Page 2 – Nourish 1000 days

TOXIC CHEMICALS IN FOOD TO BE AVOIDED IN PREGNANCY

When babies are exposed to numerous toxic compounds in the womb, it can damage the body and affect development, brain function, and reproduction.These chemicals can also impair the immune system and increase vulnerability to carcinogens and can lead to other diseases later in life. Eliminating harmful substances like artificial sweeteners, MSG, nitrates and pesticides can give your baby the best chance at a happy, healthy life.

3 must-have nutrients in pregnancy

Iron, folic acid and calcium are three vital nutrients that are often found to be lacking in our body and need to be supplemented during pregnancy right from the beginning. Deficiency of these nutrients can have detrimental impact on pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, preterm delivery, poor neurological and physical development, etc with effects that are irreversible

Optimum weight gain during pregnancy

Being pregnant does not give women a license to gain oodles of weight as is the case with most affluent Indian women. At the same time, the pregorexic (overly restricting energy intake and overexercising) mothers need to be cautioned regarding inadequate weight gain to prevent compromised nutrition to the baby throughout pregnancy as well as during the crucial period of lactation. One should know where to draw the line and be well educated about optimum weight gain on individual basis.

Pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension during pregnancy

The tremendous physiological changes occurring during pregnancy lead to imbalance in electrolytes resulting in high blood pressure. Pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension is the commonest medical complication of pregnancy and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality for both mother and baby.

Thyroid disorder in pregnancy

Increased thyroid hormone levels in pregnancy result due to two pregnancy-related hormones—human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and estrogen. The thyroid enlarges slightly in healthy women during pregnancy, but not enough to be detected by a physical exam. A noticeably enlarged thyroid can be a sign of thyroid disease and should be evaluated.

Vital vitamin D during pregnancy

Low maternal vitamin D concentrations may also affect the function of other tissues, leading to a greater risk of multiple sclerosis, cancer, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and schizophrenia later in life and may influence early-life respiratory health.

Sore Nipples

One very common difficulty new mothers face is sore nipples. Once developed, it causes a lot of pain during breastfeeding and consequently mother may discontinue breastfeeding. The best remedy is prevention. Sore nipples can be prevented by ensuring good attachment. Causes : 1) Poor attachment of baby to breast- Nipple sucking may cause excessive pain […]

Engorged breast

Often mothers misunderstand a full breast as engorged one. Engorgement can be very painful and may discourage a mother from breastfeeding . It is also one of the common reasons for babies crying at the breast. We must remember that here also good attachment plays an important role. Babies who can latch on well are […]