancy i.e. giving you a good pre-natal care and help you if you have a normal pregnancy. They help you experience the childbirth you want to experience. Midwives are exceptionally good at providing care and attention during term pregnancy and are easy to connect with. More than the physical care, they are also good at providing mental support and care to the pregnant woman and her family. They respect your wishes and practice what is in the right setting for you.

However, in cases of high-risk pregnancy or pregnancy which involves complications it is always better to consult a specialist. There are a lot of nurse practitioners who ace at dealing with complications during pregnancy but it is any day recommended that you see a specialist as a safe measure. Pregnant women must avoid in all circumstances, the intake of medications unless suggested by the healthcare provider. These medications must be discussed with the midwife before consumption. Not just the medications, every issue that arises during pregnancy like morning sickness, diet plans, exercise routines etc. should be discussed with the midwife.

Midwives usually have the knack of being able to help you deal with crisis during pregnancy like fever, vaginal bleeding, belly pain, irregular movements of the baby etc or any sort of emotional disturbance, mental trauma etc. These circumstances are difficult to deal with, and your midwife helps you get through such situations. Also they help you get through delivery with much more ease as compared to the doctor.

Quality Of Pregnancy

" Essential Pre-natal Services & Nutrition for Healthy Pregnancy - Motherhood Hospital India"

Before the advent of modern age medicine, not a lot of mothers and their babies would survive pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnancy and fetal development takes a toll on both the mother and the baby and thus requires a lot of efforts from the side of the mother. Being a mother instills a lot of strength and patience in a woman.
In cases where the mother or the baby or both do not survive the pregnancy and the childbirth process, the quality of pregnancy is blamed most of the times. The quality of pregnancy depends upon a lot of things but most importantly it depends on good pre-natal care. It can significantly improve the quality of pregnancy and ensure that the upshot for the mother and the baby is good.

To begin with quality pre-natal care involves a lot of things like nutrition, routine ultrasounds, frequent examinations of the mother and the baby for any sort of diseases or infections etc. and if found any, then treatment for those diseases. Good health habits are instrumental in ensuring that the quality of pregnancy remains good. Ultrasounds are highly essential in order to monitor the baby and to detect any problems with the baby, if any. Regular pre-natal examinations include routine screening for problems/diseases/infections in the mother’s body to check for Blood pressure issues, Diabetes, any kind of genetic disorders, blood type issues like ABO and Rh, STDs, protein in the urine etc.

The quality of pregnancy diminishes due to either lack of resources to keep the mother healthy or due to carelessness. Miscarriages that happen because of a poor pre-natal attention can easily be avoided by ensuring that the expecting mother is given enough attention and care for to keep her and her child healthy. Pre-natal care also helps in analyzing cases of high-risk pregnancy and monitoring the baby and the mother throughout the pregnancy.

The diet of the mother is of utmost importance during and after the pregnancy. The expecting mothers must follow a balanced diet, keeping in mind the weight management requirements. Folic acid should be a part of the motherŸ??s well-balanced diet without fail. A minimum of 0.4 milligrams of folic acid is necessary in the diet. Folic acid is essential because it helps in decreasing the risk of certain defects in birth.

In addition to the above mentioned points, pregnant women must also avoid all types of strong medication during pregnancy as they might hinder the process of fetal development by creating certain complications. Alcohol and tobacco must be strictly avoided during pregnancy and caffeine intake must be limited. Follow these steps and you can be assured of a good quality pregnancy.

Tips To Tackle Gestational Diabetes

Tips to Tackle Gestational Diabetes in Pregnancy - Motherhood Hospital India

Gestational diabetes involves poor maternal regulation of blood sugar and can cause potential health problems for both the mother and the baby. Prevention is better than cure. Treatment involves making healthy choices. Women who adapt to changes in food habits and exercise regimen can keep their blood sugar level in check.

It is said that around 5% of pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Divide your calorie intake into roughly 45% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 30% fats. The constant change of hormones can mess with your body big time! Untreated gestational diabetes can cause your baby to gain weight too quickly, which increases the risk of premature delivery.

Regular Exercise Regimen

Moderate exercise during pregnancy helps your body control your blood sugar level. Ensure you work out 30 mins a day. You may also notice that you feel better and have more energy.

