Pregnancy and Maternal Health Care
Pregnancy and Lactation: How should I feed?
Author: Ann Brown
Any mother or expectant mother should know that an adequate nutritional status has consequences for herself and her baby, in the short term will be a boy and he is definitely not more than the propagation of our species.
That is why this period is as important as health educators and you must give the greatest possible interest in all that means this time.
The following are things that we can not know to achieve optimal nutritional status, both in pregnancy and lactation.
Energy metabolism is increased, which should increase your daily calories, but they must be calorie “nutritious” and not “empty” calories. Nutritious calories are achieved by simply performing a varied and balanced long-term manner, choosing in this way:
* Cereals and Pulses: wheat, oats, barley, corn and all its derivatives, as well as soy, lentils, beans, chickpeas, beans. They’re going to give lasting energy to carry out activities throughout the day. And they are even more nutritious whole grains (bread, crackers, cereal bars).
* Fruits and Vegetables: there are plenty on the market, we vary the colors, combine greens, yellow, red, stem, leaf, etc. Just as with fruits, vary among citrus fruits, red, white. This group is essential as we provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and water.
* Dairy: we all know the great importance of calcium throughout life, but in this period we must make the ossification of the baby, bringing you through the milk, yogurt, cheese, ricotta. What is important to highlight is that during lactation the transfer of calcium from the mother’s milk, is relatively independent of maternal calcium intake.
* Meat and eggs: the essential mineral that gives us this group is the “iron” and here the statistics are alarming, since it is estimated that 40% of mothers suffer from anemia and iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in pregnancy is associated with less weight gain over the same and may have undesirable consequences on the baby. This group also will give us high quality protein.
* Fats: we consume but with selection of them since they are of vegetable origin (oils, nuts) as well as fat from fish, we provide essential fatty acids, which we put him through one of these foods. Why should we opt for this type of fat, limiting the consumption of animal fat: butter, cream, meat fat, chicken skin, cold cuts, sausages, etc..
* Sugar: must be consumed in moderation, as excess fat becomes.
Therefore, we see that all foods can be consumed and in turn is a good time to learn, practice and incorporate good eating habits that will last a lifetime and thus we also teach our children.
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