The pregnancy and nursing period is characterized by a series of fundamental structural and functional changes of the maternal body: uterus enlargement, placenta formation, mammary glands increase, endocrine gland modification, blood volume increase, metabolism intensification etc.

All these changes impose the decisions taking about how to help the maternal body to go through this period without health damages for the mother or child. The alimentation plays an important role in the structure of these measures.

Research concerning a pregnant woman’s metabolism showed that the nutritive needs increase in comparison to the needs of an adult woman who is not pregnant, especially during the second period of the pregnancy and during nursing.

The caloric needs increase in the first period of pregnancy with 5-10% and in the second part the caloric needs are up to 15-20% higher. During nursing, the increase may be of 30% or of 1000 calories more than at a non-pregnant adult-woman.

The proteins need of the pregnant woman is of 1,5- 2 g/kg/day or 100g/day during the first part of pregnancy, increasing to 120g in the last pregnancy trimester and 125 g during nursing. That is why 2/3 or at least half of them will have a high biological value, first of all out of milk, dairies above all, eggs, meat and fish.

A poor proteins quota can lead to pregnancy complications: anemia, eclampsia, edemas or some fetus deficiencies, premature birth, malformations as well as different deficient states of the fetus, a greater receptivity to diseases after birth and diminished callousness. Latter on, it can also influence the quality and the quantity of the milky secretion.

Vegetal proteins from the dry vegetables (bean, pea and lentil) should be avoided as they usually contain a high degree of cellulose which renders their digestion difficult and possible postprandial distention, endured with difficulty by the pregnant woman.

The quantity of the lipids should be low as they overtax the liver’s functions and favor the acidity. That is why a small quantity, of 90 g/day, should be consumed in the first period of the pregnancy and 110g/day during nursing. Half of them will be consumed by eating vegetables, the rest through animal fats, including the fats contained by the aliments.

The quantity of glucose should be of 5—6 g/kg/day or 350—420 g/day and can increase to 500 g a day during nursing, without excesses since they can lead to obesity and diabetes. One should eat more vegetables and fruits which bring vitamins and minerals or cereals and aliments from cereals, without exaggerating the pastries consumption.

During the pregnancy and nursing, the need of mineral salts, calcium, phosphor and iron, in particular, increases and since it cannot be satisfied by the usual alimentation, one should consume aliments which contain them such as: milk, dairies, eggs, meat, liver, spinach, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.

The calcium and phosphor need is of 1.5 g/day in comparison to de 0,8 g/day, for the adult, non-pregnant woman, during nursing can grow up to la 2 g/day. The iron need grows from 15—16 mg/day, the necessary for the adult non-pregnant woman, to 20 mg/day during pregnancy and to 25 mg/day during nursing.

As for the sodium quantity, it should be diminished, especially in the last period of pregnancy, as it favors the edemas which may provoke complications at birth.

The need of some vitamins is higher for the pregnant woman. Thus, the thiamin need increases to 2mg/ day during pregnancy instead of 1,5 mg/day in normal conditions and to 2,3—2,5 mg/day during nursing. The riboflavin need is of 2,5 mg/day during the pregnancy instead of 2 mg/day in normal conditions, and goes up to 3—3,2 mg/during nursing. The pyridoxine need is of 5 mg/day, the PP vitamin need grows from 14- 15mg/day to 18- 20mg/ day to the pregnant woman and to 24—25 mg/day to the nursing woman. Vitamin K need is of 0,5—1 mg/day for the pregnant woman, growing especially in the last period of the pregnancy, taking into account the blood loss during the birth process. The vitamin A need is of 6 000 U.I. for the pregnant woman and of 8 000 U.I. for the nursing woman, in comparison to 5 000 U.I. for the normal woman. The necessary quantity of vitamin D is of 400 U.I. for the pregnant woman and of 500—600 U.I. for the nursing woman. This can be provided by aliments (dairies) but also by sun exposure during summer. Vitamin E, necessary especially during pregnancy, as it favors the normal growth of the embryo, is necessary in quantities of 10—12 mg/day, being provided by the consumption of vegetal oil, eggs, meat, germinative cereals. Vitamin C, whose necessary quantity grows from 50—55 mg/day, the quantity for normal women, to 100 mg/ day for the pregnant woman and to 130 —150 mg/day for the nursing woman, will be provided through the consumption of fresh aliments of vegetal origin (fruits and green vegetables). Vitamins from the group B will be provided especially by bread, meat, milk, eggs, green vegetables, and the vitamin A by dairies, eggs, fish as well as some fresh vegetables which bring it as carotene, which will convert in organism in active vitamin.

All nutritive needs of the pregnant or nursing woman will be ensured by the consumption of the aliments from the main groups.