Slack The Sugar

We know you donŸ??t want to hear this one, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Limit the sugar content you eat. Be aware of the sugars in fruits and starchy foods with high glycemic index like potatoes and white bread. Every time your sugar is high, your pancreas goes into overdrive, trying to make enough insulin. Guess what itŸ??s doing to your babyŸ??s pancreas? The same thing. Avoid the sports drinks, canned juices, sodas and artificial sweeteners as well. If you crave sweets, opt for a small amount of something natural like fruit or sweet corn.

Plenty Of Protein

Women should get not more than 20% of their calories from protein. Meat, milk and dairy products, soybeans, legumes, nuts, and eggs are good sources.

The Friendly Fibers

Since our body takes longer to digest high fiber foods, it has plenty of time to deal with the sugars in those foods. So pairing a carb with a protein still gives the calories, without the extra carbs. That prevents harmful blood sugar spikes. Good sources of fiber include whole grains, leafy green vegetables like lettuce and broccoli, and beans.

Cut the Carbohydrates

When you digest carbohydrates, they quickly turn into simple sugars (glucose), often raising your blood sugar before your body has enough time to produce sufficient insulin to regulate the situation. Avoid any packaged foods, processed foods or restaurant foods. Include foods such as whole grain bread or an apple with the skin on. Include milk, brown rice, quinoa, peas, yogurt, beans, beetroot, sprouts and carrots.

Fats Off The Rack

Indulge in unsaturated fats like nuts, avocados, olive oil and fish. Keep the amount of saturated fats (animal fats) to 7% of your calorie intake. Obese women have a higher risk for high blood pressure and a blood circulation problem called preeclampsia. Monitor you glucose level closely every day.

Insulin Shots

If your blood sugar levels are still too high after changing the way you eat and exercising regularly, you may need insulin shots. Insulin can help lower your blood sugar level without harming your baby.

P.S Ÿ?? DonŸ??t quit

The lifestyle changes you make now will help you have a healthy pregnancy and prevent diabetes in the future.

Puzzled About Your Weight Gain During Pregnancy?

If you are expecting then you naturally tend to gain weight. But there is also the question of how much weight you should gain during pregnancy. Weight gain is vital during pregnancy as it affects the development of the baby. You must be prepared to gain about 12 kilograms of weight at an average. However, it differs from 8 to 16 kilograms in most of the cases of pregnant women. The best part you will shred this extra weight once you deliver your baby and reach your pre-pregnancy weight after a while. This extra weight you gain encompasses your baby’s weight and a lot of other fluids and tissues that come along as the part and parcel of pregnancy. You must keep in mind that this weight gain is necessary for your baby’s growth and not try losing weight or lessen your calorie intake. The baby needs the nutrients in order to grow at a healthy pace. Research claims that the average pregnant women requires only about an increment of 300 calories on her usual diet before the pregnancy. This will ensure that she gains the apt amount of weight for her pregnancy phase. Here is how much you should gain if you are a mommy-to-be, first three months 1 to 3 kilograms and 0.5 kilograms every week henceforth. In case if twins, you can gain 0.7 kilograms per week during the rest of your pregnancy period. And the amount of calorie intake when you are expecting twins is much higher i.e. about 3500 calories a day. Following is the break-up of the entire weight to be gained during pregnancy: The child 3.6 kgs Blood supply 1.85 kgs Amniotic fluid 1.3 kgs Placenta 1 to 1.5 kgs Breast tissue 1 to 1.3 kgs Enlarged uterus 0.90 to 2.5 kgs Stored fat for breastfeeding and delivery 2.5 kgs to 4 kgs This comes up to a sum total of about 12 to 15 kgs. To gain the precise amount of weight a pregnant woman must follow the below tips:
  • Have about five to six short meals a day.
  • Consume short-eats like dry fruits, ice-creams, yogurt etc.
  • Use a peanut butter bread spread. It contains 100 calories and 7 grams of protein. You can use the peanut butter on crackers or celery also.
  • Add butter, cheese, margarine etc to your meals. It will make it delicious and will serve the purpose.
The above mentioned tips will not only make the mother and the baby healthy, but also ensure that the necessary amount of calories is consumed. All the expecting women have to remember only one thing that the future of their baby’s health depends on them and do the needful.

Fit Mothers, Fit Babies!

Physical exercises help in enhancing and maintaining body wellness and health. And during pregnancy, exercises are a must. However, there will be a slight change in the course of exercises from the normal regime. It is said that fit mothers have healthy and fit babies.

