All4Baby » PREG_14 https://all4baby.co.za From Pregnancy to birth to baby and beyond. The place to find, chat, and share. Thu, 10 Jul 2014 16:09:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=466 4 reasons to follow an organic pregnancy diet! https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/nutrition-and-exercise/797/4-reasons-follow-organic-pregnancy-diet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4-reasons-follow-organic-pregnancy-diet https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/nutrition-and-exercise/797/4-reasons-follow-organic-pregnancy-diet/#comments Thu, 29 May 2014 07:35:21 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=797 Healthy living is an important choice throughout life, but is rarely on the mind more than in pregnancy.

The post 4 reasons to follow an organic pregnancy diet! appeared first on All4Baby.

]]>
Like antenatal classes or regular exercise, a good diet should form part of pregnancy preparations; to keep the body in shape and ensure mother and baby get all the nutrients they need. Choosing an organic pregnancy diet over regular produce can be a way to boost that nutrient intake, so may lead to a healthier pregnancy.

Improving health

Even if a nutrient-rich, healthy diet is already a priority, choosing organic foods can make a world of difference. Organic products use organic farming methods – meaning that they do not use pesticides, chemical fertilizers or chemical food additives, and foods are not irradiated for sterilization. As a result, organic foods are seen as healthier; they lack potentially harmful substances and contain higher quality nutrients.

Pregnant women have much higher demands for vitamins and minerals than normal, so diet is key for mother and baby to remain in the best health possible. An improved immune system, better sleeping habits and increased vitamin E levels are some of the associated benefits, and organic fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of antioxidants and beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.

Not all organic products are superfoods

Just because a food is labelled ‘organic’, doesn’t automatically mean it’s healthy. Biscuits and sugary treats can still be organic!

The choice to eat organic products however shows a certain level of mindfulness of a healthy lifestyle – and most who choose organic are aware that balanced meals; fruits, vegetables and proteins, will be best!

Bear in mind that pregnant women may still need to take additional supplements within their diet, and should consult their doctor to find out what’s needed.

Reducing Risks

In addition to the health benefits, many pregnant women choose organic foods to reduce risk. Most mothers-to-be will already avoid or limit particular foods that could have harmful effects, such as caffeine or fish that may contain mercury.

Organic is seen as a lower risk because regular food production uses methods that organic farming does not – methods which may cause food to have less essential nutrients and a multitude of chemical residues from chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. Chemical hormones may also be found in non-organic produce – not ideal for a body already undergoing a hormonal upheaval. Increased levels of chemicals and carcinogens can generally have a number of associated risks such as cancer, and in pregnancy, could contribute to miscarriage.

This is not to say that all non-organic foods are toxic and should be avoided though, far from it. A healthy diet, organic or not, is always preferable to processed, sugary, unhealthy foods. But choosing organic may have additional benefit, and less risk.

Better habits for life

In choosing to eat better food, many parents-to-be are creating good lifestyle habits to continue once their child is born.

An organic choice may also make an environmental difference.  Many organic food markets source their produce locally, so in choosing local goods, carbon footprints can be reduced, seasonal living promoted and local farmers supported. Organic eating can build a better world for soon-to-be-born children.

Suzanne Gibbard is a mother to three and runs a business called Bundles of Joy which sells personalised christening gifts.

 

The post 4 reasons to follow an organic pregnancy diet! appeared first on All4Baby.

]]>
https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/nutrition-and-exercise/797/4-reasons-follow-organic-pregnancy-diet/feed/ 0
8 pregnancy diet tips! https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/nutrition-and-exercise/753/8-pregnancy-diet-tips/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=8-pregnancy-diet-tips https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/nutrition-and-exercise/753/8-pregnancy-diet-tips/#comments Fri, 23 May 2014 10:02:15 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=753 NHC Health Centres share eight pregnancy diet tips with expectant mothers.

The post 8 pregnancy diet tips! appeared first on All4Baby.

]]>
While many pregnant women may use “eating for two’ as an excuse to have bigger meals, it’s best to know that overindulging might lead to some complications during pregnancy.

