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Nutrition for Maternity
Nurturing through Nutrition
Pregnancy can be both an exciting and daunting time for many women and adequate nutrition is important to ensure the health of both mother and baby and to support you in labour, birth and beyond.
Your choices in pregnancy can extend past the health of your baby. Evidence shows that a mothers health and nutritional status in pregnancy can impact on the health of their children's children! You read that right, your choices now could influence the health of your future Grandchildren!
Some of the most common concerns expressed by women in pregnancy can be alleviated by proper nutritional intervention. This includes hyperemesis gravidarum, Iron deficiency anaemia and gestational diabetes to name just a few. Other ways in which I can support you nutritionally are, advice around nutritional supplements, food safety in pregnancy, weight management, planning for post-natal and nutrition for breast feeding.
What the Evidence Shows
There should be no guilt put on mothers who have difficult pregnancies, experience miscarriage or discover their baby has health problems antenatally, there are some things that are unfortunately unavoidable.
However there is significant evidence to support the many health benefits of getting the right nutrition both pre and during pregnancy.
Some of these benefits include:
reduced likelihood of premature birth - low birth weight - large baby - birth complications - emergency caesarian section - stillbirth - congenital birth defects - miscarriage - reduced length of stay in hospital postnatally - reduced chance of developing gestational diabetes - less likely to struggle with long-term weight issues and associated health complications - reduced incidence of mobility issues in pregnancy.
Nourishing your Baby Beyond Birth
Whilst it isn't for everyone, if breastfeeding is something you wish to try, there are some nutritional choices you can take to bolster your health and the nourishment you give to your baby.
There are a great number of reasons to choose to breastfeed your baby. It is free, convenient and provides everything your baby needs nutritionally, with some medicinal properties as well! When it is hot, your breast milk changes consistency to provide your baby with more fluid. When your baby is poorly, your milk can change to provide antibodies to help fight disease.
For Baby and for Mum
In addition, the evidence is clear.
Breastfed babies are seen to develop less allergies, less nutritional deficiencies, and have reduced likelihood of childhood obesity as well as reduced risk of future health complications such as Diabetes.
For Mum there are also profound benefits, including reduced cancer risk, quicker recovery from birth and surgery, support with post-natal weight-management, sustained energy and mood enhancement, reducing the risk of developing post-natal depression.
However you choose to feed your baby, making positive nutritional choices paves the way for encouraging life-long positive habits for you and your family.