Nutrition During Pregnancy

Having a baby can be one of life's most wonderful experiences. As a mother you'll want to be able to give your baby the very best. Good eating habits, both before and after baby's birth, are an investment in the future good health and wellbeing of your child.

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> Pregnancy Problems
> Feeding Your Baby

Pregnancy Problems

At the beginning of your pregnancy, even before you begin to look pregnant, considerable changes are taking place within your body. The nausea you feel as early as five or six weeks after conception is one of the first signs of pregnancy and is largely a response to these changes.

'Morning Sickness', as it is commonly called (nausea and vomiting), can strike in the mornings in the early days of pregnancy. Many women, however, find that it may occur at any time of the day, and possibly throughout the entire pregnancy. Some find that nausea feels worse at night while preparing the evening meal, or when the are feeling weary and worn out.

If morning sickness is worst for you in the morning, you probably won't feel much like eating a big breakfast. So instead, try eating something light before you get out of bed such as fruit or fruit juice, toast or a dry biscuit.

If nausea strikes you at night, try preparing the evening meal ahead of time, or make the most of your cupboard or freezer stores. Try and have an afternoon rest, or at least put your feet up during your lunch break if you're still at work.

You'll probably find that it helps to eat small meals more often through the day. If you go to work, carry light snacks like fruit, dry biscuits and low fat yoghurt. Foods with a high fat content can cause nausea, so avoid fatty foods. Strong smelling foods can also be nauseating.

If nausea or vomiting persists you should see a doctor, because if you are not able to eat properly, you may be missing out on valuable nutrients.

Indigestion, or 'heart-burn', is a burning sensation around the same chest area as your heart. It most often occurs at night, during the late stages of your pregnancy. Heartburn is caused by the baby pressing against your digestive organs and causing gastric juices to rise from your stomach into your oesophagus (food pipe) and irritate it.

If you avoid greasy and highly seasoned food and avoid drinking with your meals, you may be able to relieve the problem. Eating slowly and chewing your food carefully will also help prevent the condition. Eating several small meals instead of three main ones and eating several hours before you go to bed often helps as well.

One of the results of the many changes in your body during pregnancy is constipation. The muscles in your digestive tract do not 'work' as well as they normally do. To help alleviate the problem eat -

• wholegrain breads
• cereals
• plenty of fruit and vegetables
• legumes and foods high in fibre
• drinking several extra glasses of water each day ad going on a daily walk is also important

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