The quantity of meat and meat products consumed daily will be of 200—250 g/day, the milk quantity is 600- 1000ml/ day, the cheeses quantity should be around 50g/ day, and at least one egg everyday. The alimentary fats will be provided through: 20g butter a day, 20-25 g oil a day. Out of the aliments of vegetal origin, rye bread will be preferred (brings more vitamins and minerals and doesn’t provoke constipation) 250—350 g/day, 30- 40g/day pastries or other cereal products, 400—500 g/day vegetables and 250—300 g/day potatoes. The quantity of fruits can be of 350—400 g/day, fresh or stewed, cooked, and sugar daily quantity should be around 40—50 g/day.

Alimentation should be sufficient qualitative and quantitative, no excesses, it should vary and the aliments as fresh as possible. It is advisable to have frequent and reduced meals, especially in the first period of the pregnancy when the dyspeptic disorders (nausea, vomiting) can affect nourishment. Avoid fatty, spicy, salty aliments, smoked meat, fish or meat preserves, alcohol and coffee. They usually irritate the digestive mucosa with hypersecretion of gastric juice. If endured, occasionally, are allowed small quantities of wine with soda or coffee, without making any excess or converting it into a rule.

Aliments with fried sauces or fried in fats, are not recommended for the pregnant or nursing woman.

The weight gain will be closely followed. It should be almost inexistent in the first months of pregnancy, than it will increase with 1.5 kg/month in the last 6 months, taking care that the weight gain won’t exceed 10 kg during the entire pregnancy.

During travail all kinds of aliments are forbidden. After birth should be consumed fortifying easily digestible and stimulant aliments: natural coffee, coffee with milk, vegetable sauce, meat sauce, eggs, fruit juices, etc. Starting with the third day after birth, the diet recommended for the nursing woman will start.

The nursing woman, beside the mentioned elements, should be aware that some of the substances can reach the milk, giving a bad taste or provoking digestive disorders to the baby, which is why they should be avoided. These are: onion, garlic, alcohol, which can also provoke nervosity, agitation, insomnia, explained by the excitability growth of the nervous system of the infant.

The pregnant woman as well as the nursing woman should respect a set of rules regarding the alimentation hygiene, absolutely necessary such as: respect the meals hours, a good repartition of calories for each meal… With respect to this aspect, we already mentioned that it is preferable to have more meals and less consistent, in order to be better assimilated by the body. Mastication will be lent and long. Avoid any kind of emotions during meals and take a postprandial pause.

Try, if possible, not to change the pregnant woman’s alimentary customs, if they aren’t too different from the rational alimentation limits. One won’t impose useless interdictions or excesses which can damage the nutritive factors contribution, such as salt diet or minerals and vitamins intake in excess.

Keep the optimal proportion between the nutritive factors as it has a positive influence over the absorption and their utilization.

If the pregnant woman presents nutritional disequilibrium, they will be taken into account, trying to correct them.

When the pregnant woman has a job which solicit her physically and psychically, the nutritive contribution will be adjust according to her need which surpass the usual values for a sedentary pregnant woman or for one who makes little effort.

It is also very important if the pregnant woman is an adolescent. Because of the growing needs from this period, the pregnant adolescent’s ratio will be increased in calories and nutritive factors, in order to cover the needs of the adolescent’s growing body.



By: cristi ion

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Pregnancy health has a lot to do with the happy pregnancy. If you can keep yourself happy during the period of the pregnancy then your pregnancy health can be much better. Although, keeping yourself happy is always better for you at any point of the time yet it is truer when any symptom of pregnancy is observed. When you feel happy you can take the things more positively. This positive attitude is the secret of pregnancy health for any pregnant woman.

Positive Mindset

The best way to maintain the pregnancy health is to keep you happy. So, instead of looking here and there for the pregnancy health one must concentrate on the methods of happiness. Although, it is true that what can be a sure formula of happiness for one person may not work that much effectively for the another one yet we can say that if a person can keep himself in the positive frame of mindset then he or she has learnt the art of keeping himself or herself happy.

Keep Yourself Busy In Meaningful Work

Another good method for maintaining the pregnancy health is that the pregnant women should keep themselves involved in the constructive and meaningful work. In the process of giving something to others you develop a healthy relationship with the others that is very important for the pregnancy health. Once you achieve the happiness, you also get the feeling inside you that this happiness is your treasure and nobody can ever take it from you. This kind of feeling of the satisfaction creates a positive effect on the overall body health.

Whenever we observe early pregnancy symptom in the woman we should try that she develop a feeling of belief in herself. When a pregnant woman concentrates on what is best she is having rather than focusing on any negative point then it becomes a big factor for the improved pregnancy health. Here are some suggestions on how we can keep the pregnant women in a happy state of the mind. The first and the most effective method is to make her realize that she is going to create an extra ordinary thing in the life by creating a new life.

