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Pregnancy Nutrition from A to Z
A Comprehensive List of Nutrition Issues for Moms-to-be
By Donna Smith
Tea and coffee consumption during pregnancy is a controversial subject. According to Nutritionist Alison Gamble, consuming 300 milligrams or more of caffeine is considered heavy usage, and those women are 50 percent more likely to spontaneously abort. It also increases the risk of having a low birth weight baby, and a study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood reported that children of women who consumed 400 milligrams a day were more than twice as likely to die of SIDS. Consuming large amounts doesn't mean you'll have problems, but it increases the risks. Three, 5-ounce cups of coffee contain about 300 milligrams.
Urine should not have much color to it. "If it's not nearly clear, then you're probably not drinking enough water," says pre- and postnatal fitness expert Catherine Cram. "It's helpful to fill a large quart bottle of water in the morning and try and drink it by noon and repeat for the afternoon, adding additional water as needed if you're exercising. It's helpful to consume the greater portion of water earlier in the day, so you don't have to make late-night bathroom visits."
Varicose veins that become enlarged around the rectal area are what we refer to as hemorrhoids. "The hormones of pregnancy cause a relaxation of all smooth muscle," says Shirley Moore, certified nurse-midwife. "The veins are smooth muscles. This relaxation in combination with the increased blood volume and pressure that occurs during pregnancy makes a pregnant woman more prone to hemorrhoids." Moore advises pregnant women to keep the stools soft by drinking lots of fluids and including foods high in fiber in her diet, such as whole-grain breads, beans, cereals and vegetables.
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Re: Intresting by Susan on 02/03/2009 01:36AM
This article is very interesting as it has helped a lot in my first time pregnancy. Being alone and not knowing what to do as a first time mum, I do really appreciate these.
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Pregnancy Nutrition from A to Z by Tonya on 06/11/2009 05:25PM
Great tips here in an easy to read format. Appreciate that. Doesn't read like a medical journal. Just easy ideas I can actually follow. Thank you.