“Pregnant women might be eating for two, but this does not mean you need to eat twice as much as you normally would. Overeating might lead to excessive weight gain for you, it also puts you at risk for other pregnancy complications”, Dr Nicola Rains, a general practitioner at NHC Health Centres

According to Sue Scharf, dietician at NHC,“Eating healthy is even more important when you’re pregnant, because what you put in your body feeds both you and your baby. Your baby is dependent on you for getting enough nutrition. There are things you can do to get all the necessary nutrients without eating a lot more calories”.

  1. Eat a variety of foods to meet your daily needs for protein, calories, carbohydrates, healthy fats, key vitamins and minerals.  Try to look for different colours, types and textures in your food.
  2. Try to minimize foods that have more calories but few nutrients. Food like fizzy drinks, fried foods, or foods with extra fat and sugar. To get the healthy calories your baby needs, rather eat a few nutrition-packed snacks like low fat yoghurt, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit and salads such as baby carrots, celery stick; also low fat cracker breads + cottage cheese / hummus.
  3. Planning your daily meals gives structure to your eating habits, making it easier to follow a healthy pregnancy diet and help control weight gain.
  4. Foods that are close to their natural state are the best. Whole-grain bread or brown rice is  better  than white bread or rice, as well as fresh fruits rather than canned fruits in sugar syrup
  5. Be sure to choose healthier fats and oils (such as olive oil and canola oil; also avocado), eat sweets sparingly, and only following a healthy meal.
  6. Grab a bowl of home-made popcorn, a home-made fruit smoothie, mixed nuts, a serving of fruit or yoghurt if you feel that you are still not full after a meal.
  7. Drink LOTS of water throughout the day.
  8. Keep active as well – walk everyday; do a Pilates class (with a properly qualified instructor); join an ante-natal class.

“Remember that while pregnant, your baby’s health and growth are related to what you eat. When you are tempted to help yourself to another place of rice and chicken, remember that you are eating for a baby and not a full-size adult. It is all about quality over quantity” says Dr Rains.

The post 8 pregnancy diet tips! appeared first on All4Baby.

]]>
https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/nutrition-and-exercise/753/8-pregnancy-diet-tips/feed/ 0
Study: Turning off the TV during pregnancy could prevent childhood obesity https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/planning-for-baby/599/study-turning-tv-pregnancy-prevent-childhood-obesity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-turning-tv-pregnancy-prevent-childhood-obesity https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/planning-for-baby/599/study-turning-tv-pregnancy-prevent-childhood-obesity/#comments Mon, 12 May 2014 09:44:18 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=599 Expectant mothers can help prevent childhood obesity early by adopting healthy screentime habits even before the child is born.

The post Study: Turning off the TV during pregnancy could prevent childhood obesity appeared first on All4Baby.

]]>
That’s the overriding conclusion of a new study presented this week at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Vancouver, where researchers said that women who ate in front of the TV during meal times while they were pregnant were five times more likely to expose their infants to TV during feeding times than their counterparts.

Reinforcing healthy media habits

“Reinforcing healthy media habits during pregnancy may help reduce infants’ mealtime media exposure and impact long-term media habits in children,” said lead author Mary Jo Messito.

For their study, researchers analyzed data from an early childhood obesity prevention program conducted for low-income Hispanic families at Bellevue Hospital Center/NYU School of Medicine in New York.

Mothers were followed until the babies were three years old. During their third trimester, 71 percent of the 189 participants reported watching TV during “some” meal times (compared to options like “never,” “often” and “always”) while 33 percent of mothers said their three-month-olds were also exposed to TV during feedings.

Identifying maternal behaviors will help childhood obesity prevention

“Identifying specific maternal behaviors and characteristics associated with child TV viewing during meals will help early childhood obesity prevention efforts seeking to promote responsive feeding and limit TV exposure during infancy.”

The latest research builds on a body of work that has shown a link between increased screen time, poor eating habits and obesity.

Excessive weight gain in pregnancy predisposes babies to childhood obesity

Likewise, a major study that looked at 41,133 women in Arkansas found that those who gained excessive weight during pregnancy also predisposed their babies to childhood obesity. The research was published in PLoS last October.

(AFP Relaxnews)

The post Study: Turning off the TV during pregnancy could prevent childhood obesity appeared first on All4Baby.

]]>
https://all4baby.co.za/pregnancy/planning-for-baby/599/study-turning-tv-pregnancy-prevent-childhood-obesity/feed/ 0