By Daily Press staff
Have you heard the old saying that pregnant women are “eating for two?” As it turns out, there is a fair amount of truth to it. The trick, however, is to remember that when you are pregnant you aren’t eating for any two people, but for two people with highly specific nutritional needs.
Good nutrition while you are pregnant can counteract and even help prevent the risks of low birth weight, susceptibility to infection and birth defects in your baby.
Maintaining a healthy balanced diet and taking the prenatal vitamins prescribed by your doctor can save you from the pain and heartbreak of a premature delivery. Because deficiency in zinc levels is tied to early labor, women who eat a balanced diet and take the recommended daily doses of vitamins and minerals are less likely to deliver early than those who do not, said officials at Saint John’s Health Care Center. Premature birth can cause heart, brain and lung problems in your baby.
A healthy diet doesn’t only mean knowing what to eat — it also means knowing what to avoid. Some foods have high levels of mercury that can be harmful to your baby’s development. Foods with high levels of mercury include most large fish — swordfish, shark, king mackerel and salmon.
Certain other foods can put you and your baby at risk for bacteria related problems. Those foods include soft cheeses like brie, feta and blue cheese, as well as raw oysters and uncooked eggs.
Good nutrition while you are pregnant can positively impact your comfort level, fatigue, morning sickness, constipation and leg cramps.
Good nutrition also affects postpartum recovery. A well-nourished body can recover from birth more quickly and weight gained at a sensible rate during pregnancy will come off more easily once the baby is delivered.
When you are pregnant, it’s very important to think before you drink. Alcohol, of course, should be avoided. The affects to your baby of drinking alcohol when pregnant can include brain damage and other birth defects.
Staying hydrated is important because water carries waste products out of your body, and helps your liver and kidneys to function properly. If you are pregnant during the summer or live in a hot climate, it is important to drink plenty of water. Dehydration can cause premature labor and other physical problems.
As soon as you think you might be pregnant, visit your doctor and ask for a recommended diet.
For women who do have complications due to poor nutrition during pregnancy, hospitals offer dedicated perinatal facilities.
Women facing risk during pregnancy or delivery, because of poor nutrition or for any reason, can be referred by their obstetrician to Saint John’s Perinatology Services at approximately 20 weeks of pregnancy. The women’s health center, which occupies the entire fourth floor of Saint John’s state-of-the-art inpatient facility, features specially equipped exam and fetal-monitoring rooms for women requiring an extra level of supervision during pregnancy.
So, if you are pregnant, start eating right. If you find yourself suffering from poor nutrition during pregnancy, talk to your doctor.
Good nutrition can reverse many adverse symptoms and the perinatal services at hospitals like Saint John’s can help you through your pregnancy to the safe delivery of a happy, healthy baby.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 21, 2004. Read the original PDF.