Tag: Pregnancy

  • Your Lifestyle And Hypertension (Part 2)

    Your Lifestyle And Hypertension (Part 2)

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    Let’s go a little quantitative and slightly medical for a while. When you visit your doctor or any legally recognized health practitioner, taking your blood pressure is one of the basic examinations to be performed. And afterwards, they usually scribble some jargons on a piece of paper and probably prescribe to you some drugs thereafter, with cacographic handwritings. Blood pressures are measured with the use of a Sphygmomanometer tied around your upper arm as a cuff, and the values are documented as a fraction of your highest blood pressure (systolic) to your lowest blood pressure (diastolic). Normal values are of the ranges 100-140mmHg for the systolic and 60-90mmHg for the diastolic.

    Secondary hypertension usually results from an identifiable cause. It is a case of “if Jericho refuses to challenge Israel, Israel must pull down Jericho!” either way, everybody must know that Israel wins. This means that primary hypertension can later become Secondary hypertension or Secondary hypertension can usually occur on its own due to identifiable causes such as Kidney failure, Hyperthryroidism or Coarctation of the Aorta and so many others. Either way, one’s body organs begin to fail. Jericho’s wall starts to fall!

    Two new concepts suddenly emerge at this point. The one is called Hypertensive urgencies and the other is known as hypertensive emergencies. Both involve a sustained high blood pressure above normal (about 180/110 mmHg), however the latter usually occurs with an evidence of target organ damage. What are these target organs? They include the eyes, the Kidneys, Brain, Lungs and Heart. Imagine a blind bedridden human with paralysis, bad kidneys and yet has a heart attack. A good example of the living dead. Many patients are usually noncompliant when the doctor says, “Sir, we would need to admit you immediately”. This statement is often made when the kidneys have written resignation letter to the association of body parts and both eyes have decided to get a divorce.

    Is Hypertension Age Dependent?

    While hypertension is commonly a condition in adults and much worse in the elderly, children oftentimes are diagnosed of hypertension but this is very rare: like finding one bad egg in a warehouse of shipped crates. Children affected often fail to thrive or develop as should be, frequently have nose bleeding, easily fatigued, often breathless, blurred vision, irritability seizures and sometimes facial paralysis. If found in children, it usually is a pointer to a problem with their kidneys.

    I’m Pregnant, What about me?

    Hypertension would usually occur in 8-10% of global pregnancies, and is said to be in pregnancy if there is sustained elevation of blood pressure after 2 checkups within a 6-hour period in between checkup’s. It could be a preexisting hypertension which must have been present before conception. It could also be gestational due to pregnancy and may then progress to what we call Preeclampsia which is characterized by increased protein in the urine in addition to the raised blood pressure. Preeclampsia is present in 5% of pregnancies. However, preecmplamsia can further progress to becoming Eclampsia, which is a very fatal gestational hypertensive emergency. It is capable of claiming the lives of both mother and unborn child. Pregnant women should have regular antenatal checkups and have their blood pressures closely monitored and controlled when necessary.

    Even drugs are Culprits.

    All substances are potential poisons, the dosage would tell. There are many other factors aside from drug dosage that can cause adverse drug effects. Drugs such as NSAIDS(pain killers), Oral contraceptives like morning after pill, drugs that increase your heart rate, drugs that retain fluid in your blood vessels(Antidiuretics) and various Steroids can cause Secondary hypertension.

    What do I do now?

    Hypertension is not the end of life. Visit your doctor and listen to whatever treatment modalities he or she gives you. Be compliant. This is a serious one. Poorly managed hypertension is as good as no treatment at all. Appropriate lifestyle modifications are essential here: exercise regularly, reduce salt intake, avoid much stress, Smoking and Alcohol intake should be a no no, or at least reduced to nonlethal amounts. You may also want to quit these 2 habits meet with your doctor for advice. Eat well and Sleep well. DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet is encouraged here. Your meals should generally contain low fat dairy foods, enough vegetables and whole grains, fruits are also essential with limited sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.

    Hypertension is another hidden menace in our evolving society. Let’s all join hands and fight it off together. Health is no doubt Wealth.

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    Source by Nelson U Udeme

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  • How to Prevent and Overcome Prenatal Alcohol and Drug Exposure

    How to Prevent and Overcome Prenatal Alcohol and Drug Exposure

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    Drug and alcohol abuse is one among the major challenges of an expecting mother. This usually has a lot of negative effects on the fetus during birth and can lead to other bigger problems in life.