As much as stress and high amount of physical toil should be avoided during pregnancy, exercise on the other hand must be undertaken by all the mothers-to-be. Moreover, research is witness that women who stay fit during their pregnancy term are instrumental in the development of healthy hearts of their babies.

In addition to having healthy hearts, the babies also have healthy blood vessels which help in resisting any sort of problems in the arteries. And the positive consequences of exercising are extended to their adulthood. They develop a good immunity level as they grow older.

There are a lot of advantages of exercising during pregnancy. For the mother-to-be, exercises are recommended because they help in providing relief from backaches and also help in improving the posture of the body and preparing it for labor. If not at all days of the week, moderate intensity level exercises are recommended for pregnant woman timed at about 30-40 minutes per day. This helps in reducing constipation by accelerating the bowel movement and also helps in avoiding any kind of joint wear and tear which usually happens during pregnancy due to hormonal changes with the help of lubricating fluids in the joints.

If you are going to be a mommy, then the most important thing is for you to sleep well and be relieved of any type of stress and anxiety which might make you restless during the nights. Exercising on a regular basis during pregnancy increases the blood circulation in the body and results in a healthier glowing skin. Not only do you start looking more beautiful, you also are prepared to cope with labor pain and it is easier for you to get back into shape after the delivery of the child if you exercise while you are pregnant.

The biggest upside to being fit during pregnancy is that the risk of low birth weight, complications during pre-term delivery, or early pregnancy loss is minimized and the baby is born with a healthy heart and metabolism. The quality of the blood vessels in the pregnant women who exercise regularly is higher as compared to those who do not exercise.

When you exercise during pregnancy, there are significant changes in your vascular muscles that line the arteries which are of high importance in maintaining cardiovascular health. As a result of which, the baby is born with a strong inbuilt cardiovascular system and is helpful in avoiding a lot of diseases in future.

Early Signs Of Pregnancy

It’s been 7 days past your due date and now you are keen to know if you are pregnant. Missed periods are one of the surest signs of pregnancy. However, you cannot conclude the same without viable symptoms and tests.

Home Pregnancy Test

Home pregnancy tests after missed periods are very reliable. And if it’s positive then hurrah! Let’s celebrate for the coming of a baby!

You may experience some of these early signs of pregnancy.

1.Fever:

Your body temperature above 100.4 degrees indicates an infection; you should see the doctor. Pregnancy stresses out the immune system, thus you are prone to infections. The symptoms may include fever, cough, cold nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

2. Prickling Sore Nipples

As your body flushes out pregnancy hormones in the blood, you may feel your breasts sore or swollen and a prickling sensation around your nipples. It occurs during the first few weeks. You can also blame your hormones if notice the bluish veins beneath the skin.

3. Mood Swings

The dormant volcano inside you suddenly becomes active when your husband forgets to close the toothpaste cap. You suddenly get moody and your emotions are on a roller coaster ride. Well, if you are pregnant and you get your mood swings too often, dear husbands all the best!

4. Feeling Sick Nausea/Dizziness

Most women experience morning sickness (even during the nights for some). Occurring during the second trimester, you may feel like vomiting. Ensure sure you eat well and drink plenty of water and juices.

5. Feeling Tired & Fatigue
It’s not uncommon to find your energy draining out quickly. The low blood sugar and low blood pressure can take you for a roll. Indulge in eating healthy food to refrain yourself from getting exhausted & zoned out. It also helps in controlling birth defects.

6. Shortness of Breath

Do you find it difficult to climb stairs? The growing fetus needs oxygen, just as you do. Occurring from the second trimester onwards, the baby starts to put pressure on your lungs and diaphragm, making it slightly difficult for you to cope with your oxygen and energy levels.

6. Frequent Urination

One of the most annoying things most women experience during the second and third trimester is the need to urinate frequently. Accounting for the production of a larger volume of fluids and blood in your system, your kidneys work extra hard & more pressure is exerted on your bladder.

7. Backaches

If you experiencing frequent back pains, it could mean your ligaments are loosening to support your posture when your body gains weight and shifts the center of gravity.

8. Food cravings and Sensitivity towards Aromas

You may tend to suddenly develop a craving for a particular food or just go off some foods. Some can’t stand the taste of coffee and eggs; while others love to indulge in foods like ice-creams, tamarind, pickles, mangoes, etc. Your sensitivity towards aromas from food or cooking becomes more prominent.

