Nutrients for Mothers and Babies

Nutrients for Mothers and Babies

It is important for women to be healthy when they are trying to conceive.  You want your body to be in the best condition possible because you are creating another human.  You want your child to be as healthy as possible, so you need to be as healthy as possible yourself.  There are many factors to having a healthy pregnancy that are dependent on your personal habits before becoming pregnant.  Being at a healthy weight is one of the factors.  Studies have shown that women who are overweight before becoming pregnant are likely to have complication.  Another factor is taking a multivitamin.  If you are not getting enough nutrients, you can run the risk of having complications.  

Calcium is an important nutrient for women to take.  It is recommended that women need at least 1000 mg of calcium each day.  You can get your daily amount by taking a multivitamin and by drinking milk and eating other low-fat dairy product.  You can also find calcium in fortified orange juice, rice, and corn tortillas.  For the baby, it grows strong bones and teeth, healthy nerves, heart, and muscles.  Calcium is also important for developing a good heart rhythm and for blood clotting.  For women who are looking to lose the baby weight, getting enough calcium will help shed the pounds.  A recent study found that women who didn’t get enough calcium were likely to be overweight.  It goes back to being in starvation mode.  When your body isn’t getting enough of something, it will hold onto whatever it gets.  Calcium also protects your heart.  A healthy diet includes two to three servings of calcium-rich foods, which reduces blood pressure.  Another study found that by getting enough calcium, women had fewer PMS symptoms.  Overall, calcium benefits both mother and baby.  

Vitamin A is very important for the development of cells, eyes, skin, infection resistance, and bone growth in a baby.  For mothers, it helps keep your eye sight healthy.  One of the first signs that you are not getting enough vitamin A is that it begins to be hard to see in the dark and a weakened immune system.  You can find vitamin A naturally in sweet potatoes, spinach, especially carrots, and other fruits and vegetables.  Most prenatal vitamins contain proper amounts of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene.  Vitamin A is fat-soluble, so your body will keep it until it is needed.  It also helps with recovering after giving birth.

There are some essential B-complex vitamins women should be taking for a healthy baby:  folic acid and thiamin.  Any woman who is of child bearing age should be taking at least 400 micrograms (standard in a women’s multivitamin) of folic acid.  There are many important benefits of folic acid for the baby.  Folic acid is in spinal fluid.  It closes the tube around the central nervous system.  It also helps create DNA and the keeps the brain functioning normal.  Studies have shown that by taking folic acid women can reduce the risk of neural tube defects by 70%.  When a woman who becomes pregnant, she should increase her intake of folic acid to about 800 micrograms.  Folic acid is a water soluble vitamin.  Your body will flush any excess from your body.  You can get most of your folic acid from a vitamin supplement.  It is also found in lentils, some fortified cereals, and asparagus.

Calcium, vitamin A, folic acid, and thiamin are very essential nutrients to a healthy mother and baby.  Women who are old enough to bear children should be taking a multivitamin.  Then when you become pregnant you should begin taking a prenatal vitamin.  You will be getting enough nutrients for you and the baby and you can prevent certain birth defects.  It is important to realize that every mother is different, and will have different needs.  Before increasing any vitamin or mineral intake it is important to talk over your changes in dietary practices with a health care professional.