Good nutrition: before, during and after pregnancy 1

Good nutrition should always be the number one on the priority list of women and most especially when trying to have a baby. During this time, it is vital to adhere to good healthy habits to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs as this will give children a healthy start as well as protect the health and nutritional wellbeing of women.
Whether you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, here are some healthy lifestyle guidelines for you.

Before pregnancy
It is ideal for every woman to be healthy before becoming pregnant. Pre-conception nutrition is a vital part for preparing for pregnancy.

1. Know your Body Mass Index (BMI)before getting pregnant. Studies have shown that increased body weight and fat content is related to delayed conception. If you’re overweight or obese, lose some weight to gain a normal BMI before becoming pregnant to protect your health and your baby’s well-being. Being underweight increases your chances of giving birth to a low birth weight baby or a pre-term baby. Ahealthy weight reduces your risk of complications like pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes – “diabetes that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy”. Gestational diabetes, which causes macrosomia (big baby) can lead to injury during birth and increase a mother’s chances of a Caesarean delivery.

2. Quit smoking and drinking before becoming pregnant. Lifestyles such as smoking and drinking can have negative effects on your baby’s health and development, hence should be stopped once a woman decides to have babies. If you smoke during pregnancy you limit supply of oxygen and nutrients to your baby due to exposure to carbon monoxide, increasing  risk of ectopic pregnancy, premature birth and a higher chance of a low birth weight baby. When you drink alcohol whilst pregnant, it travels through your bloodstream, crosses the placenta and reaches your baby. As little as one drink a day can cause you to have a miscarriage, give birth to a stillborn baby or cause your child to develop problems with speech and learning.


3. Take folic acid prior to conception and continue through pregnancy. See your health professional for a folic acid prescription as it is recommended that all women of child bearing age take folic acid each day. It is especially important for women who are trying to get pregnant, as folic acid can help to prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord including anencephaly and spinabifida. You can obtain folate (the natural form of folic acid) through green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and cocoyam leaves (kontomire). Other food sources include beans, peas, lentils, citrus fruits like orange and fortified breakfast cereals.It is difficult to get the amount of folate recommended for pregnancy from food alone since folate is labile when cooked or stored for longer periods. Hence, it is important to take a folic acid supplement hence the need to see your health professional.

During pregnancy
A healthy diet is important during pregnancy as women require a good nutritional status, and adequate supply of nutrients for optimal growth and development of the foetus.

4. Avoid high doses of Vitamin A as this can harm your unborn baby by causing birth defects. If you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby avoid eating foods high in vitamin A such as liver or liver products, and do not take any supplements containing vitamin A unless your doctor advices you to do so.

5. Proteins are needed to build and repair various parts of the body especially the brain, muscle and blood.Consume adequate amounts of protein during pregnancy, to lower your baby’s risk of neonatal deaths and birth defects. Proteins will also keep you full for a longer period and lessen your need to eat extra, empty calories. Good sources of protein-rich foods include eggs, beans, tofu, soy products, lean meat and poultry.

6. Iron is an essential part of red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout the blood. Incorporate more iron-rich foods in your diet during pregnancy as it ensures you and your baby have enough oxygen supply. The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy and iron is required for blood formation. If you become deficient in iron whilst pregnant, you increase your chances of a pre-term birth or a perinatal infant. Dietary sources of iron include meat, poultry, fish, green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts.

7. Calcium is required during pregnancy to help your baby develop strong bones and teeth, grow a healthy heart, nerves and muscle, and assist with blood clotting abilities. If you don’t obtain enough calcium from your diet during pregnancy, your baby will draw it from your bones and this may cause health complications for you later on in life. Naturally enriched sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yoghurt and salmon.

8. Vitamin D is necessary to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth. If you’re lacking vitamin D during pregnancy your baby could develop rickets as a toddler which can lead to fractures and deformity. Oily fish, eggs, fortified milk and cereal products are examples of dietary sources of the vitamin.

9. Stay active by walking for least 30 minutes a day and get enough rest.

After pregnancy
You don’t need to be on a special diet when breastfeeding but it is ideal to ensure that everything you’re eating is healthy and nutritious to help with your milk production.

10. Drink plenty of fluids as it is important for you and your baby to stay hydrated. Always have a glass of water or other liquids close by so you can be drinking frequently, even before you feel thirsty. Dehydration leads to post-partum fatigue, and you don’t need that during this period as breastfeeding itself can be stressful. Be mindful however of the juices and sugary drinks as too much sugar contributes to weight gain. A lot of caffeine during lactation can be dangerous as caffeine in your breast milk might disturb your baby’s sleep.