    To light up the issue associated with the use of drug and alcohol during pregnancy, a week has been launched to create awareness about this growing problem. Alcohol, drug, and pregnancy should not go together are the main scope of this event. Every year the Alcohol & Drug-Related Birth Defects awareness week starts on the 13th of May and will continue until the 19th. This awareness week targets mainly on the childbearing women whose age ranges from 15 years to 45 years.

    It is not fair for an innocent soul to be punished because of its mother's poor decision. More babies could be prevented if their mothers are not indulged in drug and alcohol abuse. When mothers take proper care during their pregnancy, some problems, namely: low birth weight, the improper diameter of the head, age-related developments, epilepsy can be avoided.

    Only some women will intake alcohol even after knowing about their pregnancy, whereas many are unaware that they are pregnant until their 4th to 6th week and consumption of these during that time might have already done enough damage to the fetus. Since all the women want to have a baby at some point in life, it is advice for mothers to quit using them if they are trying to get pregnant. Using any amount of drugs and alcohol is considered unsafe during pregnancy.

    How to overcome prenatal alcohol and drug exposure

    It is a must for everyone to attend the events related to this week to educate yourself and your family members know about the seriousness of it. Listed below are some ways to overcome the prenatal and drug exposure:

    Join hands with your community members, nearby hospitals to create an awareness event. Seek attention from the wide range of audience by choosing the most attractive giveaway items. Some of them include caps, pocket pins, finger rings, wristbands. The interesting thing about choosing them is, they can be customized with personalized messages about the event.

    Design posters, banners, templates related to the event and distribute it for free. Make use of the social media websites and popularize the events. Ideas include creating chat groups on Facebook, hashtags in Twitter and posting pictures related to the event on Instagram.

    To be precise avoid drugs if you are wanting to get pregnant, that's the only way you can protect your child from the havoc caused by the usage of drugs. Since, it is easier for others to comment about the use of alcohol, for the sufferer, it is not really easy to come out of it. Speak with your healthcare professional and look after the ways to refrain yourself from using it. Also, you can find many counseling centers in and around your community to help people deal with such problems. Ideas discussed here are not based on the opinions or suggestions from a medical practitioner. Please check with your healthcare provider to get more information about this serious issue.

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    Source by Billie Jean Bateson

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  • The Different Types of B Vitamins

    The Different Types of B Vitamins

    There are a large number of B vitamins that are needed to keep all of the body functions performing properly. All of the B vitamins are essential for a number of different processes. Without sufficient B vitamins the blood supply would not be healthy and this leads to a variety of illnesses and diseases. The brain needs B vitamins to function correctly and the heart also needs B vitamins to stay healthy and prevent heart disease and food is broken down into the various nutrients by B vitamins. In fact, just about every organ and process within the body requires at least one form of the B vitamin.

    Thiamin, or B1, is the B vitamin that the body needs to keep all of its cells, especially the nerves, functioning correctly. It is especially important for memory and general mental health and is one of the B vitamins that is required to convert food into energy.

    Riboflavin, or B2, is the B vitamin that is essential for releasing the enrgy from food that has been consumed. Without this B vitamin the body cannot grow or develop properly as red blood cells will not be as healthy as they should be.

    Niacin, or B3, is the B vitamin that is involved in over fifty processes, ranging from detoxifying chemicals to making hormones and releasing energy from food.

    Pantothenic acid, or B5,works with several other B vitamins for a number of essential processes including breaking down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy and is also the B vitamin that is needed to form vitamin D, a variety of hormones, and red blood cells.

    Pyridoxine, or B6, is the B vitamin that is largely responsible for redistributing the amino acids to create over five thousand proteins that are needed by the body and is also one of the B vitamins needed to form various enzymes.

    Biotin, or B7, is one of the B vitamins that are involved in a number of processes within the body, including the breaking down of fats, carbohydrates and proteins into useable energy forms.

    Folic acid, or B9, is the essential B vitamin for aiding in cell growth and division, especially during pregnancy. This B vitamin is also necessary to make natural chemicals which control the appetite, moods and quality of sleep. It is also the best B vitamin for helping lower the chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke by keeping the arteries open.