Another very effective method of keeping the pregnant woman happy for the better pregnancy health is to tell her that she is going through the rare opportunity in her life when she has the liberty of eating whatever she wishes at whatever time she like to eat. Tell her that instead of concentrating on the unpleasant changes taking place in the body of the pregnant woman she should try to focus on the jealously looking faces of the others because of the motherly glow on you face.



By: Saurabh Jain

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Ayurvedic woman and childcare rules lay out solid action plans to ensure health of woman and children. In India, women are ascribed divinity, solely because of their ability to give birth to a child and thereby retaining human race on the face of earth.

Bala chikitsa (child care) is the wing of Ayurveda that deals with woman and childcare. Bala means a child and chikitsa means treatment. According to Ayurveda woman and children are no separate entities but inseparable factors. This is because the health of the woman during pregnancy directly affects the health of the baby. Any post-natal disease to mother can also deprive the child of essential nutrient in the form of ****** milk.

Ayurveda also considers woman as the first teacher of a child and every aspect of proper development of a child is directly linked to the physical and mental health of mother.

Woman and childcare in Ayurveda in principle starts before the formation of fetus inside the womb. Healthy fetus formation is the result of the union of a healthy man and a healthy woman, at the right time and in the right manner.

This branch of Ayurveda deals with impotency, infertility, prenatal, natal and post natal care. Neonatal care has significant importance according to Ayurvedic concepts. The care given to a newborn child is equivalent to a life-time of health care. The right treatments and care given to a newborn baby at the right times will ensure healthy development of the child as a person and contributing member to the society.

The basis of woman and child care Ayurveda is found in ancient Ayurvedic treatises – Ashtanga Hridaya, Sushrutha Samhita, Charaka Samhita and Vagbhata Samhita.

Vagbhata Samhitha and Ashtanga Hridaya (both by Acharya Vagbhata) has comprehensive guidelines about day to day care of pregnant woman and new born child. Both mental and physical health of a mother is important to the progeny. There is specified treatment and caring method for expecting women in Ayurvedic woman and child care.

This includes a highly nutritive diet specially formulated for each month of development of the fetus and diet that ensures lactation. Specific issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation etc that occurs during the pregnancy have effective treatments in Ayurveda woman and child care.

The food and medicines also prepare the woman for a smooth delivery of a healthy baby.

The food items that an expecting or nursing mother takes must be pure and free from any toxins like pesticides or chemicals. Any violation from the Ayurvedic rules can lead to the birth of an unhealthy child.



By: Dev Sri

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Bean Bag Chairs

A new style of furniture has invaded the living room, playrooms and other places where people want to be cozy. Presenting altogether different style aims at providing comfort and ease to the tired and aching body. The now manufactured beanbag chair is way apart from the beanbag chairs, manufactured in 1960s. Now the new styles of foam chairs or beanbag chairs are sold under the brand names LoveSac, Foof Chair, Comfy Sack.

The new generation of beanbag furniture comes with wide range of sizes and options. They can be comfortably used in the game room where children can sit and watch videos; it can replace your couch in the living room and can provide a comfy place to nuzzle for your sick child. The beanbag chair provides you the ultimate feeling of relaxation and life seem impossible without it.

The beanbag chair can be placed almost anywhere in the house by the pool, in the bedroom, or in the lounge and can be used by children, middle-aged people, elderly or even pregnant woman and accordingly the size can be chosen. For children the beanbag should be made of strong fabrics and dark colors and the children are rough with most of their things and spill whatever they eat. The beanbag chair would be an overwhelming gift for a pregnant woman and can relieve her from back pain. The soft and gentle shape of the chairs moulds to the shape of the person who sits.

While buying beanbag chairs you can choose from the different colors set out befitting your home décor. Bright and vibrant colors are best for the modern apartment whereas the people with individual small houses should opt for soft and warmer colors. They will give an elegant and stylish look to your house. You will never repent for the price you pay for these chairs as the beads mould to your back and support you where you need it most. To get more support for your body fill in the beanbag with excess of beans.

Apart from these issues you need to consider the safety issues related with this furniture. Find out whether it is sun resistant or water resistant and protect it accordingly. Take proper care of your beanbag chair and it will continue giving comfort to your body. The cleaning is also simple; the covers can be removed and washed in washing machine. The liner available will not allow the beans to spill when the outer cover is removed for cleaning. Regularly used beanbag chairs can be wiped with a cloth dipped in warm water like the one made from durable fabrics PVC or Vinyl.

The beans used in the beanbag chairs are nothing but expanded, polystyrene pieces and are good conductors of heat. So it is advisable to keep these chairs away from fireplaces and heaters.



By: David

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