9. Spotting & Cramping
Spotting during early pregnancy is caused by the hormones facilitating the implantation of the egg in the uterine wall. It takes place within two weeks. Spotting maybe a light pink or brown-coloured stain. An uncomfortable cramping in lower abdominal region could occur due to the stretching of skin. You may also encounter vaginal discharge or bleeding.

10. Constipation and Bloating

You hate to feel puffy or bloated up, because it not only brings discomfort but also because it makes you look fat in your favourite tees. It may be the progesterone hormone, which slows down your digestive system.

11. Darker nipples
The body prepares to breast feed the child. Hence, you may notice the patch of skin around your nipples (areolas) gets darker. More prominent during the last stages of pregnancy, your nipples become more erect. Shift to more comfortable inner wear that supports these changes occurring to welcome the new life.

Top 10 Vegetarian Superfoods For Pregnant Women

They say pregnancy is the most beautiful feeling any woman can ever experience. Throughout the three trimesters, your body floods out various hormones to adjust to bearing and nurturing a new life within. Hence, your diet makes a remarkable impact on your health.

Vegetarians need to take efforts persistently to include the below mentioned superfoods to account for the nutrients quintessentially required to meet the needs of the developing fetus as well as the energy requirements of the mother.

While there are many foods that have tremendous nutritional benefits like Quinoa, Hemp Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Brown Rice, Flax Seeds, etc. which may be difficult to accommodate in your daily diet; these are some simple superfoods that can be made a mandate to your regular diet to ensure your child’s healthy development.

1)Dairy in your Diet Diary

Essential Nutrients: Excellent source of proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B.

Health Benefits: Pivotal for development of bones and teeth, reduces risk of under-weight or pre-termed babies, reduced risk of osteoporosis in women at a later stage, production of hormones and enzymes, fights infection.

Include milk, yoghurt, soy milk, fortified products to deal with increased demand of calcium essential for child’s growth.

2)Affectionate Apricots

Essential Nutrients: Rich in folic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium and 10% of RDA of iron.

Health Benefits: Dried apricots help to combat problems related to constipation and checks to normalize bowel movements.

Tasty for an in-between snack during your hunger pangs.

3)Broccoli For Bones

Essential Nutrients: Great sources of calcium, magnesium, folic acid, Vitamin C, potassium and excellent source of vitamin A, anti-oxidants

Health Benefits: Vital for child’s bone development, aids digestion, helps healing of bruises.

4)Blueberries and Strawberries

Essential Nutrients: Packed with Vitamin C and fibre.

Health Benefits: Protection against cell damage and cystitis, regeneration of new cells, a handful meets the RDA for folic acid everyday, prevents serious birthing effects.

5)Sweet Potato

Essential Nutrients: Various nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, beta carotene, calcium, energy, vitamin A, copper, iron.

Health Benefits: An antioxidant, vital for bones, skin and eye development, copper helps better absorption of iron, helps in expanding blood volume, maintains healthy immune system.

Tip: Steaming works better than boiling.

6)Go Bananas over Bananas

Essential Nutrients: Rich in potassium, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, energy, tryptophan, pectin.

Health Benefits: Right pick to reduce the common problem of fluid retention and nausea, normalizes blood pressure, promotes digestion and good sleep, shields against ulcers and stomach acids, reduces swelling in the body and improves circulatory system of the body.

7)Beans For The New Genes

Essential Nutrients: Packed with protein, iron, calcium, thiamine, and niacin.

Health Benefits: Includes ease of digestion, development of the placenta, baby’s brain and central nervous system, new blood production.

8)Power Of Pomegranate

Essential Nutrients: Rich in potassium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E and anti-oxidants.

Health Benefits: Reduced risk of anemia, heals hemorrhoids, excellent for immune system, increases bone density, excellent for skin care.

9)Goodness of Orange Juice

Essential Nutrients: Rich in potassium, fibre and vitamin C

Health Benefits: It increases the absorption of iron and calcium from your food, keeps you hydrated, prevent fatigue and tiredness, keeping your muscle function, fighting colds, metabolism and overall health in check, increases blood circulation in the placenta

10)Go Green with the GLV’s

Essential Nutrients: It contains calcium, iron, beta-carotene, lutein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C.

Health Benefits: Helps fight cancer, promotes nutritionally-dense breast milk, vital for normal birthing and child development.