    Cobalamin, or B12, is one of the B vitamins that is important in the process of converting the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy. This B vitamin is also vital in forming the protective covering of nerve cells and to keep red blood cells healthy, and help prevent heart disease.

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  • The Importance of the 12 B vitamin

    The Importance of the 12 B vitamin

    The 12 b vitamin is one of the b vitamins that are essential to maintain a healthy body. Otherwise known as Cobalamin, the 12b vitamin is needed for the processes to convert the carbohydrates, fats and proteins from food into energy. 12 b also, more importantly, helps keep the red blood cells healthy and therefore prevent heart disease as well as keeping the immune system functioning at its maximum level. In addition, 12 b is used to create the protective covering of all nerve cells in the body.

    The most important function of 12 b is to form healthy red blood cells. However, all cells need 12 b to keep them healthy. It is the white blood cells, amongst others, that need 12 b to help ensure that the immune system functioning properly. All of the nerve cells in the body also need 12 b to form their protective fatty layer. This is essential for all of the nerves but is especially so for those in the brain. If there is not sufficient 12 b to create this protective layer then the brain will not be functioning properly.

    Interestingly, the amount of 12 b that the body needs is relatively small but is needed on a regular basis. However, 12 b on its own is not enough as the body cannot absorb it easily. To help the body absorb 12 b the stomach produces intrinsic factor which enables more of the 12 b to be absorbed. 12 b is only found in animal foods such as liver, eggs, fish and meat but most people consume far more than their recommended daily amount of 12 b. This is not a problem as the body can only absorb about half of the 12 b that is consumed. It is also worth noting that the body can recycle the 12 b which cuts down on the impact of a 12 b deficiency. However, strict vegetarians or vegans are likely to require 12 b supplements if they do not eat any animal products that contain 12 b.

    If the body does not have enough 12 b then anaemia is the most obvious symptom. Obviously, this is due to the fact that there is not enough 12 b to make healthy red blood cells. Anaemia can also be caused by the body not creating enough intrinsic factor to help absorb the 12 b that is available in the food consumed. The body tends to makes less intrinsic factor once a person reaches 50 and this will lead to less 12 b being absorbed and supplements of 12 b may be required. Kids are also at risk from anaemia because they may not eat the food that contain 12 b. Pregnant women need more 12 b because the baby is absorbing 12 b during the pregnancy to grow properly.

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  • Prenatal Vitamin Supplements

    Prenatal Vitamin Supplements

    Prenatal vitamin supplements are vitamin supplements that a woman can take on a daily basis to ensure that she is obtaining appropriate quantities of essential nutrients during pregnancy. It is important for a woman to discuss with her medical practitioner which prenatal supplements, if any, she should take and which she should avoid. It is essential that all prenatal vitamin supplements are only taken under the advisement of a medical professional. There are some prenatal vitamin supplements that can prove dangerous for a pregnant woman to take and she has to be especially cautious.

    The most important point to consider when deciding which prenatal vitamin supplements to take is which one contains certain nutrients that are beneficial to the woman and her developing baby. The majority of adults do not need additional vitamins as they receive sufficient from a balanced diet but a pregnant woman often needs prenatal vitamin supplements, especially for folic acid and iron. However, it is essential that she ensures that the prenatal vitamin supplements that she takes to provide one particular nutrient do not contain potentially harmful amounts of another.

    One of the most toxic types of prenatal vitamin that a pregnant woman has to be extremely cautious of is vitamin A. For this reason the most suitable prenatal vitamins for pregnant women who require extra vitamin A are those which contain vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a nutrient that is found in fruits and vegetables and is converted into vitamin A in the body. Prenatal vitamin supplements that contain vitamin A from animal products can cause birth defects when taken in high doses during pregnancy but beta-carotene is a much safer prenatal vitamin as it is not toxic in high doses.

    It is essential that a woman discusses prenatal vitamin supplements with her health practitioner at her first prenatal check-up. They can examine her current dietary requirements and assess whether prenatal vitamin supplements are necessary to increase the amount of nutrients that she has available for her baby. Often a doctor will recommend that a pregnant woman takes a course of a folic acid vitamin supplement during the first trimester of her pregnancy. Folic acid is the most commonly prescribed prenatal supplement for the months prior to becoming pregnant as well and it is essential for the health and growth of the baby, especially the brain functions. Iron is another prenatal vitamin supplement that is recommended to prevent the mother suffering from anaemia due to the demands that the baby puts on her iron consumption.

