Eating Healthy Leads To Easier Pregnancies

“You are what you eat.” Certainly this same thought applies during pregnancy. When a woman becomes pregnant, there are many bodily changes that occur. As you try to adjust and compensate for these changes, your eating habits will naturally change as well. Simply put, eating helps you cope with the physical and emotional challenges of carrying and delivering a baby. While there will most likely be cravings for unhealthy junk food, it is important to stick to a healthy diet to help ensure a healthy pregnancy for both you and your baby.

As explained in an episode of The First 9, many bodily changes are associated with pregnancy including morning sickness, fatigue, constipation, heartburn and the list goes on! You’ll be happy to know that good nutrition can often times minimize, eliminate and even prevent many of these maladies. For example, a diet that is low in fatty acids can decrease heartburn. Ingesting an adequate amount of carbohydrates will reduce fatigue and provide the critical energy required to carrying your baby. Also, vitamin B6 can lessen nausea and vomiting.

It has also been shown that mothers who are properly nourished are more likely to have healthier and safer births that are free from complications. Moreover, it has been observed that nutritional deficiencies in one’s diet can cause complications during pregnancy. Be sure to stay away from too much sugar and polyunsaturated fats as they can increase the risk of preeclampsia which is an abnormal pregnancy condition that causes hypertension and fluid retention.

Healthy eating habits also have positive effects during labor and in some cases may prevent labor from occurring too soon. If you have already had a child, then you are well aware of the enormous amount of energy that labor entails. And if you’re a new mother, then you’ll soon find out! Eating healthy will prepare you and enable you to bear the pain better than if you are malnourished.

Lastly, eating well has been shown to have positive effects during the postpartum recovery period. It can take months for your body to repair itself after enduring the hardships of pregnancy including labor strains, bleeding, sleep deprivation and stretching. By maintaining a healthy diet one can jump on the path to a faster recovery. Ultimately, it pays to eat well!