11. Choose a variety of foods each day as this changes the flavour of your breast milk and exposes your baby to different tastes, which can help him or her to easily accept different solid foods during weaning. Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre which can help to prevent constipation, a common problem in most pregnant and lactating mothers. 

12. Eat small meals and snacks in between as it will give you energy and strength to keep you going through the day even as you breastfeed. Be sure to have bits of fresh fruits, yoghurt, milkshake, fruit smoothie, a vegetable or cheese sandwich in your stroller bag or close to your nursing chair so you can snack as you move around with baby or when breastfeeding. Snacking will help to keep your hunger in check and keep your energy levels high.

Happy International Women's Day! Always remember how exceptional and phenomenal women are.

Get more tips from the book, Become A Healthier You.

Photo credit: www.ucl.ac.uk

About Contributor

Ama Konadu Appiah holds a BSc Home Science from the University of Ghana, Legon and an MSc Nutritional Sciences from the University of Nottingham, UK. Ama specialises in health promotion activities, nutrition & metabolism and public health nutrition.

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Caring for Infants and Toddlers

Infants are children between the ages of 1 month and 12 months and are usually unable to “speak or speechless”. While Toddlers are children between 1 and 3 years and can walk unsteadily and have great cognitive, emotional and social development.

As infants and toddlers are at a critical and vulnerable developmental stage, special care and attention should be given to them to enhance their proper growth and development.

If you have a child, niece, nephew, grandchild etc. who is age 3 or younger, this article is meant for you. The information below will help you learn how to give your child a healthy start to life.

1. Breast feed new born babies and infants exclusively for 6 months, as required by the World Health Organization. There are however exceptions in extreme cases such as mothers living with HIV/AIDS who may not be able to breast feed. Breast milk contains antibodies that protect your baby from infections and diseases, lowers mother’s risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer, and builds a strong physical and emotional bond between a mother and her baby.

2. Share a room with your baby. Place your baby’s crib in your own bedroom instead of in a separate nursery. This helps with the baby’s feeding especially at late hours and also allows the infant to be close to you to hear, smell and sense you. Sharing a bed with your baby increases his or her risk of suffocation or strangling and in some instances, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

3. Choose skin care products specially made for babies such as fragrance-free and tear-free bath gels, shampoos and lotions for your infant. With each one you use, look out for any signs of allergic reactions in the little one.

4. Introduce one new food at a time for infants during weaning (transition from milk only diet to a mixture of drinks and solid foods). This will enable you to identify any foods that may cause allergies in your baby. Timing of weaning is important to achieve a successful transition to a healthy eating pattern.

5. Do not take something off the menu if your toddler doesn’t like it. Kids are slow to accept new tastes and textures, so if he spits out the fish in the stew the first time, make them again the following week as you may be surprised rice and fish stew is his new favourite food.

6. Offer toddlers nutritious foods in the form of fruits, vegetables, milk, fish and meat during meal and snack times, as they will provide them with lots of nutrients and ensure normal growth and development. Instead of giving your toddlers fizzy drinks, cakes, chocolates and biscuits for snacks, give them fruits and yoghurts. Refrain from giving toddlers foods high in fat and sugar, they contribute to tooth decay and childhood overweight/obesity thereby increasing a child’s risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life.

7. Eat together as a family and make meal times relaxed, happy occasions for toddlers. Toddlers eat better in a relaxed, happy atmosphere and do not eat well if they feel anxious, rushed or forced to eat foods they don’t want to try. Toddlers learn to eat a variety of foods and improve on their self-feeding skills as they watch adults and other family members eat. This way, they also get to exercise a little independence.

8. Teach your toddler the importance of hand washing, and how to properly wash hands with soap and water. Ensure they wash their hands properly before handling food and when they come inside from playing. This will help to prevent the spread of germs and will keep toddlers from getting sick from common colds and infectious diarrhoea.

Promoting the health of children is essential as children’s experiences in their early life are central to shaping their health and well-being in the long term. Good nutrition is important for everyone but particularly important for infants and growing kids as it is directly linked to all aspects of their growth and development. Instilling proper nutrition trends in your children will help to promote a better quality of life for them and help them to take part in more activities with greater enjoyment.

Get more tips from the book, Become A Healthier You.

Photo Credit: Kofimusings

About Contributor
Ama Konadu Appiah holds a BSc Home Science from the University of Ghana, Legon and an MSc Nutritional Sciences from the University of Nottingham, UK. Ama specialises in health promotion activities, nutrition & metabolism and public health nutrition.

Read more »