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  • Getting the Most From Affiliate Marketing

    Affiliate marketing is nothing new on the internet. However, it sure is something that many come and go after. When you are looking to start your own website or blog and add some affiliate marketing links to it, there are some things that you should know. Affiliate marketing is not for everyone. It is not for anyone that is looking to make money fast, nor is it for the impatient. You have to have two things in order to be successful with affiliate marketing, and those two things are patience, and determination. When you put those two together, there is no stopping you or what you can do with your affiliate marketing business.

    Affiliate marketing can be done a few ways; it can be done through email, newsletters, websites, or blogs. By using any of these things, you can be successful if you are marketing to the right audience. Finding your readership, and catching them with good content is what it is all about. To do so, you need to know where they go and what they look for. Try starting with message boards to begin with. However, use some patience and don’t come off as the newbie know it all. Take some time and peak others interest. Add the link to your website or blog in your signature line at the message board that you are visiting, and most importantly, make sure that the message board is relevant to your market. If you have a website that pertains to a market that has to do with gardening, you will not want to be visiting a message board that is all about pregnancy. It is really quite simple to understand how these two things must be relevant to get results.

    So, once you have found a busy message board that will allow you to include your link to your website in the signature of your posts, you are in business. Just start off by posting and chatting, and when someone asks a question that you know all about and answer to, answer it. This will peak their interest and before you know it, they will be clicking on the link in your signature and checking out your site. While doing this can be quite time consuming, it will pay off. Gain the other members trust, and you cannot go wrong.

    The next thing that you should know about getting the most from affiliate marketing is that you should be writing articles. Writing articles on the market that you are promoting and then submitting them to article directories or ezines is a great way to get the most from your affiliate links and programs that you are a part of. Be sure that you include a link in the articles that you are submitting that will lead the readers back to your website. Doing so will get your site more traffic, and will pay off in the end. However, you will not want to submit the same articles that you have on your site to these directories. You will want different variations of the articles to be used in the directories. This is because when you submit these articles to the directories, you are going to see that by checking your back links, there are other webmasters using your articles. Which is also great because they will in return give you a back link to your site. However, they are depending on you to have a different article on your site than the one that you are submitting.

    Affiliate marketing is something that takes work. You can not just set up your site and let it go. You have to work on it consistently to see a good amount of revenue come from it. However, make sure that you are doing everything that you can to get it seen. Use the best free tools that there are available to you, and pay for the ones that really work. You will find that you can get the most from the resources that are out there and available.

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  • A Comparison of Birth Control Pills – Helping You Decide

    A Comparison of Birth Control Pills – Helping You Decide

    In making a comparison of birth control pills, it should be known that oral contraceptives have been around the market for over 45 years. It was first tagged as the pill when it was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration or FDA. This form is the most reliable that women turn to when they want to get pregnant.

    Weight Gain
    But another side to oral contraceptives is how they affect a woman’s body to gain weight. It really is dumbfounding because you will hear such stories from many women who have used the pill for the obvious reason of avoiding pregnancy.

    But despite the fact that it causes additional pounds, the celebrity status that birth control pills have been know for have not diminished through time. Women still relay on these for such purpose, whether they gain weight or not.

    This really depends on the body type of a person. Some women do not have problems of this sort. But the ladies who belong to such lucky classification have also not been fighting over the weighing scale as they were growing old. The ones who are prone to gain weight from the pills are those who accumulate fats easily through food and whatever they intake.

    For this reason, when a woman gains weight from the pills, she must also be ready to counteract it by having the proper diet and right amount of exercise. You must treat it like your ordinary weight gain. This is for you to be able to trust the pill and likewise, not to risk pregnancy when you are still not ready for it.

    You must not fear the drug because of the side effect on your weight. Those can be worked out on. Unlike with unexpected pregnancy, you have to live with that for the rest of your life.

    A Brief Comparison of the Pills
    There are actually many types of this pill available for you to choose from. The POP or Progestin-only pills have no estrogen. This is usually called the mini-pill. It primarily works to thicken the cervical mucus so that the sperm won’t be able to enter the uterus. This kind must be taken consistently at a certain time everyday to achieve great results.

