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| by Liz Nightingale, NHS and Independent Midwife |
| If you're still at this stage - good! There are a lot of things you need to consider to help you concieve and carry a healthy baby........ Smoking If you or your partner smoke, it's time to think again. Smoking can cause lower bith weight babies and a whole raft of other problems, including miscarriage. The good news is over 30% of pregnant women manage to stop and there is plenty of help and support out there. Try the NHS Smokefree website Diet Try to eat a healthy balanced diet, which will provide you with everything you need. You might like to think about taking folic acid supplements if you diet is restricted. Folic acid is needed for the development of healthy red blood cells. Adequate intake of folic acid also decreases the chance of a baby being born with a defect of the neural tube, where the baby's brain and spinal cord are formed. Try to include foods rich in B6 and B12 as can be important to reduce your chances of suffering severe morning sickness. Good sources of folic acid: avocados, beans, beets, celery, chick peas, eggs, green leafy vegetables, nuts, oranges and orange juice, soybeans, and whole wheat products Good sources of B6: Rice and wheat bran, sunflower seeds, avocados, bananas, corn, fish, lean meat, liver, nuts, poultry, brown rice, soybeans, whole grain. Good sources of B12: meat, fish, poultry and dairy products. The British Nutrition Foundation has a comprehensive guide to pre-conception nutritional recommendations. You can also visit the BBC website and the Food Standards Agency for more general nutritional information in pregnancy. General Fitness Try to get regular gentle exercise e.g. walking or yoga classes. Click here for more information Stress If you tend to get highly stressed, try some strategies to reduce the problem, simple gentle exercise can often work well. It's thought that stress can play a role in some birth defects click here for report, so it's particualrly important to consider this as part of your overall health Support This is one people often forget, but think about your family support network and your own mental health (see stress!) |
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