    Combination pills, meanwhile, are those that have estrogen and progestin. The many kinds under this type are said to prevent women from having ovarian cancer as well as endometrial cancer.

    The third most popular are the ECPs or emergency contraceptive pills. This must be taken after 120 hours of committing unprotected sex. The drug will prevent you from impregnating as the cause of the act. This shouldn’t be taken regularly though. It is only when needed that one should subject herself to this type of pill.

    The important thing to remember when choosing the type of pill that will suit your body is to consult your doctor about it. They know about what will work best for you in terms of this condition because they have scientific knowledge about the field.

    This is just a brief comparison of birth control pills. There are a lot more available in the market. And for sure, a lot more will be discovered and developed as time passes by.

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  • Eating to Conceive

    Almost every woman knows that it is important to eat well while you are pregnant. The benefit it provides you and your baby is invaluable. But, do you also know how important it is to eat well even before you get pregnant?  If you are actively trying to get pregnant you have to make sure your body is prepared to accept the challenge.  The first thing you should do before even beginning to try is to talk to your doctor to see how you measure up health wise. Does he think you need to lose a few pounds before getting pregnant or does he feel you need to gain a few? Your doctor may recommend that you change your eating habits and start exercising.

    As soon as you decide you want a baby, you should begin to get in the habit of eating healthier. Slowly begin to cut out caffeine. If you smoke, now is a good time to quit rather than waiting until you have that positive test.   Smoking can decrease your fertility and increase your risk of a miscarriage if you are still smoking when you are pregnant.

    Another thing you can do is to start taking prenatals or at least a multivitamin supplement that contains at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. You can also begin to add food into your diet that is rich in folic acid such as spinach and other green vegetables, peanuts, and orange juice. You can also start by taking a prenatal vitamin also.  These vitamins contain iron, folic acid, and calcium along with vitamin C, D, B and vitamins B6 and B12 also.

    Reevaluated your diet. Start to eat foods that have plenty of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Lay off the fat and excess sugar. You want to eat foods that have a high nutrient density.  Eat at least five portions a day of fruits and vegetables along with protein and iron rich foods like dried fruit, and green vegetables.  Try to steer clear of raw fish like sushi, and steer clear of undercook shellfish, meat or chicken. You also want to try to avoid fish that has high mercury content like swordfish, shark, or king mackerel.  Cut out any food that has unpasteurized milk in it including cheeses such as brie, camembert, and some Mexican cheese.  Also cut out foods that have raw egg in it including homemade cookie dough.

    Make sure you up your water intake.  Water should always be your first beverage choice before, after and during your pregnancy.  Water helps to flush your system of toxins.  Once you’ve gotten your eight glasses in, you can drink fruit and vegetable juices also.

    Perhaps the most important thing you can do before you get pregnant is to cut out all alcohol.  The American College of Obstetricians and gynecologists have stated that women who drink might have a harder time getting pregnant than women who do not drink.  Another reason why you should give up alcohol is that most birth defects that are caused by alcohol exposure usually occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy, usually before you even know you are pregnant.

    Getting your body prepared for pregnancy is one of the best decisions you could make.  Your body will be more prepared for the challenge of growing a baby and the experience will be a little easier on your body.

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  • Eating to Prevent Heartburn

    Heartburn does not just affect those who are high stressed or love their spicy foods.  Pregnant women suffer from heartburn too.  You will find as your pregnancy progresses that antacids tend to  become your best friend.   Heartburn has nothing to do with your heart.

    It is when the acid from your stomach leaks up into the esophagus.  Heartburn is very common during pregnancy.  In fact one in four women experience heartburn during their pregnancy usually during the third trimester.  The reason is that your baby has grown a tremendous amount and your uterus has moved up and is now putting pressure on your stomach.  This crowds the digestive tract and allows acids to travel back up the esophagus.   There is an old wives tale that if you have bad heartburn, your baby will have a lot of hair.   Of course there is no proof in this but it is a fun thing to believe in.

    There are ways you can help prevent heartburn during pregnancy.  You can start by taking your time while you eat.  Not only will you enjoy your food better but your stomach will not have to work as hard to digest your food.  You also want to try eating early and eat at least two hours before you go to bed that night so your body has plenty of time to digest your food.

    Keep your meals small. Stick with eating six small meals through out the day. Large meals tend to stuff up your stomach which is already extra squashed thanks to your uterus.  A stuffed stomach makes it that more likely that some of the food along with stomach acid will make its way back up the esophagus.

    Also, make sure you keep your fluids and solids separate.  Too much fluid mixed with too much food can distend the stomach which can aggravate heartburn.  You also want to eat sitting up.  Don’t eat while lying down, and if you are having a bed time snack make sure you are propped up by pillows.

    Your weight plays a part in how much heartburn you may experience.  The heavier you are, the more pressure you are placing on your esophageal sphincter.  This is another reason why you should not gain to much more than the recommended amount.

    Find out what foods cause your heartburn.  Once you figure out what foods cause heartburn, you can cut them out of your diet.  Some foods you might want to steer clear of are highly seasoned spicy foods, soda, tomatoes sauce, chocolate, and some citrus.  Greasy foods are also a big contributor to heartburn.   Cutting out greasy, fried food is going to help with your heartburn prevention.

    When all else fails, take something for your heartburn.  Tums and Rolaids are perfectly safe to take during pregnancy.  If you are not comfortable taking any over the counter medicines try some natural ways such as eating a handful of almonds.  Almonds are a stomach settler and might help with your heartburn.  Another natural remedy is a tablespoon of honey mixed with milk is a favorite for preventing heartburn.

    Like with some pregnancy discomforts, heartburn is one that can be avoided as long as you take the steps and eat properly.  Even without suffering from a lot of heartburn, your baby still could be born with a full head of hair.

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  • Eating for Breastfeeding

    In your third trimester, your baby was old enough to start getting a taste of the foods his or her mommy likes.   Now that your baby is here and you’re breast feeding, your baby will get an even better taste of your favorite food.

    Typically if you are nursing your baby you should produce anywhere from 23 to 27 ounces of milk a day. In order to do this, you need to increase your calorie intake by about 500 more a day.

    You also have to increase your water consumption to at least 2 1/2 to 3 quarts of water a day.  You may notice that you are thirstier during nursing session.  This is because the water you drink goes right to milk production.    Try not to drink more than 3 quarts of water a day.  Anything more than 3 quarts can reduce the amount of milk your body produces.

    As stated earlier, you need to up your calorie intake. Plan to take in about 2500 calories a day or more if you are planning to nurse for longer than three months. These extra calories should not come from junk food. Junk food and sweets are just empty calories and offer no nutritional value to you or your baby. Eat more protein.  A good rule of thumb is to eat 1 gram of protein each day for every pound you weigh. If you weigh 150, aim to eat 150grams of protein a day.

    If you were not doing so during pregnancy, adopt the six meals a day program. Eat breakfast, a midday snack, lunch, a mid afternoon snack, dinner and a night time snack. Your body is going to be making milk continually so it is a good idea to keep it charged with calories through out the day.

    There are some foods you might want to avoid during pregnancy. Pretty much everything passes through breast milk and to the baby. This is why the first thing pediatricians advise nursing moms to do when their baby has colic is to look at what they are eating. Chocolate has been blamed in many cases of colic and can cause an upset tummy for most babies.  f you have a baby with a tummy ache think back to see if you had a candy bar or even a cookie in the hours before you nursed. The best advice is to stay away from chocolate while you are nursing.

    Stay away from greasy and spicy foods while you are breastfeeding. Greasy foods sometimes upset adults stomachs, imagine what it  would do to your baby’s immature stomach?  Wait until your baby is older and no longer nursing before you start making trips back to McDonalds.

    You may also want to stay away from garlic and onions while you are breast feeding. Both of these can flavor the breast milk and you may find that your little one  will not nurse if you have eaten these. Your little one may be just a tad too young to appreciate the taste of garlic and onions anyway. Remember it takes a few hours for the food you eat to make its way into your breast milk. You may have eaten one of these foods right before you nurse and see your baby is fine but by either the following nursing session or the one after you might find your baby having a reaction then.

    Your breast milk does not only taste like what you eat, but also what you drink. Just as with pregnancy, you should stay away from a lot of caffeine while breastfeeding. You might need some coffee or caffeine filled soda to keep you functioning and a cup or two will not hurt you or your baby, but too much could have disastrous effects. Just as we experience the jitters and shakes from too much caffeine, your baby does also. Keep your caffeine down to a minimum.

    You have made an excellent choice breastfeeding your baby.  Keep it up by making good choices as to what you eat.

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